Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si)

Bonghwangdae is an ancient tomb of Silla located in the tomb cluster of Nodong-dong. The tomb is an impressive 82 meters in diameter and 22 meters in x_height, making it look more like a hill than a tomb due to its humongous size. Though said to be the tomb of a king, this has not been verified since the tomb has never been excavated. The name “Bonghwang” (meaning “phoenix”) comes from the legend of Wanggeon and the geomancer. Wanggeon was waiting for the fall of the Silla Kingdom and decided to seek the help of a geomancer. The geomancer said that the kingdom of Silla was shaped like a ship and that this “ship” must sink in order for the kingdom to fall. After promising Wanggeon that he could sink the ship of Silla, the geomancer sought an audience with the king of Silla. The geomancer told the king that the land of Silla resembled the shape of the Bonghwang (phoenix) and that the bird was about to fly away, which would bring about the ruin of the kingdom. The king, who had been worrying about domestic affairs, believed the geomancer and asked him for a solution. The geomancer told the king that if he made a hill that looked like an egg at the capital city, the “bird” wouldn’t fly away, but would stay to protect her egg and the kingdom. As a result, the king made of lot of ancient tombs, one of which was the sizable Bonghwangdae Tomb. Legend has it that Silla truly was shaped like a ship, not a phoenix, and all these tombs symbolized the “overloading” of the ship, leading to the eventual ruin of the kingdom. After the fall of Silla, Wanggeon rose to power and later became the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty.


Jeju-do(Jeju-si) , Jungmun Resort

Jeju Starlight World Park and Planetarium is a theme park that was established in 2009 for advancing research and studies in astronomy. Today, it is also used as a center for public astronomy education.The Park features a main observatory with a 600㎜ Cassegrain's reflecting telescope, and a subsidiary observatory with one 80㎜ refracting telescope, one 157㎜ refracting telescope, five 200㎜ reflecting telesctopes, and one 200㎜ catadioptric telescope. Additionally, it has 4D theater, a planetarium, a two-story exhibition hall showcasing outer space journey, as well as several meeting/conference facilities. There is also a sundial and two observation binoculars on the outdoor square.


Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si) , Seogwipo

Sanbangsan Mountain is the result of violent volcanic activity some 700,000 to 800,000 years ago and is in fact a huge body of lava. The cliffs on the southern side of the lava dome are marked with a rich variety of curious formations such as weathering pits and talus scree slopes, some of which are as high as 200m. As its name ‘sanbang’ – literally meaning ‘a cave inside a mountain’ – suggests, this mountain contains a cave, which is located about 150m above sea level and has a spectacular view out over the ocean. Due to its close location to the sea and its high elevation, the peak is often ringed with clouds. The upper slopes of the mountain have their own distinct climatic conditions and are protected for their value for botanical research.The Sanbangsa Temple and also the Bomunsa Temple, which holds the relics of Buddha, are also located on the mountain. Walk along the stone-steps between the two temples and you will find the Sanbanggulsa Grotto. A signal beacon called ‘Yeondae’ in Korean stands at the roadside in front of the mountain, which, in the past, used to fire and smoke to relay urgent messages. Regarding function, it is similar to the more well-known ‘Bongsudae’ signal beacons; but ‘Yeondae’ beacons were built around hilly or coastal areas while ‘Bongsudae’ beacons were built on mountain tops. During the daytime, smoke was used to send warning signals, while fire was used at night.*x_height above sea level: 395.2m/ x_height above ground-level: 345m/ Circumference: 3,780m / Area: 988,332㎡/ Diameter 1,314m


Gyeonggi-do(Siheung-si)

Siheung Gaetgol Eco Park in Gyeonggi-do features the nation's only inland beach along the shores of a river that ebbs and flows with the ocean tide. The park offers the chance to learn about the traditional salt-making techniques, as well as the many unique flora that grow here. The park was designated as a national marine & wetland protected area in February 2012.


