Chungcheongnam-do()

Musangsa Temple (est. March 2000) is an international Zen Temple created by Monk Sungsan exclusively for foreigners. The temple aims at promoting Korean Zen Buddhism among foreign monks and nuns while encouraging non-Buddhist priests and religious leaders to experience Zen. Located at the foot of Gyeryong Mountain, the temple is surrounded by a forest of pine trees, giving visiting Zen practitioners a chance to experience the genuine natural beauty of Korea. To date, over 600 foreigners from 30 different countries have visited the temple to learn more about Zen meditation. Twice a year (once in the summer and once in the winter) a 3-month program is held for foreign monks and nuns to come and practice Ganhwaseon, a type of Zen Buddhism. Travelers and other foreigners are also welcome to participate in shortened versions of the program, which are typically one week in length. During meditation/program periods, public visits are limited. Buddhist services are held every week. Services presided over by monk Musim are open to the general public and are held in English.


Busan(Dongnae-gu)

Haerim Galbi offers traditional home-made folk dish with Korean-style interior, and is famous for foreigners. With a spacious glass garden and parking facilities, outstanding surroundings are all good for gathering to have a meal. The secret to making their dish tasty is their excellent hanu (Korean beef) which is aged at 3 degrees below zero and delivered from nearby farms. Adding more taste to it is doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup) made with conventional soybean paste and other fermentated seafood, traditional side dishes, vegetables, and more served after eating beef, something that is uncommon to see at other restaurants.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Gangwon-do Forestry Museum, located within the Gangwon-do Provincial Flower Garden, is the nation's first space dedicated to forests. It serves as a cultural space for people to draw nearer to nature, as well as creates new forest culture spaces. Divided into four exhibition rooms, visitors can see research tools and methods used by foresters. In January 2004, a brand new 4D experience video room was opened, giving a message on the importance of the forest and environment on our lives. * Opened October 31, 2002


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

Gangneung Boksa Village blooms with peach blossoms each spring. The village is criss-crossed by Hacheon and Sillicheon Streams, which can be crossed by log bridges built long ago by the residents. These precious log bridges are sometimes removed for protection during the rainy summer season, and then put back out when the streams calm down. Boksa Village provides a wonderful glimpse into the rural agricultural lifestyle of Korea. Visitors can pick their own fruit directly from the tree to enjoy right away, as well as make a scarecrow or spread green tea fertilizer around the trees to help them grow. The festival is also the venue for an annual peach blossom festival in April, and a scarecrow festival in August.


Seoul(Eunpyeong-gu)

Cheongansa Temple was first built in 1960, and was re-built in 2009. It has many pagodas and monuments: a pagoda filled with sari relics of Buddha; Budotap Pagoda, which is a shrine to the monk who found the temple and his sacred relics; and a monument honoring the late first lady Yuk yeong-su. The re-built temple was awarded the Hanok Prize in the Hanok Competition 2011. Located along the Bukhansan Mt. Dulaegil Trail, the temple provide visitors with the chance to enjoy fresh air and a rest from hiking along the trail.


Chungcheongbuk-do(Cheongju-si)

Sangsoo Herb Land is an arboretum which houses 1,000 species of herbs throughout its 82,645㎡ (25,000 pyeong) area. The glass greenhouse, spanning over 9,917㎡ (3,000 pyeong), keeps herbs fresh and green, even in the winter season. Herb Land is well-known for their flowers that bloom year-round, as well their diverse events including the Herb Land Festival held in May each year, wedding ceremonys, banquets, hands-on program classes, and more. Sangsoo Herb Land provides a wide array of programs for visitors. The major event is the Herb Land Festival, aiming to spread knowledge on the use of diverse herbs, including introducing the aromatic value of herb plants in landscaping and as a natural insecticide, as well as the health benefits of herbal foods. Participants can take part in seminars and hands-on activities to learn more about herbs. The banquet room on the second floor can accommodate large groups for events, serving excellent herb dishes at reasonable prices. An outdoor wedding service surrounded by beautiful gardens is also available.


Gwangju(Nam-gu)

With the slogan “Yeongsangang River, where Nature and Life Coexist,” Yeongsangang River Culture Pavilion consists of an open space that blends well with the surrounding natural environment. The center provides a variety of educational programs and hands-on events, through which visitors can increase their understanding of the Yeongsangang River restoration project, the history of Namdo region, and the cultural and ecological environment of the area.


Seoul(Dongdaemun-gu)

The Blue Dragon Film Awards draws all Korean stars to the red carpet. Hosted by Korea's Sports Chosun newspaper, the Blue Dragon Film Awards Show started in 1963 with the goal of raising the quality of Korean movies and further developing Korea's movie industry. The Blue Dragon has now established itself as the Grand Prix of Korean movie cinema and is the undisputed authority in the field.The selection among the movies released in the previous year is made based on the number of votes cast by Netizens and the opinions of movie experts. Then the final winner is selected by a nine-member jury recommended by the Executive Committee. Awards Program: The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popular movies of high artistic value released during the previous year. During the award period, about 40 movies that have made to the final list are screened to the public for free.After the screening of each selection, the awards ceremony opens in full swing. The categories are Best Film, Best Director, Best New Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best New Actor, Best New Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Art Direction, Technical Award, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Lighting, each recognizing those who have contributed to the development of Korean movies.Other interesting categories are the Most Popular awarded to the star that received the most Netizen votes and the Most Popular Film awarded to the movie with the highest viewership throughout the previous year. A week prior to the award ceremony, the previous year's award recipients gather for a handprint event to immortalize their Blue Dragon award. Festival Highlights: Since this is an awards ceremony, guessing which movie will be the winner and comparing your guess with the official results is one way to enjoy the ceremony. This is also a chance to see all of Korea's most popular stars in one place, so a camera is a must. The shows by popular artists during the award ceremony also add to the entertainment.


Busan(Seo-gu)

Haengbokan (Happy) Megi-maeun-tang Restaurant serves well-being spicy catfish stew and various duck dishes with a cozy ambience like a grandmother’s home.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

At an altitude of 1,577 m above sea level, Gyebangsan Mountain, which faces Odaesan Mountain on the eastern part of the Taebaeksan Mountain Range, is the fifth tallest mountain in South Korea, after Hallasan Mountain, Jirisan Mountain, Seoraksan Mountain, and Deogyusan Mountain. On the west side of Gyebangsan Mountain is Unduryeong (1,089 m), of which has vehicle accessible road. Asiatic black beers are said to habitate in the deep valleys on the north side, and there is Bangadari mineral water and other mineral water sources on the south side. With many varieties of herbs and wild flowers growing naturally in the area, it is also well known as a place to dig for wild ginseng. It's rare Japanese yew trees and royal azalea combined with it's similar terrain to Seoraksan Mountain's Daecheongbong Peak has caused the mountain to be a highly protected ecological environment.Gyebangsan Mountain is particularly popular for winter hikers, who can get beautiful views of the snowy landscapes of the mountain even until March. On top of that, since the difference in evelation from Unduryeong to the top of Gyebangsan is only 488 m, it welcomes even novice hikers as well. From the summit, one can see the backboone of Baekdudaegan Mountain, and with its panoramic views of Seoraksan Mountain to the north, Odaesan Mountain and Daegwallyeong to the east, and Taegisan and Hoegisan Mountains to the west, it is one of the best views in the area.