Hwadam Botanic Garden is an eco-friendly arboretum located within Konjiam Resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, a 40 min drive away from Seoul. In effort to revive the country's forest ecosystem, LG Evergreen Foundation brought in approximately 4,300 types of exquisite and domestic plants to form a forest park divided into 17 themes. "Hwadam" can be translated into "a friendly communication," a name given to the forest in hopes that the area serves as a mean for people to communicate with nature. While the forest is designed to offer an environmentally friendly atmosphere, the ecosystem and habitats of the forest are well-preserved, serving as a home to many living species.
Located in Gahoe-dong (Jongno-gu), Myeongin Museum is the only museum in Seoul that specializes in masks, including traditional Korean masks and masks from around the world. Visitors can find the "Myeongin Collection" on the first floor and a large exhibition hall on the first basement level. The museum is home to over 500 rare masks collected by its director over the course of 30 years from Korea and countries around the world. Masks at the museum reflect the unique cultures of countries from all over Africa, Oceania, Latin America, India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Japan, and East Asia. In addition to these fascinating masks, the Myeongin Collection further offers visitors a look into culture with a number of Buddhist sculptures, Buddhist paintings, Buddhist crafts, ceramics, modern art, and western paintings.
Situated in Myeong-dong, the Namsan Arts Center is a cultural facility that offers art performances and promotes them for the public. Remodeling the Namsam Drama Center, it was opened in June 2009. Befitting its image, the center boasts artistic designs.The Namsan Arts Center consists of a Drama Center (a performance hall) and an Art Education Center. The Drama Center offers art performances (centered on modern plays) by Korean and international artists. Housing up to 480 visitors, the hall hosts art festivals (including Festival Jang), modern plays, scholarly events, and auditions. The Art Education Center, on the other hand, offers art education to the public who want to appreciate art and culture. The center is a beloved place by both artists and the public.
'Four Seasons House' is located in Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul and features props, items, photos and sets from director Yoon Suk-Ho's four seasons’ dramas. Yoon Suk-Ho’s series [Autumn in my Heart], [Winter Sonata], [Summer Scent], and [Spring Waltz] are among some of the most famous Hallyu dramas and capture the theme of pure love through vivid cinematography.
The basement and first floor of the Four Seasons House also house exhibits from other well-known dramas including [Snow Queen]. Outside exhibits include a re-creation of the proposal room from [Summer Scent] and a bench used in [Winter Sonata] and [Spring Waltz].
Guests must make a reservation online or by phone before visiting the Four Seasons House.
The National Science Museum is a scientific culture facility which studies and exhibits various scientific materials. At its center is the Astronomical Hall, which is the largest dome in Korea. From here you can vividly see the phenomenon of the celestial sphere and the human development of space. It also has the only world-class space theater in Korea. The 242 seats are available on a first-come first-serve basis. It can re-create the appearance of a night sky, the highlight being the view of the starlight at the planetarium. The Astrovision is also a special visual device, giving a magnificent and realistic view of space development.There are exhibits featuring about 4000 items based on nature and natural science at the Permanent Exhibit Hall. There are also exhibit halls featuring Korean nature, weapons, and folk musical instruments. You can see the stages of collecting energy from nature, and its use in transportation. Outside the Hall is Cheomseongdae, a weather evaluating machine from the Goryeo period; models of plant-eating dinosaurs; and a steam engine. The exhibits help to easily understand the theories of science, and the wonders of nature. The museum has a movie theater. Science movies and other excellent movies are shown at 11am and 2pm every day, and the seating can accommodate 776 people.
The 3rd Tunnel was discovered in 1978 by Korean forces. It spans over 1635m in length, 2m in x_width, and 2m in x_height and is located 52km from Seoul. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 soldiers could move through the tunnel per hour. Once the tunnel was found, North Koreans insisted it was intentionally made by the Southern army to invade North Korea, but, their insistence was proven untrue as the explosions used to make the tunnel face southward.The tunnel offers various sightseeing points such as the DMZ Video room, symbolic sculptures, a souvenir shop and more.
