Korea Tour : Jinhae Gunhangje Cherry Blossom Festival

Hi?

I am Eddie Kwon, a Korea tour interpreter and guide.

Today, I would like to introduce cherry blossom festival sites.

If you visit the places in the Spring, you will never forget the experience there.

Located in the port city of Changwon on the southeast coast, the district of Jinhae is one of the most popular places to celebrate the blooming of spring in South Korea. The usually sleepy city comes alive with colour and festivities, drawing more than 2 million visitors every year. Street stalls offer special food inspired by the season while concerts and fireworks are put on to provide further entertainment over the course of 10 days. Although much of the city is awash with a delicate pink hue, the best place to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms is at the famous ‘Romance Bridge’ on the Yeojwacheon stream. Made popular by a hit Korean TV show titled Romance, the bridge is a particular draw for couples.

 

Another popular spot within easy reach of Jinhae is the now disused Gyeonghwa train station. It’s nicknamed ‘Cherry Blossom Road’ for the perfectly aligned cherry trees that run parallel along both sides of the train tracks. The train station has been closed since February 2015, which means visitors can amble along the 800-metre-long tracks while soaking up the beautiful colours of spring.

 

Due to Jinhae’s history as a naval base, the spring festival here originally started life as a small ceremony to commemorate the Korean Admiral Yi Sun-shin who was a key figure in defeating the Japanese during the 16th century Imjin War. This history is celebrated alongside the start of spring with a military parade complete with marching bands & honour guard shows.

Expected dates of bloom: First two weeks of April

Highlights: The rows of cherry blossom trees that line the famous Yeojwacheon Romance Bridge

 

 

Korea Tour : Hanok Villages in Seoul

 

Hanok is a tipical type of Korean traditional housing.

In Seoul, 2 Hanok villages are well known to foreign tourists : Namsangol Hanok Village and Bukchon Hanok Village.

 

 

Namsangol Hanok Village

 

Namsangol Hanok Village is located in Pil-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. It used to have a valley and Cheonugak Pavilion during the Joseon Dynasty, so it was used as a summer vacation site. The project for restoring Namsangol Hanok Village began in 1989, and the village was opened in 1998.

 

The traditional houses in this area offer various experience programs such as learning Korean traditional etiquettes and holding lectures on literature and traditional culture. Some operate traditional tea houses.

The Traditional Crafts Center exhibits artworks by artisans who have been designated as an intangible cultural heritage.

The village offers various programs through which visitors can personally experience Korean seasonal customs.

 

Location :28, Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Tel : +82-2-2264-4412

 

 

 

Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon is a residential area. Therefore, so as to prevent creating any disturbances for the ones who actually live here, please do not talk in loud voices or peer into people’s houses.

Buckchon Hanok Village was formed as the nobility of the Joseon Dynasty started to settle in the area between the Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces. Visitors can see old alleys, waterway remains, and many hanok (Korean traditional houses).

 

There are eight representative tour spots where visitors can appreciate the scenery of the village. These spots are called the Bukchon 8 viewpoint.

As the workshops and galleries of traditional heritage holders, artists, and architects started to move into the area, the area has become a new cultural arts area.

 

Location : 37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (105, Gye-dong)

Tel : +82-2-2133-1371

 

 

Korea Tour : Yeoksam Global Village Center offers Korean study group

 

The Yeoksam Global Village Center, located in Gangnam, Seoul, will hold its "News in Korean" study group in southern Seoul every Thursday in January, 2017.

 

The study group is an opportunity not only to learn and practice Korean, but also to catch up on current news in Korea and around the world.

 

Participants need to be able to read and discuss articles in Korean.

 

To enroll in the study group send your name, nationality and phone number to annykor@gangnam.go.kr or visit in person.

 

The group meetings are free of charge and begin at 10:30 a.m. every Thursday.

 

The center is on the 5th floor of the Yeoksam Global Village Center.

 

To get there, leave exit 1 or 4 of Gangnam Station of Subway line 2 or Shinbundang line.

 

Walk straight from the exit 1 or 4, turn right at the first traffic light, and walk straight for about 500 meters.

 

Yeoksam Global Village Center is next to the BMS Building.

 

Korea Tour : Hwaseong Fortress 

Hwaseong Fortress, located in Suwon city, Gyeonggi-do is a living remnant of the nation’s proud history, representing the Joseon Dynasty of the 18th century. Built by King Jeongjo (Joseon’s 22nd king) in 1796 in an effort to make Suwon the second capital city and as an act of filial devotion to his father, Crown Prince Jangheon, he ordered the relocation of his father’s tomb, as well as many of the nation’s resources.

Map of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress was built with an entirely new method, making it unlike any other fortress in Korea. The construction methods used encompass the strong points of both Asian and Western elements together. In addition, the fortress was built in good harmony with the surrounding nature, implementing its geological advantage wisely for strategic defense rather than destroying it. The fortress is a symbol of both the ingenuity and technological advancements of the period. Thanks to this, in addition to the beautiful layout and dynamic defense facilities, UNESCO enlisted Hwaseong Fortress on the World’s Cultural Heritage List in 1997.

Paldalmun Gate is the southern gate of Hwaseong Fortress's four main gates. Designated National Treasure No. 402, it has maintained its original structure since the time of its first constuction. This gate is unique in that it is detached from the rest of the fortress wall. Being located in the middle of the busy city, the gate was encircled by a crescent-shaped ongseong to prevent the enemy from attacking the gate directly. Among all of the cultural relics of Hwaseong Fortress, none is as famous as Paldalmun Gate, which boasts a mesmerizing scene after sunset.

 

Paldalmun Gate

Seobuk Gongsimdon Tower is another structure designated as a national treasure. Made with bricks, it served as a major guard point, defending against attacks from the Hwaseomun direction. The walls feature arrow-slots, something found nowhere else in Korea, to give soldiers a sort of built-in shield as they shot firearms and canons through the holes.

Hwaseomun Gate

Hwaseomun Gate is the western gate of Hwaseong, which previously served as the major route connecting the center of Suwon with Namyangman Bay and the western coast. Designated National Treasure No. 403, this gate is also surrounded by an ongseong wall, though slightly different from the one that circles Paldalmun, being open on one side.