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June 18, 2009
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One of the easiest ways to enjoy the tradition and culture of Jeonju and Buan in the North Jeolla region is to use the North Jeolla Sunhwan Tour Bus. The tours, which started in March, include a condensed but comprehensive overview of North Jeolla’s history and culture, while remains from the past reveal interesting tales about the area’s origins.
This summer, the company offers overnight bus trips to the North Jeolla area from Seoul. You have to rise early to catch the bus, as it departs from Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, at 8 a.m. on Saturday and returns on Sunday at 8 p.m. The price of the tour, which includes an overnight stay at the hanok village of traditional Korean homes if space is available, costs 89,000 won ($70.84). If no rooms are available, hotel accommodations will be provided for 79,000 won.
The stadium, also dubbed the “Jeonju Castle” by the locals, opened its doors in November 2001 for the 2002 World Cup. With a capacity of 42,477, it is also home of the K-League’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors professional football team. With the strong play of Lee Dong-guk and Choi Tae-uk, the Motors are currently in third place with a record of six wins, three ties and one loss. Jeonju’s most notable features are its hanok village and bibimbap, or mixed vegetables with rice. The area overlapping Pungam-dong and Gyo-dong in Jeonju boasts over 800 traditional houses. For those interested in traditional Korean culture, visiting the area is like stepping back in time to an era prior to Japanese Western-influenced buildings. The distinguishing traits of the houses include a front yard, dark tiled roofs with pointy ends and heated floors. What better way to end the day than with a leisurely drink at the makgeolli alley? Establishments serving the milky rice wine also provide an abundance of side dishes. Served in a kettle, the low-priced drink comes with several dishes ranging from grilled fish to minced meat patties. The second day of the tour includes Gochang County, whose highlights include the Gochang-eup Fortress, dolmen sites and Seoun Temple. The first stop of the day is Gochang-eup Fortress. Also referred to as Moyang Fortress, it was built during the 15th century to protect the area from Japanese invaders. The fortress, designated Historical Relic No. 145, is connected to the Ibam Fortress of the Naju area. It’s a great place for a stroll, since royal azalea and garden zinnia line the roads. Next up is one of the dolmen sites, a prehistoric cemetery. Designated a world heritage site by Unesco, it contains tombs consisting of stone slabs from 1000 B.C. One of the finals stops on the weekend excursion is the Seonun Temple from the late Baekjae Kingdom (18 B.C. to A.D. 678). Tours are conducted in Korean. For more information, call (063) 287-0533 or 1588-1466 or visit www.jbtour.or.kr (Korean). By Jason Kim [jason@joongang.co.kr] |
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