Daegu Otgol Village 대구 옻골마을

Otgol Village was named for its concave topographical features, as three sides (except for the southern side) are surrounded by a mountain. Others believe that the name derives from the groves of lacquer trees (locally called otnamu) in the nearby mountains and fields. Otgol is the clan village of the Gyeongju Choi family, who settled with the arrival of Choi Dong-jip, a scholar in the mid-Joseon era who came and established himself in the area.

Otgol Village has a beautiful earthen wall and stone wall spanning about 2.5 kilometers. A tree stands along the wall path: it was not cut down, but the wall was instead built low to accommodate the tree, showing the wisdom and the respect for nature of the people at the time. In the Baekbul Residence, the document bestowed by King Jeongjo to Baekburam Choi Heung-won in appreciation of his deeds remains. Various other relics are also preserved, including old books and identity tags that have been passed down over the generations in the head family, the Seonghaksipdo (The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning) folding screen, and dishes used in religious services. Nearby is the forest of Oriental Arbovitae in Dalseong, which is the No. 1 Natural Monument of Korea, as well as the Bullo-dong Tumuli Park and Palgongsan Provincial Park.