16 Jun 2009, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Historic Korea, Nature, Seoul, 7 Comments

Seonyudo Island’s Hangang River Renaissance

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.

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21 Mar 2009, Posted by Matt in Gyeongsang, Historic Korea, 2 Comments

Andong’s Dosan Seowon Confucian Academy

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 7^th 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.

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13 Mar 2009, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Diaspora, Food & Drink, Nature, 2 Comments

The Korean Diaspora: Berlin

03 Dec 2008, Posted by Matt in Best of DK.com, Festivals & Holidays, Food & Drink, Hotels & Resorts, Jeolla, Nature, 13 Comments

Boseong’s Green Tea Fields

Tea was first cultivated in China over 2,500 years ago, but shortly thereafter it was introduced to Korea. Boseong is viewed by many as Korea’s tea growing capital.

25 Oct 2008, Posted by Matt in Buddhist Temples, Festivals & Holidays, Gangwon, Gyeongsang, Hotels & Resorts, Jeolla, Nature, Seoul, 8 Comments

Where to See Autumn 2008 Color

A snapshot from Bukhan Mountain, just north of Seoul. The bright yellow leaves are from an old Gingko Tree.

(A version of this text aired on KBS World Radio on October 25, 2008.)

The French existentialist and philosopher Albert Camus once said, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” That famous line reminds me why this is my favorite time of the year, and Korea is a great place to see autumn in all its colorful glory. Korea’s climate has four distinct seasons, and fall is when the mild climate and limited rainfall make traveling especially comfortable.

The Korean word for autumn leaves is danpoong (단풍), … and come to think of it, it’s funny that English doesn’t have its own word, at least to my knowledge. Maybe the leaves here are just more spectacular?

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20 Sep 2008, Posted by Matt in Festivals & Holidays, Historic Korea, Seoul, UNESCO Sites, 5 Comments

Jongmyo: The Royal Ancestral Shrine

Built in the late 14th century, the Jongmyo Royal Ancestral Shrine was built to honor ancient Korea’s kings and queens and is recognized by UNESCO as a piece of intangible cultural heritage.

06 Sep 2008, Posted by Matt in Gangwon, Historic Korea, 1 Comments

Gangneung’s Noble Homes

The Hwallaejeong Pavilion (활래정) juts out over a lotus pond at Seongyojang (선교장) in the city of Gangneung on Korea’s east coast.

A few weeks ago friends and I traveled to Gangwon Province, and in our trips to the beach and to the world’s largest gramophone museum, we spent time in the city of Gangneung (강릉). Gangneung is the economic center of eastern Gangwondo, the province whose name is a combination of the “gang” from Gangneung, and the “won” of its ancient provincial capital, Wonju.

The city was one of my favorite places in Gangwondo because of its simple beauty. In addition to its popular shoreline and famous Gyeongpo Beach, the city boasts a large lagoon and several gorgeous buildings that date from the Joseon Dynasty. Remarkably, several of them have been beautifully maintained for centuries.

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