Daegu(Dong-gu)

Bangjja Brassware Museum is the first original museum of its kind in Korea. Unknown to many, Bangjja Brassware possesses a host of beneficial attributes and is used both for storing food and for growing plants. One of its primary functions is that of cultivating nutritive elements.The Bangjja Brassware Museum in Daegu has numerous brassware products on hand that were generously donated by Lee Bong-Ju. His collection was subsequently appointed intangible cultural asset number seventy-seven by the Korean government.The museum’s layout is rather intricate. Both the basement floor and second ground floor consist of three exhibit halls, a data research hall, a cultural experience hall, a video education hall, an outdoor stage, and several planning exhibit halls. In the Brassware Cultural Hall, a display boasting Korea’s history regarding various kinds of brassware, together with other relevant information is on hand for visitors. In the nearby Donation Hall, an important intangible cultural asset, Lee Bong Ju’s luxury brassware collection, is on display. In the Reappearance Hall there are makeshift displays illustrating where brassware was first produced and where it was traded. 


Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

Rail Cruise Haerang, a hotel-on-wheels, began operating in November 2008 as the nation's first tourist train with sleeping accommodations. With a name meaning "together with the sun," Haerang was designed to be a luxury train similar to a yacht traveling along a beautiful mountain river beneath the bright sun. The exterior of the train is painted in a deep blue with gold lines and a logo featuring a phoenix while the interior design has Korean elements. Tourists will enjoy their time on the train, with personalized trips and full amenities.


Daegu(Dong-gu)

Palgongsan Natural Park (Gatbawi District) is centered around Palgongsan Mountain, one of the larger mountains in the Taebaek mountain range. Palgongsan Mountain is located 20km northeast from downtown Daegu, where Nakdonggang River and Geumhogang River meet. The mountain has three peaks in a row: Birobong Peak in the center and Dongbong (aka ‘Mitabong,’ 1,155m) and Seobong (aka ‘Samseongbong,’ 1,150m) on either side.In terms of administrational district, the park (30.593㎢ in size) is within Dong-gu, Daegu and has four towns along its border including Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsan-si, and Chilgok-gun. A number of Buddhist temples including Donghwasa, a headquarters of the 9th Buddhist Parish, are located in the area.The park has numerous rocks and valleys and is carpeted with azaleas in the spring. In the autumn many visitors flock to the park to admire the falls leaves on the trees lining the 16.3km-long road through the park. With vibrant green leaves and a delicate snowscape in the winter, Palgongsan Mt is an attractive destination for visitors throughout the year.[About Gatbawi]‘Gatbawi’ is a statue of Buddha that sits against a rocky cliff of Gwanbong Peak that rises 850m above the sea level. The name ‘Gatbawi’ comes from the fact that the Buddha has a flat rock (‘bawi’) on its head that looks like a Korean traditional hat (called a ‘gat’). The statue, designated Treasure No. 431, is one of the most sophisticated Buddha statues of the 9th Century. Legend has it that the statue grants honest prayers, so every year at sunrise on New Year’s Day people flock to the Buddha statue to make a wish for the new year and see the rising sun.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Bongeunsa Temple, located on Sudosan Mountain in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, offers a 2-day, 1-night temple stay program designed to provide urbanites with an opportunity to take a break from their busy routines and meditate on Buddhist teachings. Every Thursday, the temple also holds ‘Thursday Temple Life’ for foreign visitors only. The temple has a volunteer group to help and accommodate the needs of foreigners attending the program.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun and Bukchang-dong are widely known among international visitors as hot spots for shopping and food. Myeong-dong is a popular destination for shopping, culture, arts and fashion. Major shopping malls such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeong-dong Migliore and Samik Fashion Town are located here. Shoppers can find a variety of products here from high-end items to relatively inexpensive clothes. There’s also no shortage of street food, traditional restaurants, coffee shops and fancy cafes. Namdaemun Market is the biggest traditional market in Korea. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and local produce at an affordable price in the shopping complex crowded with stores and street stalls. The market sells a variety of clothes, kitchenware, toys, accessories, food, flowers and imported goods. Bukchang-dong and Sogong-dong have high-end accommodations including Lotte Hotel Seoul and Westin Chosun Seoul, duty-free shops, and restaurants serving traditional dishes. [Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong Special Tourist Zone] Areas included: Myeong-dong, Hoehyeon, Sogong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Mugyo-dong and Da-dong, Seoul Area size: 872,809㎡ Tourist attractions: Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong, Department Stores (Lotte Department and Shinsegae Department Store, etc.), Traditional Market, Duty-free Shop, Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, etc.