Jeollanam-do(Yeosu-si)


Gyeonggi-do(Pocheon-si) , Pocheon

Bears Town Resort lies on the outskirts of Seoul. The ski slopes of this large leisure resort have been officially approved by the International Ski Federation. Bears Town Resort is a great destination for beginners; ski lessons are available, there are broad beginner slopes, and the comprehensive rental system allows you to rent all the equipment you need. Those skiers who are more experienced, however, will be able to enjoy the FIS approved 88 Challenger Slope. Bears Town Resort has a total of ten ski slopes and eight ski lifts, which can transport up to 15,200 skiers per hour. The resort also has numerous sledding hills.Getting to Bears Town Resort from Seoul couldn’t be easier, as the resort provides a free shuttle bus (reservations required). For more information, please visit the resort’s homepage.


Daejeon(Dong-gu)

Daejeon Station is located in the center of the country, and is a key stop on the Korea Railroad (KORAIL) line. The station opened January 1, 1905, when the railway between Seoul and Busan opened. Located in the old downtown area on the southeast side of Daejeon, the station serves as a railway transportation hub. All the passenger trains bound for Korea’s major cities including Seoul, Gwangju, Dongdaegu (East Daegu), Busan, Ulsan, and Pohang pass through this station. In front of the station is Daejeon Subway Station.


Jeollabuk-do(Iksan-si)

Opened in 1997, the Mireuksaji Relics Exhibition Museum was established in order to celebrate the culture of the Baekje Dynasty (18 BC-660 AD). The museum has roughly 19,200 relics (about 400 of which are on permanent display) that were unearthed from the site of Mireuksa Temple (Historic Site No. 150), the largest temple of the Baekje Dynasty.The museum is shaped like the stone pagoda of Mireuksa Temple and was built on low ground so as not to block the view of the temple site. Main exhibition areas include the Central Hall, Overview Hall, Relics Hall, and the Buddhist Fine Arts Hall. Some of the most treasured pieces on display at the museum are the Mireuksaji Stone Pagoda (National Treasure No. 11) and Mireuksaji Dangganjiju (flag poles; Treasure No. 236). The museum also offers various cultural events and programs, including on-site education, historical and cultural lectures, and summer culture school. Cultural movies are screened throughout the year.


Busan(Jung-gu)

Busan Democracy Park was created to commemorate and continue the spirit of Busan residents who significantly devoted their lives to develop Korean modern history through the 4.19 Revolution, Buma (Busan and Masan) Democratic Movement and June Democratic Movement. The Middle-scale Theater is used to hold international conference, academic event, various lectures, recitals for singing, play, theater, and dance and Small-scale Theater is used for small-sized conference, lecture and movie theaters. Plays and music concerts usually take places at the Outdoor performance hall and a wedding ceremony is held in the hall over the weekends and holidays. A botanical garden that houses about 400 species of trees and Ilju Path has themed-resting areas along the trail. Nearby attractions are the main library, Democracy Hall, memorial sculptures and other auxiliary facilities.


Jeollanam-do(Suncheon-si)

This open film set is located in Jorye-dong, Suncheon. It consists of three villages each representing a different era from the 1950s to the 1970s. It has approximately 200 houses and is the largest film set in Korea. The realistic sets bring about memories of people’s youth, while younger visitors can learn about Korea’s history. It therefore attracts a large number of families.The streets of Suncheon in the 1950s have been perfectly recreated. There are the major theater, Jeil Brewery, and the fire station. In the 60s and 70s film sets, visitors can view scenes from Seoul’s history, such as daldongne (residential towns for poor families in uphill areas of Seoul) and shopping streets from the city’s outskirts.Inside the film set, visitors can enter into the spirit of the place by eating buchimgae (pan-fried foods) and dotorimuk (acorn gelatin) at a traditional open Korean tavern, and it’s fun to look for the houses that were featured in some of Korea’s most popular dramas. In the spring, the Woldeung orchard with its outdoor film has beautiful apricot and peach blossoms in the spring.