Late June is typically when the jangma (장마), or monsoon season hits the Korean Peninsula. This means three weeks or more of heavy downpours, and even when it’s not raining, it’s still muggy and hot. Given these conditions, I thought it time to profile a good place that’s inside and air-conditioned.
The Gangnam Underground Shopping Arcade (강남지하상가) is located beneath the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul’s Seocho District. From the terminal you can take a bus basically anywhere in South Korea. Since three subway lines converge here, you can imagine it’s a busy place. Come here during rush hour and it’s quite a slog trying to move against the current of human bodies that’s transferring between subway lines.
Seoul is always changing. In what feels like just weeks an old neighborhood is razed and huge new apartment towers stand in its place. This dynamism is part of the city’s excitement. But in this relentless push forward, too many of Seoul’s most historic areas are being destroyed. One example is Pimatgol (피맛골), located in the central Jongno District. Read the rest of this entry »
Sorry for the 1.5-week blogging hiatus. I’ve been filling in for a friend at the news side of KBS and haven’t had time to post. But thanks for your patience and I’ll upload a couple of video posts and even a good, ole-fashioned non-video post of a destination outside of Seoul shortly.
When looking at the urban grit of Seoul neighborhoods, you’re forgiven if the words “good design” don’t come to mind. But seeing how quickly South Korea rebuilt after a devastating civil war, it’s not surprising that design just wasn’t a priority.
However, observing traditional Korean architecture and culture, it’s obvious that in times of peace and prosperity, pre-modern Korea honed a highly sophisticated design aesthetic. Which is why today, as a world economic power, it makes sense that South Korea is eager to recover its design legacy. In fact, Seoul’s mayor, Oh Se-hoon (오세훈) has made it one of his top priorities.
Spurred into action by Mr. Michael H.’s recent comment, here is a quick run-down of 12 summertime festivals going on around Korea. They’ll be hot and busy, but that’s what summer in Korea is all about. If you go, I’d love to hear about it!
Muju Firefly Festival (Muju, North Jeolla Province) June 13-21
Hurry down to South Jeolla Province to see one of Korea’s natural monuments in action. The firefly is the inspiration behind this festival, which also includes trout fishing and rafting.
(more info: call +82-63-1330 or visit here [Korean only].)
3rd World Taekwondo Culture Expo (Muju, North Jeolla Province) July 3-10
In the run up to finishing a Taekwondo Park in 2013, the city of Muju holds its expo celebrating Korea’s national sport. Events include an “extreme” Taekwondo performance, a Taekwondo musical and an open tournament. If that’s not enough, participate in making a large vat of Jeonju bibimbap for 1,000 people.
(more info: call +82-63-1330 or visit here.)
On Saturday, an estimated 1,500 people marched along the Cheonggyecheon (청계천) stream in downtown Seoul. The main event of the 10th annual Korea Queer Culture Festival (KQCF) marked South Korea’s largest-ever celebration of homosexuality. The procession was led by a troupe of pungmul folk musicians and three trucks outfitted with rainbow flags, dance platforms and speakers playing Korean pop. Locals wearing “God made Queer” buttons marched with foreign English teachers and teen boys donning mouse ears and pleated skirts.
Seoul’s Incheon Airport (ICN) has received yet more industry plaudits. This time around, the 2009 Skytrax survey of some 8.6 million passengers named Incheon the best airport in the world, edging out perennial favorites Hong Kong International and Singapore Changi International. Free internet, showers, and one-to-six hour guided sightseeing tours while you wait for your connection will do that. I’m a huge fan.
Once upon a time, Seonyudo Island (also known as Seonyubong) had a small peak and picturesque, jagged cliffs. This beautiful setting inspired wandering Confucian gentleman scholars, or seonbi (선비), who came here during the Joseon Dynasty to paint and compose poetry.
Before Buddhism was introduced to the Korean Peninsula some 1,600 years ago, many Koreans practiced an indigenous shamanism that worshipped mountains. When Buddhism arrived, it mixed with local traditions, which is why, even today, most Korean temples are located on mountain slopes.
In 889, Bongwon Temple (봉원사) was founded by the great master Doseon on what is today the campus of Yonsei University. But in 1748 the temple was moved a few hundred meters away to the south foot of An Mountain (안산).
I’ve uploaded a new Discovering Korea video blog, this time looking at a very Seoul phenomenon~ the pet café. Take a look at urbanites in trendy Hongdae among dozens and dozens of cats and dogs. I hope you enjoy it!
(A version of this video was uploaded to the KBS World site on May 13, 2009.)
