Seoul(Yangcheon-gu) , The Western Part of the Seoul

The International Seon Center, operated by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is a global templestay center where both local residents and foreign visitors alike can experience Korea’s Buddhist cultural practices. The seven-story building with three basement floors is equipped with various facilities including the Seon (Zen) practice hall, templestay hall, Great Dharma hall, and education and culture halls. The temple offers opportunities to experience traditional Korean Buddhist culture through such programs as Ganwha Seon (meditation classes), Templestay, Seon Culture Class, and temple food lectures. The regular Sunday ceremony provides a dharma talk both in Korean and English.


Daegu(Buk-gu)

Upon first glance, visitors may notice the Daegu Opera House is designed to resemble the smooth curvy lines of a grand piano. The four story glass-walled performance center, is a fantastic work of art in and of itself. A total of 1,490 seats in a horseshoe layout along with modern stage facilities create an impressive venue to enjoy performances.The opera house also holds a wide range of programs that are fun and affordable. There are also special performances for international visitors to ensure all that spend a night out at the opera have an enjoyable evening.Since 2004, the facility has offered an opera class to learn theoretic studies and practical techniques of opera ranging from how to enjoy opera, what is aria, operas in movies, to stage make-up skills and so forth. The venue has become a cultural centerpiece of Daegu as it holds not just the ‘Daegu Opera Festival’ but other performances of diverse genres such as concerts, musicals and ballet performances.


Busan(Haeundae-gu) , Haeundae

BEXCO (92,761m²) is a large international exhibition/convention center with eight floors (1BF-7F). It offers spacious exhibition halls as large as three football fields combined, multi-purpose halls, and outdoor exhibition halls. Equipped with advanced equipment, the convention center is ideal for holding international exhibitions, meetings, concerts, or sporting events.Events in BEXCO include Group Drawings for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan, 2003 ICCA Annual Conference, 2004 ITU Asia, and 2005 APEC Summit. In addition to outstanding facilities, BEXCO offers comprehensive service packages linking business, marketing, and tourism.


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

Korea Etiquette Institue is dedicated to observing, researching, developing and passing down Korea's etiquette. Education programs are also available.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Founded in 1999, the 105 square-kilometer Korea Botanical Garden grows approximately 1,300 Korean native plants. The Garden is composed of the Indoor Exhibition Hall, Herb Garden, Cultivation Area, Ecosystem Garden, Singal Mountain Path, and Theme Garden. On display are potted plants in the Indoor Exhibition Hall, fragrant herbs such as wild chrysanthemum and chamomile in the Herb Garden, gregarious plants like iris and aster koraiensis in the Cultivation Area, naturally mixed plants in the Ecosystem Garden, and plants with human or animal names, such as the pasque flower, in the Theme Garden. The two kilometer-long Singal Mountain Path, where Mongolian oak trees mingle with azaleas and rhododendron, is a very popular walking course.The Korea Botanical Garden distributes flower seeds to all visitors when they buy tickets, and all types of native flowers can be purchased at the store. Also in the Garden are convenience facilities such as Cafe Bian, serving tea and ice cream, as well as rest rooms and benches. The best season for visiting Korea Botanical Garden is from June to August.


Busan(Busanjin-gu)

Founded in 1986, Samgwangsa Temple is the second Cheontae (천태종), located in Choeup-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan. The temple nestled in the hillside of the Baekyang mountain so all Busan area is viewed at one glance with the bright morning sunshine. It opens 24 hours for praying and continues its practice Buddhism religiously everyday.


Daegu(Dong-gu)

Otgol Village was named for its concave topographical features, as three sides (except for the southern side) are surrounded by a mountain. Others believe that the name derives from the groves of lacquer trees (locally called otnamu) in the nearby mountains and fields. Otgol is the clan village of the Gyeongju Choi family, who settled with the arrival of Choi Dong-jip, a scholar in the mid-Joseon era who came and established himself in the area.Otgol Village has a beautiful earthen wall and stone wall spanning about 2.5 kilometers. A tree stands along the wall path: it was not cut down, but the wall was instead built low to accommodate the tree, showing the wisdom and the respect for nature of the people at the time. In the Baekbul Residence, the document bestowed by King Jeongjo to Baekburam Choi Heung-won in appreciation of his deeds remains. Various other relics are also preserved, including old books and identity tags that have been passed down over the generations in the head family, the Seonghaksipdo (The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning) folding screen, and dishes used in religious services. Nearby is the forest of Oriental Arbovitae in Dalseong, which is the No. 1 Natural Monument of Korea, as well as the Bullo-dong Tumuli Park and Palgongsan Provincial Park.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Samcheongdong・The Northern Part of the Seoul

The Kukje Galley has been committed to presenting the work of significant Korean and international contemporary artists to the public since 1982. The gallery has established itself as a leading venue for international exhibits such as Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Francis, Jim Dine, Frank Stella, Robert Mangold, Anthony Caro, Cy Twombly, Edward Ruscha, Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys, and Bill Viola, attracting enthusiastic responses from both the public and the media.The gallery has placed emphasis on collaborations between artists, galleries, and art dealers around the world and nurturing upcoming artists by sponsoring their artwork and giving them international exposure.Since 1988, Kukje Gallery has participated in major art fairs such as Art Basel, which is one of the most influential art fairs in modern and contemporary art. And, subsequently, works of Korean artists have received great attention from non-Korean collectors who were previously unexposed to Korean art. 


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

Riverview 8th Avenue is the only cultural area in Korea located beneath a bridge. Not just a performance venue, the building also houses a gallery depicting the 100-year history of the Hangang River and a Hangang Renaissance Project Promotion Room, which provides a glimpse of developers’ plans to further revive the river into a prime leisure spot for citizens and tourists.Thanks to its location under the Gwangjingyo Bridge in Hangang Park (Gwangnaru area), Riverview 8th Avenue affords a scenic view of the river as seen from its glass observatory. Live performances are held on Friday or weekend nights; applications can be made online and a few winners are chosen at random to watch each performance.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

With over 600 years of history, Yoo’s Family is situated inside Bukchon Hanok Village, between Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo. The region resonates with a traditional atmosphere as the cozy venue sits nestled amongst traditional Korean houses and in the middle of Seoul's two main palaces.Yoo’s Family is a Hanok family managed by Yoos, offering traditional culture experiences for foreigners interested in Korean living cultures and traditions. Most classes are short-term courses and reservations can be made up to one day in advance. Reservations are only available for groups of 2 or more. For groups of 10 or more, you may even customize a timing to hold the classes. Translation in English and Japanese are available for all courses as well.