Travel/Culture List

Paldalmun Gate
 
Gyeonggi-do(Suwon-si)
Paldalmun Gate is the southern gate of Hwaseong Fortress, designated National Treasure No. 402. A crescent shaped 'ongseong' (defensive secondary wall to prevent the main gate from being broken down with logs) is built on the outside of the door. On the right wall of the gate is a nameplate which contains the names of the people involved in the construction of the gate. The Paldalmun Gate is unique in that it is detached from the rest of the gates, and located in the middle of the busy city. The reason for this is because commerce took roots around the gates before its reconstruction, making it impossible to build in that area.

Gyeongju World Culture Expo Park
 
Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si)
Gyeongju World Culture Expo is a valuable cultural exposition which has attracted over 16.2 million visitors so far through eight runs since 1998. In particular, previous expos introduced: the harmony of traditional culture and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), Korean culture and global culture, abundant hallyu contents, and is the first cultural expo to showcase the theme of the Silk Road. The expo is expected to welcome visitors with various exhibitions, performances, and hands-on programs.

Seorak Cinerama
 
Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)
On a site of about 80,000m² (24,200 pyeong), 64 Tang Dynasty-style buildings including the imperial palace and 52 Goguryeo-style buildings have been built to create a themed film park that recreates Goguryeo from 1,300 years ago. Visitors to this theme park can enjoy a variety of historic experiences as well as learn traditional culture facts at one's leisure.The name 'Seorak Cinerama' comes from a compound word made up of the first few syllables of 'cinema' and the last few of 'drama'. The outdoor film studio is a new-concept open set and rated to be one of the nation’s biggest film studios, run by the Hanwha Resorts Group.As the home of the nation’s largest set of Goguryeo-style and Tang Dynasty-style buildings, tourist can travel back in time and experience a variety of folk games such as archery, and horseback riding.The venue was also used as the outdoor set location for the popular KBS drama ‘Daejoyeong’, SBS drama 'Faith', and MBC drama 'The King's Doctor'. 'Great King Sejong' was also filmed here, featuring the largest Goguryeo fortress, the Imperial Palace of the Tang Dynasty, government offices, the rear gardens of Cheukcheonmuhu, village of the nobles, Goguryeo Buheungundongji, and Goguryeo’s commoners’ village. 

Simsan Cultural Center
 
Seoul(Seocho-gu)
The Simsan Cultural Center was established to commemorate the Confucianism and patriotic spirit of Simsan Kim Chang-Suk. It is a place that provides educational programs that develop life skills and nurture the artistic sensitivities of program participants, while adding to the overall quality of life of the area’s residents.

Cheongwadae Sarangchae
 
Seoul(Jongno-gu)
Cheongwadae Sarangchae is a space to learn about Korean culture and the history of former Korean presidents. The area is comprised of a planned exhibition hall where various special exhibitions are held, Korean culture exhibition hall, Korean food (hansik) promotion hall on the first floor and Cheongwadae Hall which introduces former Korean presidents and Haengboknuri Hall which presents the future vision of Korea on the second floor.

Jeju Jeolmul Recreational Forest
 
Jeju-do(Jeju-si)
Jeju Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest is located northeast of Hallasan Mountain on Jeju Island. Jeolmul Oreum, the park's main mountain, is famous for its beautiful Japanese cedar forest. Jeolmul Oreum is about 697m high and created by volcanic activity. The peak boasts amazing views.  On clear days, it is even possible to see all the way to Seongsan Ilchubong on the east coast of the island.The recreation forest features a promenade, pond, observatory, and grass square. There are forest cabins available for lodging. Reservations can be made online.

PLAY K-POP
 
Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si)
Jeju Jungmun Resort newly present the digital theme park "PLAY K-pop" where the new media tech and K-pop music meet. Live Concert and Hologram concert are truly giving the excitment as if the audiences are in the actual live concert or better than being in one. Play K-pop also provides 'Live 360' that has a 360 degrees rotating real 3D animation video. It is so real that you might feel as if the 3D images went through your body. Also, it proudly introduced itself as an interactive entertainment space featuring special exhibitions, food & beverage outlets and MD shops that await visitors to come and interact.

Samcheok Haesindang Park
 
Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)
Haesindang Park is home to the the nation’s largest aquarium museum, which exhibits folk materials that shows the lifestyle of fishermen of the East Sea, an arboretum and a park that displays some sexual art sculptures. In addition, there is an interesting bronze statue that tells about a legend of a nearby village.* Legend of Aebawi and HaesindangThere once lived a young maid who was engaged. One day, the maid took her husband’s boat out to sea to harvest seaweed. Her husband dropped her off at a site that was at a distance from the beach. After promising to pick her up later, he returned to the beach to do his work. However, the weather turned bad as strong winds and pummeing waves begun. The husband failed to rescue his wife on time and she ultimately drowned. Since then, the villagers were unable to catch any fishes and some claimed that it wasbecause of the dead maid. To soothe the spirit of the dead maid, the villagers made several wooden carvings and held religious ceremonies. Later, fishes were gradually seen appearing and the villagers were able to fish and live comfortably again. Therefore, the place where the maid died was named Aebawi Rock and the building where the religious ceremony is held twice a year was named Haesindang. The ceremony is still honored today as a traditional folk event.

Hongneung Arboretum
 
Seoul(Dongdaemun-gu)
Hongneung Arboretum is a first generation arboretum in Korea. It was established in 1922 when experimental forests were built on Hongneung burial mound, which is the royal tomb of Queen Myeong-Seong. On the 780 square meters area southwest of Mt. Cheonjangsang, there are 9 gardens such as a garden of conifers, a garden of broadleaf trees and an ornamental garden, 3 botanical gardens with edible & medicinal plants garden, an aquatic garden and a wetland garden. There are 6 resting places as well.Hongneung Arboretum has beautiful scenery for every season. The garden of broadleaf trees behind the main building is the one that shows the change of season most dramatically. The hundreds of broadleaf trees appear their best in autumn. The arboretum is good for nature education walk because of the many nameplates offering information on the species and characteristics of each tree. There are also many things to see at the Forest Science Exhibition Hall which provides visitors with knowledge and information of the value of forests, forestry, and the forest industry. The building itself is an exhibition because the hall is made of Korean wood. Inside, there are three general exhibition rooms, a regular exhibit hall, a planning exhibit hall, and a special exhibit hall.You may look around from Garden 1 to Garden 9 in regular order or take the course from Garden 2, pass the Forest Science Exhibition Hall to the mountain ridge ending at Garden 1. Note that it takes approximately 3 hours to see everything, whichever course you may take.

Jeju Samdasoo
 
Jeju-do(Jeju-si)
Samdasoo is volcanic bedrock water produced and bottled by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation. Jeju-do Island records the highest level of rainfall in Korea and 46% of the total rainfall permeates underground to form the vast groundwater resources. Samdasoo factory is located in Gyorae Village, where the precipitation is so high that it is impossible to farm on this part of island. The village is also the only site on Jeju-do Island with authorization to draw mineral water. The factory tour program begins with the screening of an 8 minute-long promotional video. At the Jeju Water Promotional Hall, visitors can learn more about the nation’s leading water brand, such as the history and birth of Jeju water, the geologic characteristics of the island, and the formation of volcanic bedrock water.