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).


Gangwon-do(Yanggu-gun)

The entire town of Haean-myeon is contained in Haean Basin. Also known as Punch Bowl, Haean Basin is surrounded by high peaks and one of these peaks is Gachilbong. The nature of the terrain in the Gachilbong area made it difficult to conduct military operations during the Korean War. The North Korean military utilized these natural features to build a solid defense position and launch counterattacks, while the South Korean soldiers in the lowland were in a disadvantageous position. South Korean soldiers were under the command of 5th Division Commander Brigadier General Min Gi-sik and 24th Regiment Commander Colonel Yu Ui-jun. On the North Korean side, the 7th, 14th, and 32nd Regiments of the 27th Division and the 23rd Regiment of the 12th Division under the 2nd Corps fought back. By sending a military deployment and conducting search operations, the South Korean military completed a reconnaissance of the area on August 30 and advanced to counterattack. On August 31, after defending their position for two days, the South Korean soldiers were able to break the North Korean resistance. Each unit secured a strongly fortified position to draw the North Korean soldiers out. Thereafter, South Korea launched an all-out attack and captured Hill 1241. However, North Korea attacked again and South Korea retreated. After several attacks and counterattacks, South Korea was able to take back Gachilbong and the surrounding areas. Although it resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, this battle ultimately gave South Korea possession of Haean Basin.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

The first Pyeongchang Biennale in Gangwon-do is being held in the hopes of pulling off a successful run of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in 2018 and to put a more cultural touch to the big event. Under the theme of “Earth Harmony”, the biennale will take place in Pyeongchang Alpensia Resort and Donghae Mangsang Angva Expo Hall. Around 120 art pieces from home and abroad, largely consisting of installation projects, sculptures and media works, will be on exhibit. Other programs include a sculpture symposium, special guest artists exhibitions, a media art display, a nationwide students art contest and a media workshop. What’s also on the agenda is the Art Bank Project which intends to nurture new talents and rookie artists. This project is expected to fill Alpensia Resort and downtown Hoenggye with a more artistic vibe. The Pyeongchang Biennale, with the theme "Earth Harmony - Human, Peace and Environment", is a consideration toward a life in harmony and finding a balance between humans and Mother Nature while positioning itself as a starting point of greater harmony and unity.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Uiamho Lake Skywalk is the largest skywalk in Korea, stretching a length of 190 meters over the waters of Uiamho Lake. Located in the midpoint of a bicycle road, the skywalk serves as a great observation deck as well as a photo spot. The round deck is built with a transparent glass floor made up of three separate panes of glass, each 1 centimeter thick.


Gangwon-do(Cheorwon-gun)

DMZ Peace Train Music Festival aims to promote freedom and peace through music. The festival is held at Seoul and Cheorwon, Gangwon-do providing conferences, showcase, main concert and special programs. 


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

 Daegullyeong Village is a tourist complex located in Gangwondo Gangneung-si, and provides visitors with a host of various traditional experiences, sporting events, and lodging accommodations. The village of 'Daegullyeong' got its name from the series of 832m ‘Daegwallyeong’ ridges that stretch along the bordering regions of Gangneung and Pyeongchang. Although the mountain ridges present rigorous passages with 99 turns, the area is popular as it boasts magnificent scenery.  Daegullyeong Village boasts the beautiful Daegwallyeong ridges and clear waters of the valleys in the mountain villages where tourists can take in the spectacular views of Bogwang 1(il)-ri, Bogwang 2(yi)-ri, and Eoheul-ri. The local specialties include the traditional doenjang (soybean paste), various soy and bean pastes, corn, traditional fermented soybeans, potatoes, and vegetables. Visitors can stay at any number of pensions in the area, then take a tour around a traditional soy and bean paste factory and participate in various experience programs such as soy and bean paste making, straw arts and crafts, folk games, and traditional performances.


Gangwon-do(Wonju-si)

Nestled at the edge of Chiaksan Mountain’s (alt. 1,182m) Namdaebong Peak, Sangwonsa Temple was built on an area spanning over 100 pyeong (330.59㎡). Cool spring water gushes up through the crevice directly in front of the temple, and just before the crevice is a 40-meter high cliff at the end of which stand three rare specimens of cinnamon trees. Although the exact time of its foundation is unknown, it is assumed to have been built during the Silla Period. Designated as Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 25, the temple has two pagodas standing in front of Daeungjeon Hall, displaying the typical style that was popular in the Unified Silla Period, and hinting at the flourishing Buddhist culture of that time. As the temple is located on high land, it commands a sweeping view of the southern part of Chiaksan Mountain. * Historical Site of Sangwonsa Temple Existing structures include Daeungjeon Hall (designated as Cultural Heritage Material No. 18 on June 2, 1984) and others including Simudang, Simgeomdang, Beomjonggak, Sansingak, etc. The two pagodas in front of Daeungjeon became popular throughout the nation after the unification of the Three Kingdoms. The tips of these pagodas are rounded with a lotus bud carved on each one, making these pagodas extremely unique.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

The Maengbang Flower Festival is one of the landmark spring celebrations in Korea and is held every April near Samcheok-si City in Ganwon-do Province. The festival boasts a breathtaking view of canola flowers, cherry blossoms and the blue sea of the East Coast. The festival also offers a diverse set of events and programs including a local produce market, fresh strawberry picking, and exhibition on canola flowers and bees. The Samcheok Tourist Center will also be at the festival to help any tourists to the area visit the variety of tourist attractions nearby such as Haesindang Park, New Millennium Ocean Road, Wife of King Suro Park, and the filming place for “One Fine Spring Day.”


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

Samcheok Culture & Art Center is a cultural complex located in Seongnam-dong, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do Province. The center opened its doors to the public on June 4th, 1994 with such facilities in place as grand/small theaters, outdoor performance stages and exhibition chambers.