Everything........Korea! Korean! :): [Korea] [Photo News] Six-days through the most enticing, breathtaking sites

Although all of Korea’s four seasons are beautiful in their own way, it’s fairly easy to argue that spring is the most beautiful of the seasons in Korea, since April is the month when spring flowers reach full bloom, and fields and trees come back to life with vivid green colors. In order to capture the beauty of this time of the year in Korea, a group of photographers from 6 different countries visited Korea for a six-day trip touring the country alongside the Korea Tourism Organization. Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The participants of this trip were winners of the NX Traveller; Let’s Go to Korea event, who were credited for their amazing photography skills. Divided into two groups, each went on separate paths through Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Jeju Island, Busan, and other major tourist destinations. The purpose was for them to introduce all the picturesque landscapes and gorgeous natural surroundings South Korea has to offer to their fans back home. The KTO staff joined the crew to bring you a glimpse of the trip! Juknokwon (Bamboo Garden) Photo courtesy: William Patino The city of Damyang, in the heart of Jeollanam-do, is home to a quiet, solitary forest of bamboo trees. The forest, called Juknokwon (Bamboo Garden), is a must-see attraction for those needing some cool, quiet respite from the pressures of work and life. It is divided into eight paths totaling 2.2 kilometers, and features a beautiful artificial waterfall, pavilion, walking paths, an eco-exhibition center, and ceramic panda bear statues. This was NX Traveller Team B’s first stop in Jeollanam-do. Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization Like a scene out of a movie: Metasequoia-lined Road Photo courtesy: Eric Ooi (top) / Korea Tourism Organization (bottom) Just a stone’s throws from Juknokwon is a long, picturesque path of Metasequoia trees. The trees were planted in the early 1970s as young saplings, but have grown into majestic trees. The 4-kilometer boulevard, Metasequoia-lined Road, is known as one of the most picturesque roads in Korea. There is also a strawberry farm nearby that produces fresh Damyang strawberries famous to the area. Damyang Tteokgalbi and Bamboo Rice at House by the Museum Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The lunch stop was to eat some cuisine that the area of Gwangju is famous for: tteok-galbi and rice cooked in a bamboo stalk. The restaurant is called House by the Museum. Inside the stalk, dates, beans, millet, and other grains are included, making it not only pleasingly fragrant, but also healthy. Tteok-galbi, which is a grilled short rib meat patty, gets its name from its slight resemblance to tteok, or rice cakes. Naganeupseong Folk Village, where tradition lives on Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization Naganeupseong Folk Village is a traditional neighborhood in Jeollanam-do. It occupies an area of over 14 acres, but is not like other traditional villages in Korea. This one doesn’t feature hanok-style housing, but rather the commonplace stone dwellings with thatch roofs of ancient times. What’s more interesting is that over 100 families still live in these houses. There is even a well that produces water for doing laundry the old-fashioned way. Suncheon Bay’s famous sunset Photo courtesy: William Patino The NX Traveller team arrived at the beautiful Suncheon Bay, located on the southern coast of Jeollanam-do. One of the largest wetlands in the world, it is covered with reeds taller than a grown man, and attracts thousands of kinds of rare migratory birds. It is known for being one of the most popular places in Korea to take sunset photos. There are also plenty of boardwalks to walk along, as well as a lookout point just a short hike up a nearby hill for a breathtaking view of the sunset. Yeosu Maritime Cable Car Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The team woke up on Friday morning to beautiful, clear skies, and gear ready to check out the gorgeous views from the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car. Ten of the 50 gondolas even have transparent floors for riders to get the feeling as if they are flying over the ocean. The cable car links Dolsando Island to the mainland. Yeosu Ocean Rail Bike Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The last stop in Jeollanam-do before heading on to Busan was Yeosu’s Ocean Rail Bike. This 3.5-kilometer open-air track also has a tunnel section with a slight downward slope, adding a little excitement to the ride. It’s a great place to get some light exercise and take in the fresh ocean air. Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization One of the characteristic neighborhoods of Busan, Gamcheon Culture Village is a center of colorful culture. The houses, built on a steep hillside sloping into the ocean, are painted in various colors, resulting in a multi-colored array that some say resembles Santorini, Greece. The tight alleys and stairways of this neighborhood are full of beautiful murals painted by the owners themselves, perfect for a stroll. If you get tired of walking around, just go into one of the many coffee shops to rest and enjoy the view. Dongbaekseom Island Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The NX Traveller team’s last stop before dinner was Dongbaekseom Island (literally “Camellia Island”) by the Westin Chosun Busan. Once an actual island, years of sediment deposits eventually connected it to the mainland, although people still refer to it as an island. It is home to the Nurimaru APEC House, an international conference hall used for various major assemblies. It also offers gorgeous views of Dalmaji-gil Road, Oryukdo Island, and Gwangandaegyo Bridge, as seen in the background of this picture. Also, as the name suggests, beautiful camellia flowers bloom here every spring, making it a popular attraction for people needing some nature without having to leave the city. Tiffany 21 Night Cruise Photo courtesy: Mark Marcelino (top, bottom left) / Korea Tourism Organization (bottom right) Located near Nurimaru APEC House on Dongbaekseom Island and the Busan Westin Chosun is the Tiffany 21, an evening cruise boat that offers a ride around Haeundae and Gwangandaegyo Bridge, all while customers enjoy a delicious buffet and some relaxing music. As a party boat with two indoor floors and an upper deck, it can hold a variety of events, such as deck parties, sunrise and sunset parties, fireworks viewings, and wedding receptions. Canola Field in Gyeongju Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization (top, bottom left) / Eric Ooi (bottom right) Near Cheomseongdae Observatory and Wolseong Forest, the group spotted a beautiful patch of canola flowers. The NX Traveller team quickly hopped off the bus for a quick photo shoot of these vivid yellow flowers. Cheomseongdae Observatory and Daereungwon Tomb Complex Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The last official stop of the trip before the last lunch was Cheomseongdae Observatory, the oldest astronomical observatory in all of Asia. The granite structure measures 9.17 meters in height and was constructed during the reign of Queen Seon-deok (AD 632-647). It was used for observing the stars and forecasting the weather. On the other side of the grounds is Daereungwon Tomb Complex, home to many royal tombs, all of whom are buried in large mounds of earth piled as high as 10 meters. The Royal Tomb of King Naemul, who was the 17th king of the Silla Dynasty and known for spreading the advancements of China to the Korean people, also resides here. Surime, Traditional Korean Food Experience Institute Photo courtesy: Korea Tourism Organization The last stop before pushing back to Seoul was a royal lunch at Surime, a hanok restaurant that serves authentic royal Korean cuisine. Owner Park Mi-suk, who studied under Hwang Hye-seong, holder of the Intangible Cultural Property No. 38 for Royal Cuisine of the Josen Dynasty, serves exquisitely refined dishes with her staff, such as gujeolpan, pajeon (green onion pancake), and other exquisite dishes. Also called the Korean Traditional Food Experience Education Institute, it offers various traditional cooking experiential programs for visitors of all ages. More info <NX Traveller Korea: Capturing My Korea> ☞ Period: April 13 (Mon) – April 18 (Sat), 2015 / 6 days ☞ Location: Team A: Seoul, Gangwon-do, Jeju Island / Team B: Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Busan, Gyeongju ☞ Homepage: www.smartphotography.asia (English) ☞ Facebook: www.facebook.com/smartphotographyasia ☞ 1330 Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization


Date	04/27/2015