18 Apr 2009, Posted by Matt in Gyeongsang, Nature, 2 Comments

Busan’s Mt. Yongdusan Park

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.

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07 Apr 2009, Posted by Matt in Festivals & Holidays, Gyeongsang, Historic Korea, Nature, 7 Comments

Cheongdo’s Bullfighting Festival

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.

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25 Mar 2009, Posted by Matt in Notes from Matt, 2 Comments

DK Update!

Hey there,

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!

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21 Feb 2009, Posted by Matt in Festivals & Holidays, Jeju, 9 Comments

Jeju Feature Part 1: Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival

For the past 11 years, Jeju has hosted the spectacular Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival.

About 2 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions created South Korea’s southern-most province, the island of Jeju-do. Jeju was ruled by the Tamna Kingdom (탐라국) for millennia before it entered and exited a series of tributary relationships with peninsula kingdoms. It wasn’t until 1404 that Tamna ended with Jeju’s final incorporation with Korea’s Joseon Dynasty.

Since volcanoes created Jeju, it’s no surprise that an annual fire festival would be among the island’s most popular events. And for the past 11 years, the island has celebrated the lunar new year’s first full moon with the Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival (정월대보름들불축제).

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31 Oct 2008, Posted by Matt in Food & Drink, Historic Korea, Jeju, Jeolla, News, Seoul, Shopping, 1 Comments

Travel News Summary

A vendor at Seoul’s Noryangjin Fish Market (노량진 수산시장) (from Gourmet Magazine).

Seoul Fish Market in Gourmet Magazine
Seoul’s Noryangjin Fish Market (노량진 수산시장) receives rave reviews in October’s edition of Gourmet Magazine. Described as “one of the greatest food spectacles on earth”, writer Jonathan Gold praises the 700 stalls of stingrays, halibut and pickled clams. If you’d like to visit the fish market yourself, arrive early in the morning via Seoul subway line 1′s Norangjin Station.

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