Gwangju(Seo-gu)

The Yangdong Market started in the 1910s as a traditional market held on the 2nd and 7th of every month on the white sand beach under Gwangjugyo Bridge. In the 1940s, the market moved to its current location, and was renovated to become the marketplace we know and love today.Covering an area of approximately 1,253㎡, the Yangdong Market is the largest traditional market in the Honam Region (the Southwestern region of Korea). There are four buildings in total and 340 stores selling a variety of items including fruit and vegetables, seafood, manufactured goods, and more. Yangdong Market is especially famous for its Jesa products (those related to Korean ancestral memorial service) and quality items for newly-weds. The market closes on every first and third Sunday from April to September but is open every day from October to March.During the May 18th Democratization Movement, both Yangdong and Daein markets were a grand venue where the citizens of Gwangju gathered together to rally for democratization of the nation. Merchants of the markets provided food, beverages, and medicine to the protestors and participated in the movement alongside their fellow citizens. One of the most well-known places in Yangdong market is Hana Bunsik (Noh Moo-hyun Gukbab) restaurant. It started to become famous after the late President Noh visited the restaurant on Dec.14th, 2002, just 5 days before the presidential election. 


Gyeongsangnam-do(Hapcheon-gun)

Featuring the highest peak, Sanghwangbong, Mt. Gayasan is composed of many summits each over 1,000m in x_height. From the Taebaek Mountains, the Gayasan stretches from east to west. In 1972, it was designated as National Park No.9 due to its breathtaking scenery. Gayasan is know for its many tourist highlights, namely Haeinsa Temple, which is in the southwestern part of Gayasan. It is one of the three most famous temples in Korea. The Tripitaka Koreana (National Treasures No.32), consisting of over eighty thousand blocks, are found here. The place makes for fantastic scenery with the old temple and the beautiful landscape. In addition, there are other cultural properties such as Jangkyunggak (National Treasure No.52), Stone Buddha Figure (Treasures No. 518) Banya Temple Gyeongwangsa Monument (Treasures No.128) which was designated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Moreover, Gayasan is noted for its graceful mountain landscape. The water flowing from Gayasan valley meets in front of Haeinsa Temple and flows to the southeast where it forms Gayacheon stream. Among the many valleys, Hongryudong valley (its water seems to turn red because of the leaves' autumnal tints) finishes the grandeur scenery with the several thousand year-old pine tree. Namsanjeil-bong, a peak located in southern part of Hongryudong, is called Mt. Cheonbulsan among Buddhists because it seems like thousands of Buddhist statues cover the mountain ridge. Mt. Cheonbulsan is a favorite one-day mountain climbing course for many. Gayasan shows magnificent landscapes every season with the cherry blossoms, azaleas and royal azaleas lined up on the road to Haeinsa Temple in Spring, the clean water and green trees in Summer, the glorious tints of its autumn foliage along the rock ridges in Autumn and a snowy landscape in Winter.  


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Yeongju-si)

Punggi Ginseng Market is the oldest ginseng market in the Punggi area and is famous for its range of ginseng products. On every 3rd and 8th day of the month, a traditional 5-day market (a market open every 5 days that travels to several towns in the area) opens near the ginseng market, giving the area a traditional and nostalgic atmosphere.


Jeollabuk-do(Iksan-si)

The Wanggung Five-story Stone Pagoda is located on a hill about 2 kilometers south of Wanggung-myeon in Iksan, which is believed to have been the capital of the nation during the Mahan Era. The pagoda stands tall at 8.5 meters and was officially designated National Treasure No. 289. Relics from the Goryeo Dynasty that were found inside the pagoda were designated National Treasure No. 123 and are currently housed in the National Museum of Korea. Of the excavated relics, the most famous; the Sarijangeomgu, a magnificent container of Buddha’s Sarira; the green glass Sarira bottle topped with a lotus-shaped stopper; and the Sungeumgeumganggyeongpan, which contains the 19 golden plates of the Diamond Sutra.


