Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Situated in the gallery district in the back alley of Samcheong-dong (east of Gyeongbokgung Palace), the World Jewelry Museum houses 3,000 jewelry pieces from 60 countries, which have been collected over 30 years. Of which, 1,000 have been selected for display. The first floor contains an Amber Wall that goes back as far as 50 million years, the Golden Hall (El Dorado), the Necklace Hall, and the solemn Alter of the Cross. The second floor holds a mask wall, rings, beads and ivory as well as modern jewelry.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongju-si)

The tomb of General Kim Yusin (595-673) is Historic Site No. 21. It is located in a scenic area thick with pine trees, on the eastern hill of Songhwasan Mountain.Known as the Hero of the Silla Kingdom, General Kim Yusin was the great grandson of King Guhae, the last king of the Geumgwan Gaya Dynasty, and the son of Seo Hyeon, a great general of the Silla Kingdom. Yusin joined the Hwarang (aristocratic youth military corps) at 15 and began dreaming of ways to unify the peninsula’s three kingdoms.Kim Yusin gained his political foothold by establishing a strong relationship with nobleman Kim Chunchu and made a name for himself through his valor on the battlefield.When Kim Chunchu eventually succeeded to the throne as the 29th king of the Silla Kingdom (changing his name to King Muyeol), Kim Yusin rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the extraordinarily high-ranking position of Sangdaedeung in the year 660 (7th year of King Muyeol’s reign). Kim Yusin then went on to defeat the Baekje Kingdom in cooperation with the Tang Dynasty, also later conquering the Goguryeo Kingdom in the year 668.The Tang Dynasty turned against Silla after the collapse of Goguryeo, but was defeated by Kim Yusin’s army in cooperation with the armies of Goguryeo and Baekje. With the fall of the Tang, Kim Yusin finally realized his dream of unifying the three kingdoms and was appointed the highest government post in Silla in honor of his heroic achievement.The tomb of General Kim Yusin is a large tomb measuring roughly 30m in diameter. The relief carvings of 12 Oriental zodiac gods (half man, half animal) stand guard around the tomb, brandishing weapons. The elaborately decorated tomb is second in grandeur only to those of royalty, further underscoring Yusin’s major contribution in unifying the three kingdoms.The path to this tomb is also a sight not to be missed. The street leading up to the tomb is called Heungmu-ro, and has been selected as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Streets in Korea. The street is full of cherry blossoms in spring and is famous for being a great place to take a walk or go for a drive.


Incheon(Namdong-gu) , Incheon Center

Incheon Grand Park is an urban nature park located in Jangsu-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. The park is surrounded by Gwanmosan Mountain and Sangasan Mountain. Spanning across 727 acres of land, Incheon Grand Park is the only large-scale natural green park in Incehon. The park provides a pleasant atmosphere for citizens to escape city life and enjoy natural surroundings. Opening date  April 13, 1996 Closed  [Park] N/A (Open all year round) [Zoo & Botanical Garden] Mondays Natural Preservation Areas (closed to public)  2.6km of Gwanmosan mountain path, 1.9km of Geomasan mountain Operating Hours  March-October 05:00-23:00 November-February 05:00-22:00 Parking Facilities  Available (Main Gate Parking Lot: 2,685 spaces / Manuigol Parking Lot: 275 spaces) * Parking fee collection time March-October 07:00-21:00 November-February 08:00-20:00 Admission Fees  Free Available Facilities  Outdoor theater, artificial turf grounds, skating rink, botanical garden, bicycle trails, lake, sledding hill, children's zoo, observatory, etc. Facility Utilization Fees  [Bicycles] Solo Bike: 2,000 won / 500 won for each additional 10min Tandem Bike: 5,000 won / 1,000 won for each additional 10min Group Bike: 10,000 won / 2,000 won for each additional 10min [Sledding Hills] Adults 7,000 won / Teenagers 5,000 won / Children 4,000 won  Restrooms  Available Facilities for the Handicapped  Free wheelchair rental services (09:00-17:00) * Identification card required. Parking Fees  Small cars: 3,000 won / Large cars: 4,000 won Baby Stroller Rentals  Free rentals available (60 baby carriages located at the park's information center.) * Identification card required to rent Pets  Permitted (Pets must be leashed and cleaned up after)


Seoul(Dongdaemun-gu) , Dongdaemun

Dapsimni Antique Art Street is where the travelers can stumble upon good old paintings, antique furniture and pottery, as well as, a variety of household items. These antique shops used to scatter all around the area of Cheonggyecheon Stream 8(pal)-ga, Itaewon, and Ahyeon-dong, wand has now gathered up around dapsimni areas since the mid-1980s. There are about 140 shops lined up along the streets.It is quite fun to browse through antiquities including wooden candlesticks, grandfather clocks, old picture frames, which are usually hard to find in usual stores. This is also the reason to that explains why it not only attracts Koreans but also international visitors to this street. Shops in Insa-dong, also known for the sale of antiqes, typically and mainly sell good quality and expensive antiques, while dapsimni is known for a wide assortment of small items with reasonable prices, starting from a few one thousand won.


Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si) , Jungmun Resort

Located within Jungmun Resort, Yeomiji Botanical Garden (여미지식물원) is the best botanical garden in Asia with a unique southern atmosphere. The indoor garden contains approximately 2,000 rare tropical and subtropical plants throughout the Flower Garden, Water Lily Garden, Jungle Garden, Subtropical Fruits Garden, Cactus and Succulent Garden, and Observation Platform. The outdoor garden offers Jeju Native Garden, as well as Korean, Japanese, Italian and French folk gardens. The tour train accommodating 60 persons travels between Indoor and Outdoor Garden. The Jungmun Tourist Complex, Cheonjeyeon Falls, as well as a clear view of Mt. Hallasan, and the nearby coast and Marado Island can all be observed from the thirty-eight meter high observation platform.


Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)

Cheonbuldong Valley is the main Valley of Seorak Mountain and is also called Seorak Valley. It was named Cheonbuldong because the many peaks on either side look like a lineup of a thousand Buddhist statues. It is also called Cheonbuldong because the peaks also look like Buddhist saints offering food sacrifices to Buddha. If you follow the waterway of Waseondae for about 300m, you’ll arrive at Biseondae. Travel 12 km further from here and you will arrive at Daecheongbong. There’s also Biseondae Munjudam, Ihodam, and the steep Guimyeonam. On the opposite side, an hour’s walk past Chilseongbong, attached to Hwachaebong, is Chilseonggol’s forked road from which you can reach Oryeon Falls, Yangpok, Cheondang Falls and other valleys with exceptionally beautiful sceneries. The path used to be rough and difficult, but because of new facilities and a mountain villa, you can more easily climb and see the scenery of Cheonbuldong. Many people who go hiking at Seorak Mountain seek this place out because of the convenient transportation provided by Seorak-dong’s Sogongwon, which becomes the starting point for many mountain climbers, and there is an endless line of hikers and tourists who come to visit during mid October when the autumnal leaves start turning color.


Jeollabuk-do(Jeonju-si)

The Jeonju Crafts Exhibition Hall (made up of a Craft Hall, Special Exhibition Hall, and Experience Hall), celebrates the beauty of traditional Korean crafts. At the Experience Hall, visitors can create their own masterpieces and learn the art of mulberry paper, pottery, woodwork, embroidery, and other traditional crafts firsthand. The museum even houses a craft shop where visitors can purchase beautiful souvenirs lovingly produced by master artisans.


Daegu(Jung-gu)

Located in central Daegu, Gyeongsanggamyeong Park was built during the 34th year of King Seonjo of the Joseon Dynasty (1601) and was the original location of Gyeongsanggamyeong (1910), the office of the Gyeongsangbuk-do governor. In 1965 the provincial office was moved to another location and the park opened its doors to the public under the name of Central Park. The park was renamed again in 1997 and has been known as Gyeongsanggamyeong Park ever since.Many cultural and historical heritages are located in the park including the Seonhwa-dang building where the governor worked (Daegu Tangible Cultural Property No.1); the Jungcheong-gak building that was one of the governor’s residences (Daegu Tangible Cultural Property No.2); and Seonjeong-bi gravestone where governor’s achievements are engraved. Seonhwa-dang building in particular has historical significance since it is one of the few remaining government buildings.The park is well loved by citizens for its green forest, beautiful flowers, well-developed grass plaza, scenic fountain area, and its comfortable walking paths.


Daegu(Suseong-gu)

Opened in May 2007, Suseong Artpia is a major art center in Daegu. It has specialized, independent spaces for housing performances, exhibitions, and art camps. The art center’s facade was designed to resemble a crane flying away with its wings stretched out in order promote the image of Muhaksan Mountain (named as such because its shape is reminiscent of a flying crane or hak), the mountain on which the center is located. When viewed from the sides however, the center is shaped like a ship, as it was once the site of a large pond. With such an impressive exterior further highlighted by impressive lighting at night, water fountains, and landscaping, Suseong Artpia has become a rising attraction of Daegu. The center is equipped with a mega concert hall that can accommodate diverse genres of performing arts such as an opera, musical, ballet, theater, dance, music concert, and more.


Seoul(Jongno-gu)

The Hwangi Art Museum was opened to honor the works of the painter, Kim Hwan-Gi. Kim Hwan-Gi (1913-1974) was Korea's top artist of modernism. He began painting abstract paintings in 1930, and in 1950 began using nature as his motivation to portray the emotions of Korea. Kim Hwan-Gi was famous for his unforgettable pieces. He is the role model for many young aspiring artists in Korea. On the first floor of the museum there is an art shop with scarves, ties, and other various products with Kim's designs are available for purchase. Upon entering the exhibits all bags must be checked in at the front desk. As you enter, aside from the paintings and art pieces, the most eye-popping sight is the beautifully decorated windows. You cannot help but marvel at their beauty. For those that are tired and need rest, there is a rest area on the second floor. There is a nice outdoor view from this area. Outside you can go for a walk on the trail. As you walk up the narrowing trail you will see a pond, and at the end of the trail you will enter a wooded area where you can rest.