01 Aug 2010, Posted by Matt in Gyeongsang, Historic Korea, UNESCO Sites, 0 Comments

Yangdong Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Gyeongju’s Yangdong Folk Village is said to be the most valuable of Korea’s six traditional villages in terms of its size, preservation and numerous cultural assets.

14 May 2010, Posted by Matt in Art & Culture, Best of DK.com, Festivals & Holidays, Historic Korea, Seoul, UNESCO Sites, 2 Comments

The Jongmyo Royal Shrine’s Great Rite

When King Taejo founded the Joseon Dynasty in 1394, he built the Jongmyo Royal Shrine to honor his ancestors. Each May, Korea’s royal Confucian ancestral rites are opened to the public.

04 May 2009, Posted by Matt in Jeju, Nature, UNESCO Sites, 0 Comments

Jeju Island’s Sunrise Peak

Jeju Island is dotted by hundreds of parasitic volcanoes. Probably the most famous among them is Seongsan Ilchulbong, which is also known as Sunrise Peak. The striking archetypal tuff cone forms a conspicuous peninsula on Jeju’s eastern edge.

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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19 Jan 2009, Posted by Matt in Best of DK.com, Festivals & Holidays, Gyeonggi, Historic Korea, UNESCO Sites, 7 Comments

Suwon’s Hwaseong Fortress

When the United Nations designated the Hwaseong Fortress a part of the world’s cultural heritage in 1997, they cited its unique blend of eastern and western architectural styles.