On this week’s show, how about we take a cruise? But this isn’t just any cruise, but a boat ride through the center of one of the world’s largest cities. Surely anyone who has visited Seoul knows of the mighty Han River (한강). Originating on two mountains, one in South Korea and the other in the North, the Hangang, as it’s known in Korea, winds along peacefully for over 500 kilometers before passing through Seoul on its way into the West or Yellow Sea.
I’d like to apologize for the paltry posting of late. After arriving back in Seoul about a week and a half ago, I’ve been in catch up mode on various obligations. I hope to be back to regular travel blogging very soon. Thanks for your patience.
In a city as huge as Seoul, finding your bearings can be a challenge. But on this week’s show we’ll take a look at a Seoul icon that helps city residents secure their sense of place. When King Taejo (태조왕) moved Korea’s capital to present-day Seoul in 1394, he protected it with 18 kilometers of fortress walls that connected four mountaintops. Namsan (남산), which means “South Mountain,” formed the city’s southern border.
Korea’s national anthem describes a country that is the length of 3,000-ri (리). Translated into the metric system, 3,000 ri is roughly 120 kilometers, which is pretty darn close to the actual distance of the peninsula from its northern border with China to its southern-most tip in the South Sea.
This southern tip is called Ddangkkeut (땅끝) or Tomal (토말), both of which mean “edge of the land”, and it’s where the Korean peninsula ends and the ocean begins. Beyond this point the sea is broken only by the hundreds of picturesque islands that dot Korea’s southern coastline.
Last year, my friends Do-hoon and KBS World’s Abby Rhodes took three days to explore Korea’s Donghae, or East Sea. During our three-day exploration of Gangwon Province, , on day 1 we explored the mountains, and on day 2 we explored the sea.
Of course, Korea’s east coast is the first place to see the sun rise here, and many Koreans visit it to make a wish on special days like the lunar New Year. Although our special wish for no rain was already granted, we awoke at 4 am anyhow to see the sun rise at Naksansa Temple (낙산사).
One of Korea’s most beautiful spots is Anmyeondo Island (안면도) in South Chungcheong Province. Especially during the summer months, the area attracted some 100,000 tourists annually. Yet on December 15, 2007, this special area along Korea’s West Sea coast became the site of the nation’s largest-ever oil spill. Some 12,500 kiloliters of oil devastated the local tourism and fishing industries.
For better or worse, the Korean people are no strangers to overcoming tragedy, so in short order locals sought ways to reinvigorate their local economy. To that end, they’ve decided to boost the domestic floricultural industry. To see what they have in mind, one must only visit Korea Floritopia 2009 (안면도 국제꽃박람회).
Among Seoul’s five grand palaces, Gyeonghuigung (경희궁) is sometimes called the “forgotten palace.” First built in the early 17th century, it was completely razed by the Japanese during their colonial occupation of Korea. In the 1990s, the original foundation stones and building records were used to reconstruct the palace, and today it’s a serene place in the city.
But for the next six months, there’s something unusual on the palace grounds. Amidst the old and new is a curious, ultra-modern structure called the Prada Transformer, a collaboration of the Italian designer and the acclaimed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.
I love maps! I really love maps! Which is why I’ve spent quite a few hours creating one for the DiscoveringKorea.com blog (see the “The Map” tab in-between “Destinations” and “Links”).
Starting today, all of the destinations covered on the blog since we started last September are mapped on our very own, interactive Google Map. Thanks to Google Maps, we now have a new visual resource to help you plan where to go for brunch, or what sights you can check out on your weekend trip to Gangwon Province.
Simply click on one of the markers to see a quick description of the destination. Each write-up also includes a link to the full blog post for more detailed information. Also, I’ve color-coded the markers so you can quickly get an idea of say, what Nature or Buddhist temple destinations, are in your area.
To zoom in on a particular area, just double-click (but try not to click on a marker). You can also customize your map and switch between street detail, satellite, or (my favorite) terrain view.
The map will be constantly updated with new posts, as well as great restaurants and sights I find while traveling but places that don’t get into a blog post. If you have suggestions on places that I should include, please let me know! One of these days, I’ll get to adding a photo to each summary.
I hope you find “The Map” feature useful. For all you fellow map dorks out there, I hope it’s also fun!
Mention Jeju to your Korean friends and you’ll see their faces soften with affection for it. Sometimes called Korea’s Hawai’i, the island’s relative isolation is why its culture and even its language are different from the mainland. In fact, there’s archaeological evidence that the ancient kingdom of Tamna (탐라국) was actively trading with mainland Korea, Han China and Japan as early as the first century AD.
When Korea co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup football/soccer tournament with Japan, people around the world saw hundreds of thousands of Korean fans clad in red swarm onto Seoul’s streets. To relive that festive spirit, the city launched the Hi Seoul Festival in 2003.
