'Dahyang Sochuk is a traditional Korean guesthouse located near the entrance to Dasan Chodang (Dasan Jeong Yakyong Historical Site) in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do. The guesthouse is like a folk museum where guests get to see the items that Korean ancestors actually used. One of the advantages of staying at Dahyang Sochuk is that you can have all the green tea you want because there are wild green tea plants growing around the building. The areas around the guesthouses are decorated with unique bonsai trees and flowers all seasons for the guests to enjoy. All the rooms are coated with red clay and furnished with naturally dyed linens, both of which are healthy for the body while very smooth to the touch and aromatic. Right before winter, an array of potted chrysanthemums is placed along the entranceway, making you forget the cold weather for a moment. All in all, it’s a great place to stay and relax amid nature.

Mokhyangjae, which literally means a ’house with tree fragrance,’ is a traditional Korean pension house which stands alone beside a boulevard surrounded by apartment complexes. Entering the garden with a low fence, you will be greeted by the antique two-story Korean style building. The building of Mokhyangjae was built in the style of a palace with red pine tree used for the crossbeam and pillars. With a feeling of magnificence and coziness at the same time, the rafter ceiling shows the wood grain and the sliding door pasted with traditional Korean paper adds to the flavor of the traditional Korean style house. The rooms are composed of the traditional Ondol Room where one or two persons can stay; the Ordinary Room is equipped with a bedroom and an attic; and the Deluxe Room has a wide traditional Ondol room for guests from solo travelers to families. The bedroom and the living room also have traditional display cupboard and heavy hardwood table which had been used by the owner of the house, adding to the flavor of the traditional Korean style house. Equipped with cartoons and picture books, the attic is a favorite place of children. Scattered with stepping stones, the front yard of the house is filled with Sansuyu, magnolia, and cherry trees that blossom in spring. Mokhyangjae is running a traditional teahouse as well. The teahouse was opened thanks to the Chinese husband who enjoys tea, and most of the teas are imported from China. You can have a taste of dozens of kinds of teas including puer tea and red tea, along with a simple tea confectionery.

Located in Bonghwa-eup, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Bonghwa Namho Gutaek is an old house from the Chosun period designated as Cultural Property Material No. 385. It was built by Nongsan Kim Nam Yeong in 1876 and his son Namho Kim Roe Sik had lived there. Mr. Kim Roe Sik was awarded with a medal for contributing his entire asset to military fund for the Provisional Government of Korea. The spirit of putting others and his country before himself continues until now. Having been built with high-quality materials, the 140-year old Namho Gutaek has barely suffered any deformation. In addition, attentive care added by the descendants has kept the traditional beauty of the hanok intact. One may even feel reverence at the Sosel Daemun (gate). In harmony with the hanok, the garden in the yard and the flower bed sitting next to the wall change color as season changes. It is a great place to feel the scent of old trees and get some rest. In 2016, the shared toilet was renovated in modern style to alleviate any inconvenience for the guests. In the spacious yard, there’s a spot for traditional games such as Tuho, Jegichagi, Neoltuigi, etc. Bonghwa Station (Yeongdong Line) is about a 15- minute walk away; an inner city bus stop in the town, on the other hand, makes a trip to other regions easy.

Changsil gotaek (The Old House of Changsil) was originally built by Sim Ho-taek, the owner of Songso Old House, for his brother’s couple. Built in March 1917, the house is a square shaped structure measuring 27-kan (a unit of measurement referring to the distance between two columns) and consisting of the anchae (women’s quarters), sarangchae (men’s quarters), and busokchae (outbuilding). The name of the house ‘Changsil’ originated from the brother’s wife, who came from Changnyeong and was called ‘Changsil daek’ in Korean. The anchae and the sarangchae are arranged in parallel, with the chaekbang (study) and the gobang (storeroom) situated in between them, together forming the ㅁ-shaped structure of the house. The first building, or ‘sarangchae,’ consists of a sarangbang and a chaekbang between the daecheong (wooden floor). The sarangbang with 2-kan is relatively large. The haengrangchae (servants’ quarters) is a gable roofed building that used to be inhabited by domestic servants. This thatched hanok house also has a red clay room (hwangtobang) for guests.

Cheongsong-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do is a small village blessed with a spring flowing with natural mineral water, a beautiful valley with a majestic waterfall, and a mountain densely covered with pine trees. Thanks to this superb natural environment, Cheongsong-gun was designated as a 'Slow City' in 2011. Songjeong gotaek (The Old House of Songjeong) is located in the village of Deokcheon in Cheongsong-gun, which is one of the three richest and most prestigious families in the region. These three wealthy families are said to have produced millionaires for nine generations - from Sim Cheon-dae during the reign of King Yeongjo of Joseon (r. 17224-1776) to the 1960s. In particular, it was a seventh-generation grandson, Sim Ho-taek (pen-name: Songso), famous as one of the richest men in Joseon, who built Songso gotaek (Old House of Songso) along with three houses for his three sons, including Songjeong gotaek for his second son Sim Sang-gwang (pen-name: Songjeong) around 1880. As the Cheongsong Sim Clan has lived in the area for many generations, Cheongsong is known as the village of the Cheongsong Sim family. Covering a total area of about 10,000m2, Songjeong gotaek has a tall and grand front gate that symbolizes the wealth of the family. Upon entering by the gate, the large outer courtyard comes into view, followed by a gate connecting to the Old House of Songso on the right, and a walking path connecting to a well and a pine grove on the left. The square-shaped structure consists of a sarangchae (detached building), chaekbang (library), and daecheongmaru (main floored room). Passing through the entrance, there are the main building and the inner courtyard. Notably, the chaekbang has retained its original appearance from the time when it was used by Sim Sang-gwang. Although the house is very large, its interior is simply and modestly designed according to the virtues favored by classical scholars. The rooms are floor-heated in the traditional way (by ondol) using wood, decorated with traditional hanji (Korean paper), and equipped with traditional bedding. Songjeong gotaek offers visitors a variety of experience programs designed to promote the form of Korean classical music known as Gukak. It holds three major musical events each year including a pansori folksong program and a fusion gukak concert, attracting an audience of anywhere from 200 to 800 people to the courtyard of the house. Sometimes, families hold parties to celebrate their parents’ 60th, 70th, and 80th birthdays. The low hill situated behind the house has a quiet walking path.