Busan(Gangseo-gu)

Gadeokdo Lighthouse is a manned lighthouse patterned after gothic style lighthouses in France. Built in December, 1909 at the end of the Daehan Empire (official title of Korea from Oct. 12, 1897 to Aug. 29, 1910), it is an intricate building that houses a light tower (9.2m high), an office, and a lighthouse keeper’s room. Plum blossoms, the symbol of the imperial family of Joseon, are delicately carved along this European-style building. It is considered a remarkable cultural property not only because of its architectural design, unique shape or historic value, but also because it has been surprisingly well-maintained, especially in comparison to other lighthouses built during the same period. In recognition of its unmatchable style and preservation, the old Gadeokdo lighthouse was designated Tangible Cultural Property No. 50 of Busan in Sep. 2003. It is owned and managed by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. A new lighthouse was built next to the original one in 2002. The new one is octagonal in shape and 40.5m high, the second highest lighthouse in Korea. Gadeokdo, the location of Gadeokdo lighthouse, is often referred to as the ‘Island of History,’ and is the largest island in Busan. Gadeokdo, a strategically important base for military operations and seaborne trade, was the stage for a number of gruesome battles during the Japanese invasion in 1592. Today, it is a critical entry point to the Jinhae Bay. Gadeokdo Lighthouse is part of one the nation’s naval bases. Therefore, visitors must contact and register with the Busan Regional Maritime Affairs and Port Office prior to visiting the lighthouse. Those who participate in the Lighthouse Experience Program (parties of 6 or less) can spend the night in the innkeeper’s room free of charge. In order to use these accommodations, visitors must apply online at the Busan Regional Maritime Affairs and Port’s homepage between the 1st and the 8th of the month, one month prior to desired date of visit.  


Ulsan(Jung-gu)

Home Plus Ulsan is closely located to Taehwagang River and provides easy access to public transportation. The store offers a variety of retail products. There are various kinds of restaurants, famous red ginseng outlets, coffee chains, and medical and dental clinics.


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Every New Year’s Day, Samcheok-si holds a sunrise festival on New Millennium Boulevard to celebrate the first sunrise of the New Year. The sunrise festival will start with concerts and fireworks and when the sun rises, there will be more events such as a sunrise meditation, unveiling of the Wishing Bell, bell tolling ceremony, a new year’s message of hope, and releasing balloons of many colors attached with wishes.


Daejeon(Yuseong-gu)

Daejeon National Cemetery covers a vast area of land spanning around 330,000㎡. The cemetery is comprised of graves for the deceased patriots, men of national merit, generals, officers, soldiers, etc. Major facilities include the Memorial Tower and Memorial Gate for paying reverence to the patriotic spirits, Patriotic Spirit Exhibition Center displaying photos and articles left by the deceased, and an outdoor exhibition space, where military battle equipments are on display. Other facilities within the cemetery grounds include fountains, statues, sculptures, pavilions, and Hyeonchungji, which is a man-made pond in the shape of the Korean peninsula. The cemetery is well kept with ample rest areas against the backdrop of the beautiful natural landscape.


Gyeonggi-do(Siheung-si)

Seven Hertz Hotel is situated in the center of Sihwa New Town, one of the major attractions of southern Gyeonggi-do. The hotel is popular among tourists and businessmen who use public transportation, as Siheung Bus Terminal is right next to the hotel. The hotel’s spacious rooms provide guests with a comfortable relaxation space designed with colorfully romantic interiors and various paintings. The hotel is surrounded by many restaurants serving delicious menus, and numerous attractions including Oido Island, Sorae Port, and Sihwaho Marine Park among others.


Busan(Dongnae-gu)

Jeongnim Hanjeongsik is a medicinal seasoning research center and medicinal food specialty restaurant. They make syrup with five grains for sweetness and vinegar with persimmon or plum for a sourn flavor. Pickled vegetables are fermented for 3 years or longer with enzymes made of native grasses.