Chungcheongnam-do(Gongju-si)

The Songsan-ri Tombs and Royal Tomb of King Muryeong (reign 462-523) contains representative relics of the Baekje period (234~678). The Songsan-ri Tombs contain the graves of kings from the period when Baekje's capital was Gongju, and it is believed to contain 10 such graves. Only seven graves have been discovered so far.The main attraction of Songsan-ri Tombs is the wall painting drawn on the number six tomb – it is the only art of its kind in the world, created from the way the bricks were laid to create the wall. The tomb is shaped like a long tunnel, the top rounded like a dome. There are pictures of fire-breathing dragons on the tomb. Only the parts of the wall where the pictures were to be drawn had earth coated on, and on that earth was drawn Sasindo, the Four Symbols – blue dragon, white tiger, red peacock, and black turtle.The popular Tomb of King Muryeong is the 7th tomb, and it is the resting place for Baekje's 25th King Mu-Ryeong and his queen. This tomb was discovered accidentally when installing pipes to prevent tombs number 5 and 6 from being flooded. Tomb of King Muryeong was found to be unusual in the way it was built and what it contained. It was built with bricks like the 6th Tomb, and many national treasures were found inside, supplying scholars studying Baekje culture with precious research material. There were 108 kinds of artifacts found inside, totaling 2,906 items altogether. Twelve of these artifacts were designated National Treasures. They are all on display at Gongju National Museum. Some of the representative treasures are the crowns worn by the king and the queen, gold decorations for the crowns, gold earrings, necklaces, bronze mirrors, pillows, and foot rests. Recently the tomb was permanently sealed off to protect the treasures. However, you can look at the miniature of the tomb, an exact duplicate of the original, in the basement of the Gobungun Building.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Located 700m above sea level in the heart of nature, Phoenix Park The Hotel is one of Korea's largest resort hotels. The five-star hotel is known as the venue for the 4th Asia Development Forum and offers a variety of facilities (and a state-of-the-art AV system) that make the hotel an ideal place for both leisure and business purposes. Hotel facilities consist of a banquet hall, JDI Sports Center, swimming pool, sauna, bowling alley, karaoke, Game Land, Kid's Blue play place, internet cafe, pool tables, shopping center, rental ski shop, and a reception hall. Conveniently located only 2 hours from Seoul, the hotel is situated in Bogwang Phoenix Park, a major resort with 21 ski slopes and a ski base 500m wide. Phoenix Park takes pride in its 21 ski slopes and integrated KEY Lift system and is a much sought-after destination for many skiers and snowboarders.


Chungcheongnam-do(Nonsan-si)

Just like other berry farmers, Uncle Strawberry at first supplied his products to retail distributors such as markets, department stores and discount stores. But he decided to change that, and now he meets his consumers himself at his farmland and provide his berries directly to people. With no retailers in-between, Uncle Strawberry is now able to provide his best quality strawberries to his customers at a lower price. In 2006, Uncle Strawberry started to run hands-on experience programs in his farmland. Initially, there were only 8 of them, but now the number has jumped to 44. For years, Uncle Strawberry’s farmland has grown its berries based on all-nature and environmental friendly farming methods. Uncle Strawberry is a determined farmer who thinks providing best strawberries to his customers is most important. With this in mind, he is doing his best to grow high-quality and healthy strawberries by means using natural pest control, and his products are certified organic.    


Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

Gecko's Garden is a fusion pub & restaurant where customers can enjoy tapas, steaks, juicy burgers, and barbecue dishes along with a glass of wine or beer. The numerous windows give the restaurant a luxurious feel and allow for an open view of the lush garden outside. Gecko's Garden serves a wide selection of beer and cocktails, but one of the favorites among the restaurant’s female clientele is its iced tea-flavored sorbets served along with an assortment of fruit. An additional tax of 10% and a service charge of 5% are typically added to menu prices, but from 12pm to 5pm, taxes are waived and customers can enjoy their food and drinks at lower prices.


Seoul(Jongno-gu)

Changuimun was often called Jahamun. It was one of four mini gates in the north surrounding the castle town Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty. But because one of the four main gates, Sukjeongmun, was closed, Changuimun became a favorite north gate. Hence, people also called Changuimun the North Gate. It is the only gate among four mini gates that is still in its original state. Although it is small, almost 50m², in terms of size, it looks very firm and sturdy. While Dongsomun Gate, one of four mini gates, is decorated with a phoenix, Changuimun Gate is adorned with a wooden chicken along its rafters. The reason behind the wooden chicken was that the chicken was believed to be the nemesis of the centipede. People believed that installing the wooden chicken was important to overcome the harmful spirit of the centipede.