Jeongja-dong Café Street is a popular place in Bundang. Because its chic atmosphere resembles Cheongdam-dong in Seoul, it is also called Cheongja-dong.The street, starting from Neulpureun High School to Geumgok-dong, is lined with charming cafes with lovely terraces. The wide array of cafes along the street boasts delicious food as well as chic atmosphere. Reminiscent of street cafes in Europe, Jeongja-dong Café Street has become a popular attraction among visitors who enjoy reading or promenading. It is also a fabulous spot for couples.
Ocean World is located in Vivaldi Park resort on the slopes of Mt Palbongsan in the Hongcheon region of Gangwon-do province. Vivaldi Park resort is internationally renowned for its ski facilities, but they are not the only attraction in the resort, Ocean World Water Park is also very popular. The park covers 120,982,200 sq ft, which is 14 times bigger than a soccer field, and it can accommodate up to 18,000 people at the same time. It is designed to look like an oasis in the middle of the Egyptian desert, in order to give visitors the experience of a cool, refreshing swim under the bright sun. Ocean World even features a large Sphinx and pyramid, giving visitors a sense of Egypt’s mysterious past.
Ocean World has many thrilling and exciting attractions. These include the 300 meter-long Extreme River, which has fast-flowing currents, Surfing Mount, where waves reach up to 2.4-meters, Family Raft Slide, Spa Village, and Angel’s pool. Ocean World is divided into various zones: Indoor Zone, Extreme Zone, and Dynamic Zone, which opened in May 2009. The new zone features the very popular Monster Blaster, Super Boomerango, and Giant Waterplex water slides. In addition to the water rides, there is a Jjimjilbang (a Korean-style sauna), a shopping mall, and restaurants.
Opened in 2002, Gahoe Museum has on exhibit, folk paintings and amulets reflecting the lifestyle and wishes of the Korean people from ancient times. Inside the Hanok gallery, visitors can immerse themselves in the traditions of Korea. You will find old paintings of the common people, paintings of religious beliefs, and roof tiles in the shape of human beings or goblins. You will also find folding screens made of amulets and see the wisdom of people in the old days to overcome difficult times through a variety of amulets. Guided tours of exhibits are available from Tuesday through Friday in English and Japanese.After viewing, you can participate in regular hands-on programs inside the gallery. For a small fee, you can choose a program of your liking that runs from 10am to 5pm. The programs can accommodate up to 20 to 25 people. There are many participants on weekends so before visiting, call in advance for availability (+82-2-741-0466, Korean and Japanese). Instructions are given only in Korean, so foreigners are advised to come with a local guide.
The Daelim Museum, founded by the Daelim Group, was first established in Daejeon in 1996 and later moved to Jongno, Seoul in 2002. The art gallery studies, analyzes, and presents modern art through the lens of photography and holds exhibitions centered around photo media.The museum is located in the residential area of Tongui-dong, near the time-honored Gyeongbokgung Palace. The museum, which was designed by French architect, Vincent Cornu, and built by the Daelim Corporation, opened its door to the public in late May, 2002.On the first floor, there is a garden, parking lot, reception desk, storage area, and conference room. On the second and third floor are offices and a 180-pyeong (approx. 595m²) exhibition hall consisting of small and large rooms, a long gallery, and a special high-ceilinged exhibition space. On the fourth floor, there is a seminar room that can seat up to 120 guests and a balcony with a beautiful view. From the balcony of the seminar room, you may enjoy a wide open view of Inwangsan Mt. and Bukhansan Mt. The stained glass panels (designed to reflect the beauty of Korean traditional cloth) and the scenic lounges on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building add to the overall charm.Above all else, the museum was designed with consideration of the photos, which are very sensitive to humidity, light, and temperature.