Incheon(Jung-gu) , Incheon Center

Explore Incheon's Historic Open Port Area Discover Incheon's Rich Heritage: A Must-Visit Destination If you're planning a trip to Korea, Incheon should be at the top of your list, especially its historic Open Port Area. This area preserves over 130 years of history, offering visitors a unique glimpse into Korea's past. Gaehangjang Historic and Cultural Street Incheon's Gaehangjang (Open Port Area) Historic and Cultural Street is a place where time seems to stand still. This area has been carefully preserved to retain the essence of its rich history since the port opened in 1883. Walking through these streets, you'll feel as if you've stepped into a black-and-white photograph, with historical buildings and cultural landmarks around every corner. Incheon Station Your journey can begin at Incheon Station, the terminus of Korea's first railway, the Gyeongin Line. This station remains a significant historical landmark and serves as the gateway to Incheon's Jung-gu district. It's a bustling hub where countless travelers begin their exploration of the city's storied past. Historic Landmarks As you stroll through the streets, you'll encounter many well-preserved buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable sites include the former Japanese Consulate, which now houses the Jung-gu Office, and the old branches of Japan's 1st, 18th, and 58th Banks. These structures offer a fascinating glimpse into the architectural styles and cultural exchanges of that era. Cultural and Historical Experiences In addition to its architectural wonders, the Gaehangjang area is home to several other historical and cultural attractions. You can visit the former Japan Mail and Shipping Inc., the Incheon Art Platform, and the Jemulpo Club, all of which tell the story of Incheon's evolution as an international city. For those who prefer a guided experience, expert cultural tourism guides are available by reservation, providing in-depth insights into the area's history. Tour Routes To fully appreciate the area's charm, consider following one of the recommended tour routes: *1-Hour Course: Start at Incheon Station (World Community Center), then visit Chinatown, the Jajangmyeon Museum, Haegang Cathedral, Daebul Hotel Exhibition Hall, Incheon Open Port Museum, Modern Architecture Exhibition Hall, and the Incheon Art Platform. *2-Hour Course: Begin at the Korean-Chinese Cultural Center, followed by the Overseas Chinese History Museum, Daebul Hotel Exhibition Hall, Incheon Open Port Museum, Modern Architecture Exhibition Hall, Jung-gu Office, Qing-Japanese Concession Boundary Stairs, Three Kingdoms Mural Street, Jajangmyeon Museum, and Incheon Station. *3-Hour Course: This extended tour includes all the sites from the 2-hour course plus the Incheon Metropolitan City Historical Archives, Jemulpo Club, Jayu Park, General MacArthur's Statue, Fairy Tale Village, and Chinatown (Uiseondang). Conclusion Incheon's Open Port Area is a treasure trove of cultural and historical experiences waiting to be explored. Whether you're a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or simply looking for a unique travel experience, this area has something to offer everyone. Plan your visit today and step back in time to discover the fascinating history of Incheon.


Seoul(Songpa-gu)

Established in December 1984, Seoul Nori Madang (서울놀이마당) offers diverse traditional performances on an outdoor stage to promote Korean folk plays and culture among the public. Performances are regularly held every weekend; it hosts over 120 performances every year and each performance attracts over 1,300 visitors. Within Seoul Nori Madang is Songpa Folk Preservation Association (+82-2-412-8665), which offers seminars on folk plays—Songpa Sandae Nori (a mask play) and Songpa Baekjung Nori (a play performed on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month)—for students at no charge.


Seoul(Yeongdeungpo-gu) , Yeouido・Yeongdeungpo・Mapo

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.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu)

Created by the government to hand down traditions and preserve important, intangible cultural assets, the center supports cultural masters in the training of their pupils and their efforts to promote Korean traditional culture to the general public.The center houses 8 groups that represent the music field. Serving not only as a training ground for those specializing in the arts, the center also seeks to reach out to the general public through regular programs and recitals. Musicians also participate in musical conferences, events and performances on a national and international level.There are 12 craft groups at the center that are directed by craft masters who have been designated 'Important Intangible Cultural Assets.' Craft groups host a number of training programs.Other special features of the center include the 'Pungryu,' a 147-seat folk theatre; the 2 or 3 story 'Traditional Craft Hall' with an open-run exhibition hall and planned exhibition hall; a shop selling the works of the artists; a seminar room; a training room; and a practical training room. 


