Travel/Culture List

World Cup Park
 
Seoul(Mapo-gu)
World Cup Park was built to commemorate the 17th FIFA World Cup, held in Korea. Opened May 1st, 2002, the park was once a 15-year-old landfill that held over 92 million tons of garbage. It took 6 years to stabilize the waste (measures were taken to prevent the garbage runoff from contaminating the environment) and an additional year to build the actual park itself. The park is located near Seoul World Cup Stadium, and is made up of five smaller parks including Pyeonghwa 'Peace' Park, Haneul 'Sky' Park, and Noeul 'Sunset' Park. The park takes up a 1.05 million-pyeong area and is usually crowded with in-line skaters. * Pyeonghwa Park: Closest to Seoul World Cup Stadium, it holds a pond, garden, children’s playground, and forest. It is often used as a picnic area and place for nature studies. * Nanjicheon Park: Nanjicheon Park was developed from the Nanji Stream, which flowed under Haneul Park. It was once overflowing with sewage runoff from the nearby landfill, but it has since been beautifully restored into a park with clear water. It contains an outdoor stage and various sports facilities. * Nanji Hangang Park: Nanji Hangang Park was developed on the banks of the Hangang River. It contains a campground, soccer field, basketball court, grass field, cruise ship port, and an area for nature studies. * Haneul Park : Of the 5 World Cup Parks, Haneul Park is at the highest elevation. Once a mountain of garbage, it is now a green hill with 22 lookout points offering breathtaking views of Seoul, Namsan, Bukhansan, and Gwanaksan Mountains. 5 wind-powered generators provide power to the park and the park’s maintenance office. During the Seoul Eulalia Festival, the park is open until late in the evening * Noeul Park: Noeul Park contains a 9-hole golf course and takes up a vast area of land that was once a landfill. The park was constructed as a grassland because too much development may have caused damage to the environment, due to the buried waste. It offers a scenic view of the Hangang River and its beautiful sunset.  * Operating hours [Pyeonghwa Park & Nanjicheon Park] Open all year round [Haneul Park & Noeul Park] Based on sunset time Park closing time: Jan 20:00 / Feb 20:30 / Mar 21:00 / Apr-May 21:30 / Jun-Aug22:00 / Sep 21:00 / Oct 20:30 / Nov-Dec 19:30 *Last admission 30 minute before park closing

Seoul Folk Flea Market
 
Seoul(Dongdaemun-gu)
The Seoul Folk Flea Market is located around the Cheonggyecheon Stream's Hwanghakgyo Bridge and Sinseol-dong Station and is on its way to becoming a famous tourist attraction along with the already famous Cheonggyeocheon Stream. The Seoul Folk Flea Market is one of the major folk flea markets preserving the culture of the traditional Korean marketplace and drawing in visitors with a range of folk items that embody the unique charm of Korea. Folk items include everyday items, souvenirs, traditional goods and even traditional foods, allowing visitors to enjoy shopping and eating all under the same roof.The Seoul Folk Flea Market originated from the flea market in Hwanghak-dong where many street shops and vendors gathered around the Cheonggyecheon Stream before it was restored and modernized into its current state. The market was relocated to the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (Formerly Dongdaemun Stadium) while the Cheonggyecheon Stream was undergoing restorations, and was moved back to Cheonggyecheon Stream sometime later. Seoul City aims to market the Seoul Folk Flea Market as a new shopping spot at its current location, the former site of Sungin Women’s Middle School on Cheonggyeo 8-ga Street, near Cheonggyeocheon Stream to develop the Korean representative folk flea market related tourism industry.The main items of the Seoul Folk Flea Market include a diverse folk items, traditional crafts, local specialties and fashion items. You may also enjoy a range of food and snacks including traditional Korean food and fusion cuisine from all over the world. What is special about the market is that you can find rare goods and authentic traditional items that cannot be found at other markets. The market atmosphere is a mix of old, revered traditions and modern aspects, providing visitors with a great shopping experience. The Seoul Folk Flea Market is truly a traditional flea market well worth visiting.

Bugaksan Mountain
 
Seoul(Jongno-gu)
Seoul is enveloped by mountains, consisting of Bugaksan, Namsan, Naksan, and Inwangsan to name a few major peaks surrounding the city. Bugaksan, the mountain located to the north of Seoul, is the highest among these and is a southern offshoot of Bukhansan Mountain. It is also referred to as Baegaksan. Seoul Fortress Wall runs along the mountain ridge and Changuimun (also called Jahamun), one of the four small gates surrounding the castle town during the Joseon Dynasty, is on the west side of the mountain near Inwangsan Mountain. Running between Changuimun and Arirang Hill in Jeongreung, Bugak Skyway is a scenic road overlooking downtown Seoul; it also passes through a variety of attractions such as Changuimun and Bugak Pavilion. Another attraction is Samcheong Park at the southern foot of Bugaksan Mountain. Inwangsan Mountain (to the west of Bugaksan) and Naksan (to the east) were considered ideal locations, according to the philosophy of Feng Shui. Known for its rugged granite, Inwangsan Mountain was the site of many tigers attacks during the founding of the Joseon Dynasty. According to legend, the king entreated the mountain deity to send the tigers across the Yalu River. Even though the tigers were banished from Inwangsan, one female tiger bearing babies was allowed to remain on the mountain. The babies, subsequently multiplied and made Inwangsan a feared place, full of tigers. Inwang Skyway connects the east of Inwangsan to Bugaksan. The eastern side of Inwangsan was turned into a posh residential area while Guksadang (literally "National Shrine") was moved from Namsan to an area west of the mountain in the 1920s. Even today, shamans perform exorcisms at the shrine, as well as rituals honoring the mountain deities.