From Baekdusan Mountain on North Korea’s border with China to Mount Hallasan on Jeju island, Korea is home to thousands of magnificent peaks. But while some of the nation’s mountains are grand, good things can also come in small packages. Case in point is the country’s smallest national park, Wolchulsan Mountain National Park (월출산국립공원) in South Jeolla Province.
I had planned to get this post up prior to the weekend, so apologies for the delay. It’s great being back in Seoul after a very busy (and cold) trip to South Chungcheong Province. I was there to tape an upcoming travel show for Arirang TV. The highlight was flying a ULM (ultra light plane) over the West Sea (Yellow Sea). Surprisingly, the ride was very smooth and not scary at all. I look forward to blogging about it soon.
On the technical front, Discovering Korea is now onTwitter. I know, I know, I’m sick of hearing about Twitter too! But I think the platform can be of service to Discovering Korea readers. Right now I’m doing a combination of personal status updates with tweets on upcoming events. It still feels a bit awkward, so your input is appreciated. Of course, subscribe to the feed if you want to chat and stay in the loop :)
There’s some other exciting stuff I’ll discuss in a future check-in, but that’s it for now. As always, thanks for visiting. Thanks to you, it’s been fun seeing site traffic triple in the past two months!
The Lotus Lantern Festival (Photo courtesy of Festival organizers)
Can you tell it’s festival season in Korea?
Well, if this is news to you, starting on April 24, Korea’s Buddhist community will celebrate the birth of the Buddha with an extravagant, 11-day festival of light called the Lotus Lantern Festival (연등축제). Buddha’s birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, which, this year falls on May 2nd.
Surrounded by mountains and a rugged coastline featuring nearly 2,000 islands, South Jeolla Province offers travelers a lot to see and do. Last spring a friend and I rented a car and visited several sights. One of the places we visited was the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비대축제). With its 2009 fête getting underway later this week, now seems like a good time to take another look.
What do Melbourne, Osaka and Chicago have in common? Well, they’re all considered their nation’s second cities, metropolises in their own right, yet wrapped up in feelings of both inferiority and superiority, thanks to always being in the shadow of the Sydney’s, Tokyo’s and New York’s of the world.
Korea’s second-largest city, Busan, is no stranger to such feelings towards its big brother, Seoul. Although it would be impossible for Busan to match up to the nation’s capital in terms of sheer size or cultural influence, the people of southeast Gyeongsang Province are rightly proud of their gorgeous and special city.
Last week I was traveling with a friend, and his parents asked me a tough question: Which one of Korea’s Buddhist temples is my favorite?
I pondered their question for a moment. Of course, I haven’t visited all of Korea’s some 100 temples, but from the good number I’ve seen so far, my favorite has to be Beopjusa (법주사), a fantastic temple complex located on the southwestern slopes of Songni Mountain (속리산) in North Chungcheong Province.
Although eating comes easy here in Seoul, instead of traditional Korean fare, let’s take a look at a new favorite: brunch. Located in Seoul’s trendiest neighborhoods, many Koreans are eager to incorporate foreign cultures into their own. So, whether it’s the posh Cheongdam neighborhood of Southern Seoul, or Hongdae and Edae located north of the Han River, brunch is hot.
Come to think of it, brunch and Seoul are a good fit, because on the weekends, Seoul stays up late, and wakes up late, too. So if you’re among the reluctant weekend risers, don’t worry about missing breakfast, because I’ve got five wonderful brunch options for you.
There’s a small budget film here in Korea that’s made a very big buzz over the past few months. The film, Old Partner, documents an elderly farmer’s special relationship with his ox. Living in very modern Seoul, this may seem like a bygone portrait of South Korea. Yet, it was only a few decades ago that Korea was an agrarian society, and the bull was the farmer’s most prized possession.
Although South Korea has industrialized remarkably over the past several decades, there are still unspoiled corners where nature remains in charge. One such place is Seonyu Island (선유도), which is located off the coast of North Jeolla Province.
An artist’s rendering of Yeouido’s future, now that height restrictions for the island have been lifted (from Yonhap News).
At about 8.4 square kilometers, Yeouido (여의도) is by far Seoul’s largest island. But despite its strategic location in the middle of one of the world’s largest cities, the name “yeouido” actually means, “you can have it.” In the past, this now very valuable piece of real estate was thought to be worthless, since most of the island disappeared when the Han River frequently flooded. As a result, for centuries Yeouido was generally relegated to pastureland and peanut fields. The first major development didn’t occur until 1924, when the Japanese colonial government built Seoul’s first airport there.
Today we’ll kick-off a new segment called, “Ask Matt“, where I’ll answer a listener/reader travel question.