Jeollanam-do(Gwangyang-si)

Harbour Bridge Hotel, located in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do, is a business hotel that provides homely comforts in all its guestrooms and the best business environment for national and international guests. Gwangyang Steel Mill and Gwangyang City Hall are in the vicinity of the hotel, and Yi Sun-Sin Bridge, which can be seen from the hotel, offers a fast shortcut to Yeosu. Gwangyang-style bulgogi and a trip to the neighboring cities of Yeosu and Suncheon are highly recommended.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Located in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon-do Province, Jeonggangwon (total area of 33,057㎡) is a tourism complex consisting of hanok, modern accommodation facilities, a Korean restaurant, a food museum, gardens, and an animal farm among its many facilities. Joh Jeonggang, a specialist in Korean food, established this tourism complex with the aim of to developing and promoting traditional Korean cuisine through hands-on experience programs. The current owner took over the complex six years ago and continues to run the business. After passing through the large gate and walking along the path, the first things to catch the visitor’s eye are the many hundreds of crocks for soy sauce and other condiments, all of which are neatly arranged in front of the Korean restaurant. After that, a refined hanok building, a well-maintained garden, and a children’s animal farm which keeps birds, rabbits, chickens, pheasants, etc. will come into view. The clear water of Geumdang Valley flows down in front of the hanok, while the Geumdangsan Mountains embrace the vast expanse of the complex, creating a magnificent landscape. Jeonggangwon, named after the founder’s name ‘Jeong-gang’, can be translated as a ‘garden where a quiet river flows.’ The garden is planted with dozens of wildflowers and abundant fruit trees including Korean cherry, peach, and plum trees. The Jeonggangwon’s hanok was built ten years ago using pine wood and other eco-friendly hanok construction materials to emphasize the structure’s unique beauty. It comprises one main house and two annex buildings, and has eleven guest rooms in total. Situated on slightly elevated ground, the hanok commands open views of green mountains and fields. Each room bears the name of a particular flower in Korean, including Doraji, Mandrami, Baekryeon, and Jindalrae, which can accommodate to three persons; Mulmangcho, Railnak, Bongseonhwa, and Maehwa, which can accommodate two to four persons; Suseonhwa and Deulgukhwa, which can take two to five persons; and Chaesonghwa, the largest room, with a capacity of four to eight persons. Each room is decorated with antique furniture, folk paintings, and other items that were custom-made by artisans. All the hanok rooms feature ondol (Korean floor heating system) and toilets. The outdoor paddling pool, table tennis table and grass field are available to guests free of charge. In addition, breakfast and dinner is served free of charge – breakfast consists of a set menu of dried Pollack soup and rice, while dinner is a Jeonggangwon full course menu served together with 12 side dishes as well as grilled fish, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), memiljeon (buckwheat pancakes), and steamed eggs. Notably, Jeonggangwon’s Traditional Korean Food Culture Experience Center, winner of the Korea Tourism Award in the hands-on food experience category in 2014, offers visitors an exciting opportunity to sample and experience traditional Korean food. The yard contains around 500 ~ 600 crocks filled with various types of traditional Korean hand-made pastes and sauces produced by the center, including red pepper paste, soybean paste, soy sauce, pickled vegetables and so on. Customers can buy products directly or by phone. It also has a stone-built ice storage for salted seafood that maintains a constant temperature all year round, and a salt storage for good quality salt. In addition, the center offers diverse hands-on experience programs that allow guests to make their own traditional Korean food including bibimbap, gochujang (red pepper paste), kimchi, mackerel ssamjang (a mix of doenjang and gochujang), bean curd, injeolmi (Korean traditional rice cake made with glutinous rice and coated with bean flour), memiljeon, and songpyeon (half-moon rice cake). All of these programs are popular among foreign visitors, and are charged differently according to the food menu and cooking time. Visitors can also sample a variety of Korean dishes at the Korean restaurant, visit the Food Museum, which displays old agricultural machinery and implements for making rice cakes (tteok), or try on hanbok at the Korean Clothes Experience Museum (KRW 8,000 per person).