Daejeon(Jung-gu)

Daejeon Modern History Hall opened to the public on October 1, 2013 at the former main building of Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government, Daejeon (Registered Cultural Heritage No. 18). Visitors can see various scenes of history and the development of Daejeon over the past 100 years from the early 20th century to current times. Daejeon operates a planned exhibition hall, special exhibition showcasing history, architecture, design, folk style and other varied fields as well as a rotation exhibition. Also, touring the main building of Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Goverment, music concerts and various cultural education programs are available in this cultural complex. * Former Main Building of Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Government, Daejeon (Registered Cultural Heritage No. 18) * Filming site of movie "The Attorney (2013)"


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Woljeongsa Temple, located on Odaesan Mountain in Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, offers temple stay programs for experiencing Buddhist culture. Activities include walking through the fir tree forest, touring the temple, trekking by Odaecheon Stream, and visiting the Buddhist hermitage on Odaesan Mountain.


Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si) , Seogwipo

Sammaebong Peak is a park for residents, and a popular destination for tourists. Oedolgae Rock (외돌개) is located near the park, toward the southern sea. On the top of the peak, Namseongjeong Pavilion offers an expansive view inclusive of Beomseom Island, Munseom Island, Saeseom Island and Seopseom Island, in addition to Marado Island and Gapado Island to the west. Baengnokdam Lake seems nearly within reach to visitors looking out from the peak. Legend has it that if you stretch your hands toward the sky at night, Canopus (second-brightest star) is almost within reach. The place is regarded as one of everlasting youth, as Canopus is associated with lifespan. Visitors can exercise and enjoy at walk at the park during the day and in the evenings.


Seoul(Seocho-gu)

Located at the foot of Umyeonsan Mountain in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Gwanmunsa Temple had its ground-breaking ceremony in 1993 and construction was completed in October, 1998. The temple site has a total area 6,700 pyeong (22,148.76㎡) with 7 ground levels and 4 basement levels. The temple was constructed with a mixture of modern and traditional Buddhism architecture forms. Inside the temple, cutting-edge facilities are used for various cultural events, conferences, and sacred ceremonies. Located near Cheonggyesan Mountain, Umyeonsan Mountain, and Yangjaecheon Stream, the temple is near many natural spots visitors can enjoy. In particular, Umyeonsan Mountain (alt. 293m) where Gwanmunsa Temple is located gets its name as the mountain is shaped like a sprawling cow (the Chinese character 'U' (우) means cow). The temple site was chosen as it is considered an auspicious area. Designated as a City Park and managed by Seoul-si, Umyeonsan Mountain has several valleys with clear small fountains and a dense forest with a variety of animals and plants.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si)

The Royal Tomb of Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕릉), located in Bomun-dong, is a round-shaped tomb with earthen layers, 73 meters in circumference. Aside from the fact that it was constructed using natural stones in double layers, the tomb has no other unique features. As the oldest daughter of King Jinpyeong, Queen Seondeok became the first queen of the Silla Kingdom. During the 16th year of her reign, Bunhwangsa Temple (분황사) and Cheomseongdae Observatory (첨성대) were built. She also ordered the construction of the famous nine-story pagoda of Hwangyongsa Temple, an achievement of Buddhist architecture. While many of her efforts laid the foundation for the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea, Queen Seondeok’s reign was plagued by rebellion and strife and she died in 647 during a rebellion, 23 years before unification was realized.


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.


Gyeonggi-do(Yongin-si) , Yongin

Yongin Recreational Forest (162ha) is perched on the southern foothills of Jeonggwangsan Mountain (562 meters high) in Chobu-ri, Mohyeong-myeon, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. The recreational forest houses a variety of facilities and nature experience zones that were carefully constructed to cause minimum disruption to Mother Nature while providing maximum comfort to visitors.Facilities include the House of the Forest (forest accommodations), camping zone, meeting rooms, children’s playground, and tracking/walking paths. The forest is the perfect place for busy urbanites to take a rest and families and officemates to get together and reconnect.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Odaesan National Park was designated as a national park in 1975. Its name was derived from the the following 5 plateaus: Manwoldae, Jangryeondae, Girindae, Sangsamdae and Jigongdae. Featuring the 1,563m high Birobong Peak, Odaesan spreads southwest with Mt. Sodaesan, Horyeongbong Peak and Mt. Sogyebangsan. The east side is connected with Sangwangbong Peak and Durobong Peak, which are over 1,000m high.The representative temple of Odaesan, Woljeongsa Temple, was named after the bright, full moon that rises above Manwoldae (Mt. Dongdaesan). At this temple the famous Octagon shaped 9-story pagoda (National Treasure No.48) and the Stone Seated Buddha Figure (Treasure No.139) is preserved. Also, Jeokmyeolbogung of Woljeongsa is where Monk Ja Jang preserved the Sakyamuni's noble relics. Inside Woljeongsa Temple, follow the fir trees 5 km east, and you will reach Sagoji where Yeonggamsa Temple stands.Odaesan has the largest natural woods of Korea. Many wild animals and plants are known to exist here. The area of Birobong Peak is famous for its Nuncheunkbaek and Yew tree forests. The royal azelea and Geumgang Chorong from Durobong Peak to Sangwangbong Peak are famous and there are animals such as boars, musk deer, turtledoves and colorful woodpeckers living here.


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.