For our first post, Brian Kim in Los Angeles (USA) e-mailed me the following question:
Hi Matt, I’m headed to Seoul in a few months and I’m looking at some options to get from Incheon Airport to Seoul. I know there are buses that can shuttle you to anywhere in Seoul, but how efficient is the AREX Airport Express?
In just a few hours my friend Uikwon and I will take off for a 5-day trip along Korea’s Namhae (남해), or southern coast. After some delicious dinner in Jeonju, we’ll make our way from Mokpo, in the southwest to Busan and Ulsan in the southeast. I look forward to sharing our stories and photos soon!
On the road from Masan to Jinhae. After emerging from a tunnel, the hills are covered in pink blossoms.
The city of Jinhae (진해시), is a special city located on a mountainous stretch of Korea’s namhae, or southern coastline. The town is best known as home to the world’s largest number of flowering cherry trees, or beotkkot namu (벚꽃 나무). For only a few short weeks each spring, an estimated 340,000 trees burst into a virtual sea of pale-pink blossoms. Fortunately, for the past 46 years, the hospitable people of Jinhae have shared their local treasure with the world as hosts of the Jinhae Gunhangjae (군항제), or Naval Port Festival.
Andong is a center of traditional Korean culture. One of its most celebrated sites is the Dosan Seowon, or Dosan Confucian Academy.
The city of Andong in North Gyeongsang Province is famous as one of Korea’s cultural centers. Well-known for its conservative tastes and preservation of folk culture, Andong is high on the list of many travelers’ must-see sites. And one of my favorite places in Andong is the Dosan Seowon (도산서원), or Dosan Confucian Academy (original name: Dosan Seodang).
Constructed in 1574 during the 7th year of King Seonjo’s (선조왕) reign, the school was built to enshrine the memorial tablet of Yi Hwang (이황). Yi is one of Korea’s most celebrated philosophers. And if you’ve been to Korea, you’ve no doubt seen his likeness, because that’s him on the ubiquitous 1,000-won ($0.72) note.
The Edae neighborhood’s shopping alleys at night (click here for larger).
Periodically, we explore places to see in the big city. This time around we’ll head to a vibrant neighborhood that’s often overlooked on Seoul itineraries. That neighborhood is Edae (이대), which along with the neighborhoods of Sinchon and Hongdae, are perhaps Seoul’s most famous areas for college students. Sure, Sinchon and Hongdae are very well-known for their youthful exuberance, but Edae has its own distinct character that shouldn’t be missed.
Spring is on the way! It’s a great time of year for festivals across Korea. In March and April, the festival calendar is dominated by beautiful flower-themed fetes that should tempt your travel itch. Here are just a few.
Gwangyang Maewha Festival (Maehwa Village, South Jeolla Province) March 14 – March 22
This weekend marks the beginning of Maehwa Village’s celebration of the apricot blossom. Visit over 80 acres of white flowering trees on the slopes of the Baegunsan Mountains.
(more info: call +82 61 1330 or visit here.) Read the rest of this entry »
Searching for a little “seoul” in Berlin, Germany.
I’ve been told frequently that Koreans are the Italians of Asia. The explanation is that both countries are peninsulas home to “passionate” people. But if you’d indulge me in this absurd exercise, I’d like to add that there’s also a Korean-German connection.
First, both revolutionized the dissemination of the written word. In 1455, Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible was printed using metal movable type, a technology used some 200 years earlier during Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty. The “Jikji“, the world’s oldest remaining movable metal print book, was printed in 1377. More recently, of course, both countries were physically divided by political ideologies.
A Russian postage stamp featuring the very popular (half-Korean) Soviet rock star, Viktor Robertovich Tsoi.
Early maps that show great detail in Japan and China depict a curiously blank Korean peninsula (which is sometimes drawn as an island). For centuries, the West called Korea the “Hermit Kingdom” for its zealous control of who could enter or exit its territory. But the Joseon Dynasty’s deterioration in the late 19th century brought the Korea’s first major exodus, as hundreds of thousands of ethnic Koreans left and called China, Japan and the Russian Far East home.
Jeju’s Yakcheon Temple impresses with its size and colorful beauty.
There’s undoubtedly something special about centuries-old temples. But despite its youth (built in the 1990s), Yakcheon Temple, or Yakcheonsa (약천사), on Jeju’s southern coast, is also worthy of a visit. It was built in the style of Joseon Dynasty-era structures and named after a medicinal stream it was supposedly built over.
Covering an area of 122,100 square meters, Yakcheonsa is Jeju’s second largest temple complex, although the four-story (28 meters high) main prayer hall claims to be Asia’s largest. Standing beside it, the boast seems likely. The hall is truly massive. In fact, each level appears to bend slightly under the temple’s sheer weight.
