Camellia flowers in full bloom in the spring time at Gochang

Photo: Dosoram Hermitage

Gochang has become a world-class tourist destination after Gochang Dolmen Site's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition, in 2013, the entire administrative area of Gochang was designated as a biosphere reserve in order to foster harmony between nature and human activity.
From cultural sites where you can feel the breadth of history, to the natural beauty and local delicacies that stimulate one's taste buds, this place has been attracting more and more visitors, national and international, every year.
In April, when warm breezes start to graze past the flower buds, the city blankets itself with enticing colors of white cherry blossoms and red camellia trees, making it a must-see destination in the spring.

Gochangeupseong Fortress, built with ancient wisdom

Photo: Gochangeupseong Fortress

Gochangeupseong Fortress was built in 1453 by the citizens of Jeolla-do in the spirit of the old Korean saying, yubimuhwan, meaning "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This unique castle, made of natural stones, is 1,684 meters in circumference and ranges from 4 to 6 meters in height. Each door is blocked by piled stones that were put there to keep the town from outside intrusion. Before you take your first step in this castle, you will encounter a sign that reads "Dapseong Nori," literally meaning "step on the castle." An old superstition, dapseong is the act of putting a stone on one's head and walking around the castle wall three times. It was believed that this would prevent one from getting disease and ensure one goes to a better place after death, so don't forget to try walking around the castle wall. From the top of the fortress wall, a spectacular view of downtown Gochang combined with the view of the old government offices on the inside gives visitors a panorama of both old and new from one location.

More Info

☞ Address: 1 Moyangseong-ro, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Admission Fees: Adults 1,000 won / Youth 600 won / Children 400 won
☞ Heritage Specification: Historic Site No.145
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Following the trails of pansori, traditional Korean opera

Photo: Gochang Old House of Sin Jae-Hyo (Courtesy of Gochang Pansori Museum)

Shin Jaehyo was a director and master of traditional Korean ballad-style singing, called pansori. He compiled all the scripts of pansori during the late Joseon dynasty into a book. The guest room of his residence, Sarangchae, was where many came and stayed to learn how to become a pansori singer.

Master Shin spent his late years at his house and fully committed to teaching his disciples to become myeongchang, master singers of pansori. Behind the house, the pansori museum can be found, which was opened in 2001. Gochang Pansori Museum allows visitors to learn the history of pansori through the culmination of books on pansori. The Museum also has a pansori docent to offer a variety of experiences, such as performing pansori and pansori instruction for visitors.

More Info

Gochang Old House of Shin Jae-hyo
☞ Address: 100 Dongni-ro, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Admission Fee: Free
☞ Heritage Specification: Important Folk Cultural Properties No.39
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Gochang Pansori Museum
☞ Address: 100 Dongni-ro, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Admission Fees: Adults 800 won / Youth 500 won
☞ Operating Hours: Summer 09:00-18:00 / Winter 09:00-17:00 (Last admission: 30 min before closing)
     * Closed on New Year's Day and Mondays
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Travel back to prehistoric Gochang

Photo: Dolmen Heritage Site (left) / Moromoro train (right)

The prehistoric cemetery at Gochang contains a multitude of dolmens, so much so that the city is known for having the highest dolmen density in the world, of which come in a variety of shapes, such as tables, checkerboards, and plates. The area has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visitors can take advantage of the opportunity to see this history-rich area up close and personal by riding the heritage explorer train, Moromoro, which departs from the museum every hour. The third course takes the visitors to the best spots to see the various dolmens.