Deokjin Park
 
Jeollabuk-do(Jeonju-si)
Deokjin Park is a representative city park of Jeonju. Officially designated a city park in April 1978, the park is centered around a natural pond, which dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). The park is such a landmark of the area that the lotus flowers blooming in the park’s large pond are considered one of the most impressive attractions of Jeonju. The park spans an area of 13,000㎡ with the pond covering about two thirds of the southern sector. An arch-shaped suspension bridge stretches across the middle of the pond, offering up-close views of the lotus blossoms.Park designers created a traditional pavilion and a water iris garden in honor of the park’s historical background and added an artificial waterfall and wooden bridge for visual effect. The park also houses nine stone monuments including the Children’s Charter, engravings of Shin Seok-jeong and Kim Hae-gang’s poetry, and the statue of General Jeon Bong-jun.The park is the site of the annual Dano Changpomul (Water Iris) Festival, a much-anticipated event held on the day of Dano (a Korean traditional holiday that falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). During the celebration, women wash their hair in iris-infused water from the pond to wish for good health in the coming year.

Kim Koo Museum & Library
 
Seoul(Yongsan-gu)
The Kim Koo Museum & Library was built to show and express the life and thoughts of Kim Koo (1876-1949), also known by his pen name Baekbeom, who was a great teacher to the people of Korea. He dedicated his life to establishing an independent, democratic, and unified homeland with an developed culture.

China Town Special Zone
 
Busan(Dong-gu)
China Town, which is located across the street from Busan Station, is also known as Shanghai Street. In 1884, Busan established ties with Shanghai in China and developed a Chinese community by building a Chinese school, residences and a consulate in the area. In this Chinese-style street you can see the Shanghai Gate established by both Busan City and Shanghai City. Mainly packed with many Chinese restaurants, China Town attracts Korean, Chinese as well as many foreign tourists.

Yongin Agricultural Theme Park
 
Gyeonggi-do(Yongin-si)
Yongin Agricultural Theme Park spans an area of 120,000㎡ to offer a special venue for people living in the city to experience the farming life and a pleasant refreshing area for family groups alike to help them raise the quality and conditions of life.It is comprised of wild flower gardens, a crop educational center, garden of flowers and winds, a flowering tree garden, acupressure path, nut pine path, and herb gardens that give nostalgia of the faming ambience. Also, a two-story building of farming culture exhibition hall is available with an area of 1,426㎡ that showcases the farming industry of past, present and future. Visitors can try their hand at using old farming machines at the permanent hands-on program site as well as visit the insect exhibition hall and zoo.

Daegwallyeong Skyranch
 
Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)
Established in 1974, the Great Mountains Sky Ranch has a 40-year-old history with a huge ranch of 900 million (=three times the size of Yeouido in Seoul). Currently, about 400 Holstein cows are breeded along with a hundred of hanu (Korean Cow) in a environmentally friendly way. The ranch boasts itself in producing first-class 1,400 tons of crude oil  per year as well as top quality hanu. The environment is well preserved and most of areas are remained intact from human touch that can bring your best nature ranch experience.

Gyejoksan Mountain Red Clay Trail
 
Daejeon(Daedeok-gu)
The Gyejoksan Mountain Red Clay Trail is an eco-healing walking trail which can be found on the nation’s first mountain with a barefoot walking theme, Mount Gyejok. In 2008, it was considered as one of the ‘33 travel destinations to go back to’ by travel journalists. About 500 children from 100 different countries who took part in the United Nations Children's Conference on the Environment, and Republic of Seychelles President James Michel have also gone barefoot walking on Mount Gyejok. Visitors can walk on red clay and breathe in the fresh aroma of pine trees while enjoying a view of downtown Daejeon from Gyejoksanseong Fortress, which was built during the time of the Three Kingdoms. The trail helps restore the health of the body and soul and gives visitors a therapeutic and unique experience. This 14-kilometer long trail is situated at an altitude between 200 meters and 300 meters above sea level. In autumn, the mountain is bustling with bikers who come to enjoy the splendid landscape of Mount Gyejok. Every year the Eco-Healing Sunyang Masai Marathon, which requires participants to forgo shoes and traverse soft red clay trail, is held at Mount Gyejoksan in Daejeon, drawing a total of 5,000 participants including 600 foreigners from 40 countries. The marathon has established itself as a major festival of Daejeon and is held every year in May.

Geomun Oreum [UNESCO World Heritage]
 
Jeju-do(Jeju-si)
Geomum Oreum, with an altitude of 456m, is located in Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si and refers to a parasitic volcano (also called Oreum in Jeju dialect).Geomun Oreum was created by volcanic activities between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago. Lava flow from the crater went along the coastal slope to the Northeast and formed a unique geographical feature called Seonheulgot. The lave flow also formed Bengdwigul Cave on the left side, and Manjanggul, Gimnyeonggul, Yongcheondonggul and Dangcheomuldonggul Caves on the right side. Each of these caves has its own unique features.Upon entering Geomun Oreum, visitors are met by a dense forest filled with Japanese cedar trees. Further along, visitors will see a deciduous broad-leaved forest, shrubbery, and an evergreen broad-leaved forest. Not only featuring various types of forests, Geomun Oreum is also a breeding place for local birds such as Brown-Eared Bulbul, Korean Bush Warbler, Varied Tit, Streptopelia Orientalis, White-Backed Woodpecker and migratory birds such as Fairy Pitta and Tricolor Flycatcher.After it was designated as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, many visitors has come to enjoy the area's trekking course and the ecological exploring area.Excluding Tuesdays, the trails are open from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM in 30 minute intervals. A reservation must be made in advance for this activity.※ Geomun Oreum Visitors Center: +82-64-784-0456 (Reservation must be made two days before visiting)