Travel/Culture List

The waters that carved Mulhan Valley (물한계곡) in Yeongdong, Chungcheongbuk-do originate in the upper reaches of the Hancheon Village stream. In summer, many tourists visit the valley while the nearby Mt. Minjujisan, Samdobong Peak and Mt. Gakhosan are popular among hikers year-round. The scrub, azaleas and royal azaleas along the ridges display their magnificent beauty throughout the year and beautiful waterfalls flow through the area, including Okso Falls, Uiyonggol Falls and Eumjuam Falls. The harmonious valley contains Janggun Rock, many thick forests and even swamplands, offering a wide array of spectacular and splendid sights.

Robot Studio is an experiential exhibition hall that presents a vision of the future robotics, featuring experiment robots, robot avatars, and reproduction of movie scenes. The studio offers a family friendly setting, featuring a toy room, building block games, 4D-media room, robot camp, and more. The studio's major attraction is Despian, a robot that can express human emotions and act scenes from popular movies such as Star Wars and Jaws.

The Sculpture Park of Keumkuwon (est. 1966) is Korea’s first sculpture park and was registered as Private Museum No. 277 with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2003. Many of the roughly 100 sculptures are realistic in style and are related to one another, making viewers feel as if a story is unfolding right before their eyes. Main pieces include ‘Farmer’s hands,’ ‘Thoughts about the Limited and the Unlimited,’ and ‘The Sky in the West.’ The sculptures are made of marble or granite and vary in size, with some measuring 450cm. Indigenous trees and bushes of the Byeonsan Bando Peninsula can be found throughout the park, giving visitors a chance to enjoy both the sculptures and the backcountry charm. The park also features the Keumkuwon Astronomical Observatory. Visitors can combine their trip to the park with a visit to nearby tourist sites like Gyeokpohang Harbor, Chaeseokgang Cliff, Suseongdang Shrine, and Jeokbyeokgang Cliff.

Park Kyung-ri Toji-gil along the Seomjingang River is a walking path in Hadong and was the main setting for the novel Toji (The Land). The 31km path is divded into two courses: Course 1 is 19 km long and passes Pyeongsa-ri which was an important setting in the novel and, Couse 2 is a 13 km flower road, passing along National Highway Route 19.  Trekkers can enjoy the view of Seomjingang River on both courses. Course 2 includes Simni (10ri) Cherry Blossom Road to Guksaam Buddhist Hermitage. It also includes Hwagae Market, Ssanggyesa Temple, Simni Cherry Blossom Road, Buril Falls, ponds covered with lotuses and other beautiful places.

Mokpo is a special zone for marine culture tourism. One of the main attractions is Yudalsan Mountain, on top of which one can get a panoramic view of the entire city of Mokpo. The mountain’s walking trails are known to both locals and tourists alike as a place for forest bathing. Samhakdo Island and Gatbawi Rock are also popular attractions. The annual Mokpo Maritime Cultural Festival is held on Samhakdo Island. Gatbawi is a rock formation shaped like a Korean hat. From Gatbawi Rock, there is a coastal trail that leads to Gatwabi Culture Street. The musical fountain at Pyeonghwa Plaza is located near Gatbawi Rock. The Mokpo Wholesale Fish Market is full of marine products. Street vendors line the sidewalks selling hongeo (skate), which is a local specialty. Tourists can reach Yudalsan Mountain, Samhakdo Island and the Mokpo Wholesale Fish Market on foot from Mokpo Station. The City Tour Bus departs from Mokpo Station and takes travelers to major tourist attractions in the city. [Mokpo Special Tourist Zone] Areas covered: Area around Bukhang Port, Yudalsan Mountain, Open Port Zone, Samhakdo Island, Gatbawi, Pyeonghwa Plaza Area size: 6,894,968㎡ Tourist attractions: Yudalsan Mountain, Samhakdo Island, Gatbawi Culture Street, Pyeonghwa Plaza, Mokpo Natural History Museum, National research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Mokpo Wholesale Fish Market, Bukhang Hoe (sashimi) Center, etc.

The birthplace of Yuk Young-soo is the last house on Hyangsu 100-ri gil in Okcheon-eup, Okcheon-gun of Chungcheongbuk-do. Mrs. Yuk Young-soo was born from the house and raised, until to later stage the establishment to fall in disrepair. Luckily, the building was restored in May of 2011, and it became open to the public. The house was originally built in the 1600s by Kim Jeongseung, and subsequently lived in by Song Jeongseung, and then Min Jeongseung, gaining the house the nickname of "Samjeongseong House," meaning the house of three Jeongseong's. (The Jeongseong's rank is similiar to that of prime minister's today.) Before Mrs. Yuk Young-soo was born, the house was bought in 1918 from the sons of Min Jeongseung by Yuk Jong-gwan, and then repaired in the likeness of a typical Chungcheong yangban (noble class) house from the late Joseon period. After entering through the main gate, the large site features a meeting room, outer room, inner room, backroom, servants quarters, annex, back garden, arbor, and lotus pond.

Pine Hills Country Club is located at the foot of Jogyesan Mountain, home of the famous Songgwangsa Temple. Surrounded by lush pine forests, the golf course offers magnificent views.

Bangtaesan Mountain, located in Inje-gun, Ganwon-do, sits on the border between Inje-gun and Hongcheon-gun. Its long ridges and deep valleys make the mountain outstanding in its beauty. Being in a place where it’s not easy to get to, the mountain’s natural elements are in pristine condition. Water flows from Jugeokbong Peak (1,443m) and Guryongdoekbong Peak (1,338m) through Achimgarigol Valley and Jeoggarigol Valley. There is a wide variety of species that live in the mountain, such as lenoks, catfishes, boars, hares, roe deers and squirrels. Southwest of Jugeokbong Peak, the highest peak of the mountain, is the Gaein mineral water spring that is famous for its pungent taste and carbonated water. With cool weather in summer and colorful autumn foliage in fall, Bangtaesan Mountain is a perfect place to enjoy the natural beauty of South Korea. Bangtaesan Recreational Forest also offers sleeping accomodations for visitors.

E-An Land Forest was established in 1999 when 1,836 arbor species and 1,418 herb species were planted on a land area of 1,118 hectares. The forest features a tropical garden and various other exhibition gardens, as well as thematic spaces like the Haneul Maru. The forest was finally completed in 2006. Inside the arboretum, there are various things to see such as the herb village, parakeet exhibitions, a pine tree garden, and man-made cave. There is also a mini golf course and an outdoor swimming pool. Visitors can also use the onsite pensions and the auto camping site for accommodation, making the E-An Land Forest a great place for family and group visitors.

Yeongju Station is a railway station on Jungang Line, Yeongdong Line and Gyeongbuk Line.