Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)

The village of Cheongho-dong is now the hometown to many people of North Korean ancestry and is commonly referred to as ‘Abai village.’ The word ‘Abai’ comes from the Hamgyeong-do Province dialect meaning ‘an aged person.’ Many elderly people fled to Cheongho-dong from North Korea during the Korean War; the large number of older residents resulted in the town’s current nickname.The streets of Cheongho-dong are lined with small Korean houses reminding many of Seoul in the 1970s. The simple nature of the town and quietness of the sea make for a unique atmosphere in Cheongho-dong. This area became extremely popular after the Korean drama ‘Gaeul Donghwa’ (Autumn in My Heart) was filmed here. In the drama, the lead actress’s mother had a supermarket in Cheongho-dong. Nearby the supermarket the lead actress often took a boat, which has now become a popular attraction for tourists. Holding up to 35 people, this ‘Gaetbae’ boat operates on manpower (people pulling on ropes moving the boat across a waterway) and can be taken from downtown Sokcho to Cheongho-dong. When looking for a bite to eat, Abai sundae and hamheung naengmyeon are two of the most popular dishes.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu)

SJ. Kunsthalle is an iconic place where culture and art figures meet and discuss hosting cultural events from trendy subculture to classic fine art. It has provided a wide variety of cultural platforms for exhibitions, performances, parties, fashion shows and workshops.Constructed out of 28 recycled shipping containers, it has become a special place that offers a unique variety of subcultures that a conventional white cube gallery cannot not deliver. The minimalistic interior and open-space design was employed to foster the inclusion of a wide variety of art and culture into one large space. Now it is becoming an epicenter of cultural and artistic innovation, drawing the passionate attention of trend setters from around Korea, and even internationally.


Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

Hyochang Park covers 122,245 square meters spanning across Hyochang-dong and Cheongpa 2-dong. It is a historic landmark that once contained several royal tombs, and was known at that time as Hyochangwon. The cemeteries that were originally located in Hyochangwon belonged to Crown Prince Munhyo (King Jeongjo’s first son, who died only at the age of five), Royal Noble Consort Uibin of the Seong Clan (King Jeongjo’s royal concubine and Crown Prince Munhyo’s mother), Royal Noble Consort Sugui of the Park Clan (King Sunjo’s royal concubine), and her daughter Princess Yeongon. The royal tombs were moved to Seooreung Tombs in the waning months of the Japanese colonial period. The Japanese empire began the development of Hyochangwon into a park in 1924, and the Japanese governor-general officially assigned the site as a park in 1940.Presently, several of Korea’s greatest leaders are buried in Hyochang Park. The remains mostly belong to independence activists including Yoon Bong-gil, Lee Bong-chang, and Baek Jeong-gi, whose graves are collectively known as “Samuisa-myo” (graves of the three martyrs). A statue of Lee Bong-chang has been built in the graveyard. Among the other patriotic martyrs who are interred in the park are Kim Gu and some of the key figures of provisional government such as Lee Dong-nyeong, Cha I-seok, and Cho Seong-hwan. An ancestral shrine named Uiyeolsa has been built along the main gate and holds the portraits of the deceased independence activists.


Seoul(Yongsan-gu)

The Yongsan Dragon Hill Spa is a charcoal sauna permeated with an oak fragrance created by traditional heating techniques. The jjimjil-bang and spa facilities offer sweating rooms/sauna, an open-air bath, seawater bath, salt room, swimming pool, and health center. The main hall of Yongsan Dragon Hill Spa boasts a Chinese-style design and a luxurious interior that has been used as a filming location for various Korean television broadcasts.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Myeongdong

France's famous beeswax museum, the Musee Grevin, adds the new 4th venue in Seoul, South Korea's capitalafter its opening in Paris, Montreal and Prague. The first Asian subsidiary in Seoul is adding a slew of South Korean hallyu celebrities including Psy, G Dragon as well as figuare skating star Kim Yuna. Over 80 wax figures will be presented in themed spaces which also includes the historical figures King Sejong and General Lee Sunshin. 


