29 Apr 2009, Posted by Matt in Buddhist Temples, Jeolla, Nature, 4 Comments

Climbing Mt. Wolchulsan

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.

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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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