-
Guide To Gongju: Where To Go, What To See, & What To Do
Gongju city in Chungcheongnam-do, Korea is a hidden gem of a city that has so many historic, cultural, and artistic spots to see that you will want to spend at least a weekend there to see as much as you can. We took a spur of the moment road trip from Seoul a few weeks back to see some of the artistic areas and were surprised to find so many lovely historic and culture places to visit. If you’re looking to head out of Seoul but want a less touristy area, look into Gongju for Korean Hanoks, fortresses, street art, outdoor artworks, and more. Gongju is an awesome spot for…
-
Finding The West Coast Of Korea: Things To Do In Seocheon-gun
Seocheon-gun in Chungcheongnam-do was a recent stop on a fishy tour south of Seoul and I was really pleasantly surprised with the things we found in the area. We were learning more about Korean laver, stopping into the port city of Gunsan, and having lots of fun. There are plenty of things to do in Seocheon and some really beautiful places to see. The area is often overlooked when planning trips to the west coast of Korea since the popular mud festival in Boryeong is just north and the city of Gunsan is just south. For spreading out and having some less popular but no less fun though, Seocheon is…
-
The Hidden Artistic Side Of Gongju, Korea: The Yugu Mural Village
Finding hidden artistic wonders is a talent of mine I’d say and boy do I love when I find a spot that’s worth the hunt. The Yugu Mural Village (유구벽화마을) in Gongju, Korea is one of those places that is off the beaten path in Korea but oh so fun to find. Not only are there artistic things to see, but it tells a story about the village and the past and it’s centered around a local market so there is some good food too. Looking for a weekend away from Seoul? Head to Gongju in Chungcheongnam-do for some beautiful things to see. Here’s all of the information you need…
-
The Geumgang Nature Biennale: Finding Bears In Gongju, Korea
I recently took a spur of the moment trip down to Gongju, Korea as the clouds parted, the sun began to shine, and all we wanted to do was get out to see something. I had tagged a few things on my map to check out and one was a forest that seemed to have bears! Okay, no, there are not really bears in Korea, but there are some whimsical bear installations, among other things, along the Yeonmisan Mountain (연미산) trails in Gongju thanks to the Geumgang Nature Biennale (금강자연미술비엔날레). I love finding art parks and art installations in unique places and art installations in forests is really whimsical and…
-
Daffodils In Korea: Yoogibanggaok In Chungcheongnam-do
Seosan, just a couple hours south of Seoul down in Chungcheongnam-do, is one of the best places to visit in Korea in the spring. There are numerous gorgeous flower spots in the area and one of them is the daffodil covered mountain in Yoogibanggaok (유기방가옥). The daffodils, in their sheer number in this one spot, are an absolute must see. In my many years of living in Korea, I haven’t seen this many daffodils anywhere else. There are of course other yellow flowers that bloom each spring like the Japanese dogwood, sansuyu, in Icheon and the rape seed flower fields that are practically everywhere including the hidden island of Ulleung-do,…
-
Taean-gun: A Guide To The Beaches, Forests, and More!
Summer in Korea can be hot, humid, and a weekend away to the coast is an absolute must to cool off. During the summer, the humidity can be so immense in Seoul that taking a walk is more like swimming through hot heavy air. The only cure to really get that deep breath is to find a coast with breezes blowing this way and that and calming ocean tide sounds. While I usually recommend heading to the gorgeous beaches with white sand and emerald blue waters on the east coast of Korea in the Sokcho and Gangneung areas, the west coast has some hidden gems too like the rocky seaside…