Daegu(Jung-gu)

Located in Pojeong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, the Daegu Modern History Museum was officially opened on January 24, 2011. The museum is housed in a building that is rich in history. First built by Japan in 1932 as a bank, the building was once a symbol of repression and exploitation during the Japanese colonial rule. Today, the building stands proudly as an educational site and bears the title of ‘Cultural Property No. 49’ in recognition of its historical and cultural significance.The two-story museum (1,971 square meters) houses a permanent exhibition (1F), featured exhibition (2F), and a hands-on exhibition room and classroom for diverse cultural activities and lectures. The history exhibition features the lifestyle of Daegu citizens, local customs, and education of the late 19th century and the early 20th century.Opening hours are between 9:00am and 7:00pm; the museum is closed on Mondays.


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

Opened in 1981, the Universal Arts Center is a performing art theater that has been contributing to the development of Korean performing arts for the last 30 years.The 4-story grand theater has a classical exterior and seats up to 1,200 people. Past performances include musicals such as ‘Saturday Night Fever’ and ‘Nonsense,’ and the opera, ‘Yi Sun Shin.' The Paeksang Arts Awards, a supermodel competition, and international conferences have been held at the center as well.The Universal Arts Center is supporting ‘Art Korea’ to promote East-West cultural exchange. It is recognized as a Korean Culture and Arts Center and a Center for International Cultural Exchange.


Incheon(Jung-gu) , Incheon Center

Dong-Incheon Samchi Street is the alley at the side of Incheon Educational and Cultural Center for Students in front of Dongincheon Station. The history of the mackerel street dates back to about 40 years ago when the first grilled mackerel shop, House of Inha, opened in this alley. In 2002, it was designated as the grilled mackerel street and a signboard was put up at the street entrance. Currently, there are about a dozen grilled mackerel restaurants lining the street, and each restaurant has a unique signboard of its own. The mackerels are imported from New Zealand, and each restaurant offers a distinct taste resulting from different grilling methods and sauces. The restaurants also sell a variety of appetizers and side dishes at affordable prices.


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

The Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance displays items that have been collected from Bukchon, a historical village that was once home to the nation’s nobility. For hundreds of years, treasured items in each household were passed down from generation to generation, but since Korea’s rapid development in the second half of the 20th century many of these became obsolete. Opened in 2003, the Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance seeks to preserve artifacts and present them in a cozy, homey environment where visitors can get a sense of how each object was used in daily life. The museum is full of household articles that were absolutely essential parts of life in the past, such as ‘maetdol’ (millstones used for grinding beans or mung beans), ‘jangdok’ (crocks for soy sauce or red pepper paste), and ‘yogang’ (Korean chamber pots that were kept in rooms and used as urinals at night). Visitors are even allowed to touch items on display to better be able to imagine life in Korea before industrialization.From Samcheong-dong (near Gyeongbokgung Palace) to Wonseo-dong (near Biwon, a royal garden in Changdeokgung Palace), Bukchon is an area well-known for its hanok houses (traditional Korean houses). Thanks to the complex structure of hanok, collectors were able to unearth a wide range of articles hidden in storage rooms, under floorboards, and in attics.Visitors to the museum with 10-15 people in their party may participate in programs that allow them to make old-fashioned toys or take part in making ssukgaetteok (rice cake made using mugwort).Near the Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance there are many colorful attractions worth visiting: the Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheong Park, The Owl Museum, ToyKino Museum, the World Jewelry Museum, and the National Palace Museum of Korea, as well as royal palaces such as Gyeongbokgung Palace. 


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

Bamseom Island gets its name from its shape (‘bam’ meaning ‘chestnut’ in Korean) and has long been famous for its great view and beautiful surroundings. The Hangang River waters flowing around Bamseom Island were once so clean that the river was used as a source of drinking water for island residents. As part of the Yeouido Development Project, the 443 island residents and their 62 houses were mass migrated to Changcheon-dong, Mapo-gu and the hillside area of Wusan Mountain on Feb 10, 1968. As time passed on the newly uninhabited island, the river deposited sediment around the island and a bunch of wild water plants grew. In the early 1990s, the island became famous as a ‘migratory bird habitat in the middle of a city,’ which is a rare occurrence worldwide. On August 10, 1999 the Seoul Metropolitan Office designated the island an ‘Ecosystem Reserve,’ providing special care and preservation of the island. * Island Ecosystem Birds (41 species): the island is home to mandarin ducks, spotbill birds, reed warblers, white herons, and ringed plover (which also use the island as a breeding grounds). The island is a winter habitat for over 5,000 migratory birds. Fish (29 species): cornet fish, Korean bullhead, carp, mandarin fish, etc. Plants (189 species): common reed, dicentra, prince’s feather, salix matsudana, etc. Insects (15 species): small cabbage white, fabricius, faust, black-horned katydid, scopoli, etc. * Elevation: often submerged when large volumes of water are released from Paldang Dam due to flooding. * Island circumference: mudflats, sand, pebbles, etc.