Seoul(Songpa-gu) , Jamsil(Lotte World)

Olympic Park is an impressive leisure facility in which historic remains from the Baekje Era share space with modern, state-of-the-art sports stadiums, an eco-friendly forest, and spacious grassy fields. The legacy of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the park not only houses the country’s largest sports arena, but has also become a place where Seoul residents come to relax and unwind. Spread across 430,000 pyeong (approximately 1.45 million ㎡), Olympic Park encompasses the land that was once Mongchontoseong Fortress and Mongchonhaeja (manmade lake) from the early Baekje period. The park is divided into several zones, including a leisure sports park, a cultural art park, an eco-park, and the History Experience Park dedicated to the area’s rich historic heritage. Because Olympic Park is so large and takes over three hours to explore, visitors are advised to familiarize themselves with entrances and exits and travel routes before they start. To further save time, visitors can ride the Road Train (“Hodori Train”) located next to Peace Square. * Cultural Art Park The Cultural Art Park is a place where visitors can enjoy diverse cultural experiences and performances. The park also features Olympic Museum, Seoul Olympics Museum of Art (SOMA)—one of the world’s top five sculpture museums—and Music Fountain. * Leisure Sports Park This area is comprised of Sports Square (walking/jogging paths, an acupressure path, inline skating area, etc.) and Peace Square (a pleasant area with a wide variety of activities and sports lessons). * Environmental Eco-Park Persistent efforts have succeeded in restoring natural splendor to this place where a equally splendid civilization once blossomed. People and nature co-exist comfortably within Environmental Eco-Park, which has become home to families of spot-billed ducks, white herons, cuckoos, pheasants, Korean squirrels, chipmunks, and frogs. More recent efforts to rejuvenate the local ecosystem have resulted in the appearance of woodpeckers and raccoons, both of which are rarely spotted in cities. The croaking of small round frogs can now be heard within the park as well. * History Experience Park Visitors to the park can experience Korean history firsthand at Mongchontoseong Fortress and Baekje Museum, while hearkening back to the more recent, grand spirit of the Olympics in the "Holy Land of Peace."


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Daehangno・Seongbukdong

Daegangno Arts Theater (B5-4F) is a venue for performing arts that is comprised of three halls of varying sizes. The main hall on the 1st and 2nd floors has a proscenium stage and seating arranged in fan-shape. In an effort to present a more contemporary theater experience, the seats in the main hall are closer to the stage than those of a standard theater, allowing audiences to experience performances more vividly.


Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)

The Cheoksan Spa region’s hot springs water features a slightly blue radiance.The Cheoksan hot springs water is known to be beneficial for people with skin diseases, eye diseases, gastroenteric disorders, and neuralgia. Not only are the waters soft and great for your skin, but drinking the water is said to beautify the skin and improve blood circulation.The Cheoksan hot springs region is located a mere 10 minutes away from one of Korea’s most beautiful mountain ranges, the Seoraksan Mountains, and so the resort is the perfect place to relax and relieve your fatigue after an invigorating hike.


Busan(Haeundae-gu) , Haeundae

The Bay 101 is located in a culture and art complex in Haeundae area, attracting many visitors to the area thanks to the beautiful nightscape that it offers.  


Jeollabuk-do(Gunsan-si)

The name of Samangeum signifies the breakwaters that enlarge and freshen the Mangyeong•Gimje Plains, famous for their fertile soil.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Euljiro・Chungmuro・Namsan

The Chojun Textile & Quilt Art Museum opened on October 27, 1998 with the goals of preserving Korean traditional patchwork quilting techniques, which are gradually being forgotten, and of exhibiting other countries’ textile crafts. The Chojun Textile & Quilt Museum in Namsan-dong, central Seoul, is the only museum in Korea that displays local and foreign textile art.The museum brings together a number of beautiful quilts and other textiles from around the world that embody the love and spirit of the women who created them. These works include Korean traditional personal ornaments, ceremonial dresses, everyday objects, and traditional costumes of the Chinese Miao tribe. The displays of rare foreign quilts and Korean traditional patchwork quilts dating back as far as 100 years have been attracting a continuous flow of quilt aficionados and international tourists.As you may already know, the term ‘quilt’ refers to a coverlet made of two layers of fabric decoratively stitched together with a layer of cotton in between. A long time ago, Koreans wore quilted clothes and held quilting parties similar to the Western quilting bee. Koreans have long since used various cloth remnants to make quilts.Though the actual type of cloth, pattern, and stitching may vary from country to country and person to person, quilts the worldover represent the resourcefulness and care of the people who made them. At the museum, visitors can compare the styles of a variety of beautiful Asian and Western textile works, which is perhaps one of the main draws of the museum.The museum’s first exhibition presented the winning works of the Japan International Quilt Contest. It then hosted the first Korean Quilt Contest and presented the winning works of the contest at the museum. It has since held several shows featuring quilts and other textile works including “The Manhole Quilt Exhibition for a Beautiful Environment” and the World Traditional Textile Exhibition.In addition to exhibits and various programs, the museum has served as an educational center for textile artists by organizing a number of workshops and seminars. Fast emerging as a favorite destination for foreign tourists thanks to its unique items and exhibitions, the Chojun Textile & Quilt Art Museum plans to hold more diverse exhibitions and contests in the future while continuing to exhibit its permanent collection of Korean textile art.The programs at the museum are aimed at providing the general public with opportunities to get closer to the textile arts, which remain unfamiliar to many, and to help preserve Korea’s textile traditions and promote them worldwide. In addition, by introducing unique textile artwork from overseas, the museum seeks to offer opportunities for local textile artists to obtain new ideas and techniques and gain a wider, global perspective.