More Info

Gochang Dolmen Museum
☞ Address: 74, Goindolgongwon-gil, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Tickets

Tickets

	Adults	Youth	Children
Admission Fee	3,000 won	2,000 won	1,000 won
Explorer Train	1,000 won	700 won	500 won

☞ Operating Hours: 9:00-18:00
    * Winter (Novermber – Feburary : 9:00-17:00)
    * Closed on New Year's Day and Mondays
☞ Website: dolmen.gochang.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Seonunsa Temple and a forest of camellia trees

Photo: Seonunsa Temple (left) / a forest of camellias trees (right)

In spring, many tourists flock to Seonunsa Temple, which erupts in a parade of colors from the camellias that surround the area. The camellia-lined path is so beautiful that it will take your breath away and you won't easily forget it. When monks founded the temple, the camellia trees were planted in order to extract oils for their lamps, as well as protect the temple against the risk of forest fires.

The trees that surround the temple are grown so close together that they form a sort of colony. Sneak around the back of Seonunsa Temple to take a closer look at the camellia forest, where old camellia trees and flowers welcome visitors. Seonunsa Temple also has a temple stay program that can be booked online through the website below.

Seonunsa Temple

☞ Address: (Seonunsa-dong) 250 Seonunsa-ro, Asan-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Admission Fees: Adults 3,000 won / Youth 2,000 won / Children 1,000 won
☞ Operating Hours: Open all year round
☞ Website: www.seonunsa.org/eng (Korean, English)
    Inquiries: +82-63-561-1375 (Korean, English, Japanese)
    Temple Stay: Adults 50,000 won / Youth & Children 30,000 won (per night)
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Dosoram Hermitage

Photo: Rock-carved Buddha of Dosoram Hermitage (left) / Geungnakbojeon Hall (right)

Walking past Seonunsa Temple for about an hour, the rocky outcropping of Dosoram comes into view. On Dosoram, one can see a Buddha relief carved into the surface of a cliff, with the tiny temple of Naewongung resting high on the cliff above. Many Buddhists come to meditate at this small temple built on the cliff high above the gigantic Buddha relief that has endured thousands of years of weathering.

The magnificent view of Naewongung and the cliff can be seen on the way up to Cheonmabong Peak of Seonunsan Mountain.

☞ Address: 294 Dosol-gil, Asan-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Operating Hours: Open all year round
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

Eel for your body and soul

Photo:  Pungcheon Jangeo-gui (Grilled eel)

Eels caught in the Pungcheon River (a small river in Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do) are famous for their taste, and said to be more nutritious than other eel meat, even used as a medicine. They are often caught in the Incheon River, which passes in the front of Seonunsa Temple. This area where saltwater meets freshwater creates a favorable environment for eels to live.

Many eel restaurants line the streets near Gochang Bus Terminal and the entrance of Seonunsan Provincial Park for travelers to drop by and taste the local delicacy.

Eel is known as one of the top stamina foods that speed up the recovery of energy. Another local delicacy is called bokbunja, an alcoholic beverage made of black raspberries, and it tastes best when enjoyed with grilled Pungcheon Eel.

More Info

Gochang Green Barley Fisheries Wholesale Market

☞ Address: 616-114 Eumnae-ri, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do
☞ Price: Pungcheon Jangeo-gui serving for 1 person / 16,000 won
☞ Operating Hours: 10:00-21:30 (closed every first and third Monday)
☞ Transportation:
    Express Bus: From Central City to Gochang Bus Terminal
    (One-way:15,900 won / Time: 3 hrs 10 min)
☞ Website: culture.gochang.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
☞ Related Column:
    Recharge yourself amidst rolling green fields of barley GOCHANG
☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

 

 

For more updates about Korea Tourism, Like/Follow these following Official SNS Accounts of Korea Tourism Organization both Korea and Manila Office.

Like KTO Manila on Facebook: Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office
Follow KTO Manila on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTOManila
Plus Friend on KakaoTalk: @ktomanila

Like KTO on Facebook: Korea Tourism Organization
Follow KTO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KoreanTravel
VisitKorea Website: http://www.visitkorea.or.kr

‪#‎KTO‬ ‪#‎Korea‬ ‪#‎KTOManila‬ ‪#‎WowKoreaSupporters‬

cezzsykoreanophile.blogspot.com