Travel/Culture List

The Doosan Art Center, which opened on October 1st, 2007, is structured around three different spaces: The Yonkang Hall, exclusively designed for musical performances, Space 111, a “space for art incubation,” and the Doosan Gallery, built for installations.The Yonkang Hall a theatre with a 620 person seating capacity, specially designed lighting and a world-class audio-visual system, provides a second-to-none sensory experience.Space 111 can accommodate a broad range of performing arts: From theater and dance to film and music concerts. The Doosan Gallery is open to the public, and art exhibitions and performances here can be enjoyed free of charge.All three theaters include spacious lobbies with handicapped access, designated seating for parents with infants, and meeting areas. Rest rooms are also available nearby, in order to avoid long queues and long walks during intermission.Visit the Doosan Art Hall website (www.doosanartcenter.com) for more details on performance and exhibition schedules as well as reservations. (Korean language only.)

Yeouido Hangang Park turns into an outdoor swimming pool in summer and then transforms into a sledding hill in winter. The Yeouido Hangang Park Sledding Hill features small and large slopes for all visitors to fully enjoy the winter.

Large ancient tombs of kings and nobles of the Silla Kingdom can be seen around Gyeongju at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex (Cheonmachong Tomb). There are twenty-three large tombs located here; the most famous being Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong.In an excavation of the area in the 1970s, Cheonmachong was discovered with a painting of a mounted horse. This painting is the only discovered painting from the Silla era. You can also view the inside of Cheonmachong. There are 11,526 remains and royal crowns inside the tomb, demonstrating the lavish lifestyle of the king. Another tourist attraction is Hwangnamdaechong, the largest ancient tomb. It houses the bodies of both the king and queen and has over 30 thousand relics and gold accessories.The unique thing about Hwangnamdaechong is that the queen's tomb has more luxurious accessories. Researchers have concluded that even the queen can have a high social position before marriage. You can feel the ancient culture of Korea 1,500 years ago when visiting these tombs.

Incheon Open Port Modern Architecture Exhibition Center (Former Incheon Branch of Japan's 18th Bank) was built to control Korea's finance industry by Japan. It completed construction in 1890 and opened in October but records on the time when the work finished was unknown. In 1954, the building was used by Hanguk Heungeop Bank, and it is built in a single-layered with classical decorations of eclecticism style. The stone pillars at the entrance was delicately built and the roof was formed like Japanese roof tiles, exuding an exotic ambiance. The place has now transformed into an exhibition center that introduces the states of modern architecture in the areas of Incheon Open Port.

Located in Gahoe-dong (Jongno-gu), Myeongin Museum is the only museum in Seoul that specializes in masks, including traditional Korean masks and masks from around the world. Visitors can find the "Myeongin Collection" on the first floor and a large exhibition hall on the first basement level. The museum is home to over 500 rare masks collected by its director over the course of 30 years from Korea and countries around the world. Masks at the museum reflect the unique cultures of countries from all over Africa, Oceania, Latin America, India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Japan, and East Asia. In addition to these fascinating masks, the Myeongin Collection further offers visitors a look into culture with a number of Buddhist sculptures, Buddhist paintings, Buddhist crafts, ceramics, modern art, and western paintings. 

Hwadam Botanic Garden is an eco-friendly arboretum located within Konjiam Resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, a 40 min drive away from Seoul. In effort to revive the country's forest ecosystem, LG Evergreen Foundation brought in approximately 4,300 types of exquisite and domestic plants to form a forest park divided into 17 themes. "Hwadam" can be translated into "a friendly communication," a name given to the forest in hopes that the area serves as a mean for people to communicate with nature. While the forest is designed to offer an environmentally friendly atmosphere, the ecosystem and habitats of the forest are well-preserved, serving as a home to many living species.

'Four Seasons House' is located in Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul and features props, items, photos and sets from director Yoon Suk-Ho's four seasons’ dramas. Yoon Suk-Ho’s series [Autumn in my Heart], [Winter Sonata], [Summer Scent], and [Spring Waltz] are among some of the most famous Hallyu dramas and capture the theme of pure love through vivid cinematography. The basement and first floor of the Four Seasons House also house exhibits from other well-known dramas including [Snow Queen]. Outside exhibits include a re-creation of the proposal room from [Summer Scent] and a bench used in [Winter Sonata] and [Spring Waltz]. Guests must make a reservation online or by phone before visiting the Four Seasons House.

The 3rd Tunnel was discovered in 1978 by Korean forces. It spans over 1635m in length, 2m in x_width, and 2m in x_height and is located 52km from Seoul. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 soldiers could move through the tunnel per hour. Once the tunnel was found, North Koreans insisted it was intentionally made by the Southern army to invade North Korea, but, their insistence was proven untrue as the explosions used to make the tunnel face southward.The tunnel offers various sightseeing points such as the DMZ Video room, symbolic sculptures, a souvenir shop and more.

Situated in Myeong-dong, the Namsan Arts Center is a cultural facility that offers art performances and promotes them for the public. Remodeling the Namsam Drama Center, it was opened in June 2009. Befitting its image, the center boasts artistic designs.The Namsan Arts Center consists of a Drama Center (a performance hall) and an Art Education Center. The Drama Center offers art performances (centered on modern plays) by Korean and international artists. Housing up to 480 visitors, the hall hosts art festivals (including Festival Jang), modern plays, scholarly events, and auditions. The Art Education Center, on the other hand, offers art education to the public who want to appreciate art and culture. The center is a beloved place by both artists and the public. 

The slow city of Mokpo offers visitors an amazing view of the old downtown through Mokpo Marine Cable Car. With Bukhang Station and Gohado Island Station, the marine cable car has become a new top attractions in Mokpo.