Seoul(Seongdong-gu) , The Eastern Part of the Seoul

Opened on June 18, 2005, Seoul Forest had previously undergone a series of changes on Ttukseom (Ttuk Island). In the past the forest had been a royal hunting ground for kings and served as a military inspection facility. But, in more recent decades the area has served a wide variety of functions. Ttukseom initially served as a water-treatment facility, and later as a golf course, horse racing track, and eventually a sports park. Consisting of five parks spread over 350,000 pyeong (approximately 1.16 million ㎡) of land, Seoul Forest is an eco-friendly zone appreciated not only by the people of the city but also those visiting Seoul. Seoul Forest is rapidly developing into the premium city-park of Korea like Hyde Park in London and Central Park in New York. * Cultural Art Park (220,000㎡) Situated in the heart of Seoul Forest, the Cultural Art Park features Seoul Forest Square, Ttukseom Family Field, decorative flower beds, a visitors’ center, a skate park, an outdoor stage, a waterside lounge (restaurant), an in-forest open space, an in-forest play ground and a water play area. * Ecological Forest (165,000㎡) The Ecological Forest, once an area covered by the Hangang River, has been transformed into an eco-forest connecting the Han and Jungnang-cheon (Jungnang stream). This natural habitat for wildlife animals is home to fallow deer, formosan deer, elks, chipmunks, mandarin ducks, mallards, spot-billed ducks and moorhens, there is also an observatory to help visitors get a better view of the local wildlife. * Nature Experiencing Study Field (85,000㎡) Occupying the structure of the former Ttukseom Water Treatment Facility, this refurbished educational area was established to house an insect botanical garden, a wild flower garden, a themed flower garden, an event ground and a surrounding protective forest. * Wetlands Ecological Field (70,000㎡) Making use of the local reservoir’s natural environment, the Wetlands Ecological Field contains a wetlands ecological management office, an ecological playground, an outdoor nature classroom, a bird observatory, a wetlands flower garden and a botanical garden fed with local, clear waters. * Hangang River Waterside Park (33,000㎡) Located southwest of Seoul Forest, this riverside area at the junction of the Hangang River and Jungnang-cheon features a waterfront park, a marina and a rest area.


Busan(Jung-gu)

The '40-step Culture & Tourism Theme Street' is a 450m-street which starts from the Jungang-dong branch office of KB Bank and runs to the 40-step stairway of the '40-step Cultural Center' and continues on to the Palseong Tour. The time-honored 40-step stairway embodies the joys and sorrows of refugees and those displaced by the Korean War. The entire area has been recently renovated to reflect life in Korea in the 50s and 60s and is expected to become another major tourist spot. The '40-step Culture & Tourism Theme Street' was designated 'The Best Street' by the Busan municipal government in June 2004.br> 


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Dongdaemun

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) has a meaning of Dream, Design, and Play. It holds various exhibitions, fashion shows, forums, conferences, and other domestic and international events. Registration for touring the architecture is available on-site and other event schedules and kid program information are available on the website.


Daejeon(Yuseong-gu)

Yuseong Hot Springs is located at the center of Daejeon. The hot spring is known to be effective in countering many kinds of maladies. The water here contains alkaline minerals such as calcium, and potassium, sulphur, carbonic acid, silicic acid and radium.An especially high concentration of radium is found here. Such alkaline hot springs are known to be good for treating neuralgia and geriatric diseases. Nearby are large accommodations with many convenient facilities, which make it easy to visit here while touring.Yuseong Hot Springs has long been associated with cranes. During the final days of Baekje Kingdom, a man who was the only son and heir of a family for seven generations was seriously wounded during a war with Silla. His mother worried greatly over her son’s wounds.One day she saw a crane with a wounded wing dip itself into a hot spring in the midst of snow covered ground and healed. She took her son there and his wound was healed as well so the legend goes. Perhaps because of this legend, the Yuseong Hot Springs is famous for its incredible healing properties.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Seoul City Hall・Gwanghwamun

The Coreana Art & Culture Complex is the largest museum in Korea that is exclusively for cosmetics and was created to preserve and to promote beauty items and the make-up culture of Korea.Centered around the 53,000 beauty items collected by Dr. Yu Sank-Ok, one of the executive directors of Coreana Cosmetics, three cosmetic museums were created: one in Seocho-dong in 2001 (known as the 2nd center), one in Sinsa-dong in November 2003 (Space *C, the Main Center), and one in Cheonan in June, 2004 (Songpa Tech Institute, the 3rd center). The Main Center, opened in November 20th 2003, within a cultural center named Space *C, drew much attention from the public. The museum sits right next to the Coreana Art Museum that features and curates modern art. The Coreana Art & Culture Complex contributes to the education and research of the nation’s cosmetic culture by presenting the history of women in Korea, including the exhibition of traditional make-up tools. In 2006, in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of ties between Korea and France, the museum held a special exhibition titled “Nature-like Beauty, Cosmetic Culture of Korea”, which attracted much attention and applause at the Center Culturel Coreen in Paris, France.