[WSK Story] Yeosu, the Host City of Expo

With one year left before the opening of the Yeosu Expo, the Organizing Committee is very busy in preparing the world event, drawing attentions from many countries. Focusing on one specific subject, “The Living Ocean and the Coast- Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities”, Yeosu will present something different.

It is very meaningful that the Expo focuses on specific topic and shows the future of the human activities.

Shall we take a look at Yeosu Expo?

Mosageum beach, a taste of Yeoso Ocean  

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Lonesome and silent, the scenery of Yeosu Ocean is considered the best. Even people living near the ocean visit Yeosu to feel the cleanness and calmness. If you want to feel the Yeosu Ocean, Mosageum beach is the exact place.

Mosaguem beach is not as big as other beaches in Korea. However, the surrounding scenery is very beautiful and two naturally-created beaches make Mosaguem more special.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Both beaches are made up of small pebbles and soft sand. The sand is so soft that your feet will be deeply submerged in. In addition, it is good for parents to play with their kids around. Well, we also recommend you to take photos of the pebbles, which is nature itself, or to go fishing by the rocks on the seashore.

Mosageum, the treasure of Yeosu, has been well known for beautiful sand. Why not come down here for family vacation?

  

Enjoying Strange Rocks and Bizarre Stones of Baekdo Island

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Now, you would understand why Yeosu Expo focuses on ‘Marine World’ and how that attracts so many people.  

On the other hand, there is another island which has been recognized by many well-known people around the world. Baekdo-island. It has 99 peaks, including small rocky islands.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

You can get around the island with a boat. It is interesting to see very unique styles of each island. For an example, you will find the large rock with a naturally carved hole that has become the shelter of the sea birds. Like this, Yeosu Ocean has an unlimited potential with a magnificent landscape of a variety of rocks and Geomundo Island floating on the ocean which is an hour distance by a boat. Clear blue sea will tell that Yeosu will be the perfect host city for the Great Marine Expo.

Do not miss it!

Children’s favorite, Marine Science Museum, Jeollanam-do

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Both Yeosu city and Yeosu Expo are not for the adults, but also for children. Children can also enjoy the both. The Marine Science Museum in Jeollanam-do will satisfy the curiosity of children.

Opened in 1998 and renovated in 2005, this museum introduces the beauty of National Marine Park of Dadohae and contributes to promoting tourism of Yeosu city.

You can see the native aquarium fish in the biggest cylinder-shaped water tank, the turtles living in the largest aquarium in Korea, and the mud flat aquarium which just look like a real one. 

The ‘touch and feel’ aquarium is the most favorite for children. All visitors can touch the top shells, craps and other marine creatures. For more details, check the website http://www.해양수산과학관.kr

Wishing for Success of Yeosu Expo

nd Meeting of Participating Countries of Yeosu Expo 2012>

(Source: New Media Team, Yeosu Expo 2012)

Since the Daejeon Expo, Yeosu Expo will gather the worldwide attention. They have a huge ambition of decorating the whole ocean as the fairground for the Expo for the first time ever in 150 year-old history of World Expo.

From small beaches to dark blue ocean with strange rocks and bizarre stones, and the space for the firsthand experience of the ocean, Yeosu is just perfect enough for ocean city. Shall we take fresh air in Yeosu this summer with the expectation for the coming Expo?

Convenient Traffic System of Korea

Buat yang pernah mengunjungi Korea, pasti setuju deh dengan judul di atas. Hampir semua orang asing yang tinggal di sini atau yang pernah datang ke sini pasti bilang kalau sistem transportasi di Korea itu oke banget. Di Korea kamu bisa pergi ke mana aja dengan menggunakan bis atau subway yang aksesnya sampai ke mana-mana dan yang paling penting adalah aman dan bersih.

Sistem transportasi di Korea saat ini dikenal sebagai salah satu contoh yang terbaik di dunia. Padahal sebelumnya banyak orang Korea yang mengeluh karena jalur-jalur subway dan jalannya ribet banget dan ga efektif. Tetapi akhirnya dibuatlah sistem diskon transit dan sistem subway yang dilengkapi dengan sarana-sarana yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya.

Di Korea ini, ga ada itu yang namanya persaingan untuk mendapatkan penumpang sebanyak-banyaknya di antara perusahaan pengelola bis dan subway. Nah, ini salah satunya yang saya suka. Saya juga pingin nanti suatu hari Indonesia seperti ini -- ga ada lagi pemandangan angkot-angkot ngetem, bis-bis ngetem yang ujung-ujungnya cuma bikin jalanan jadi macet.

Selain itu, di Korea juga ada sistem diskon buat transit alias ganti bis atau subway yang tentunya bisa menghemat pengeluaran kita. Katanya sistem ini cuma ada di Korea lho (klo ternyata sistem ini udah ada di negara lain, mohon infonya yaa^^). Karena itu, banyak orang-orang yang tugasnya membuat ketentuan di negaranya, datang ke Korea untuk mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang sistem ini. Di sini juga udah biasa untuk membayar tarif bis dan subway menggunakan kartu digital yang bisa diisi ulang. Sistem ini juga pasti udah banyak dipraktekkan di negara lain.

Yang saya suka juga dengan sistem transportasi di Korea ini adalah penandaan rute bus dengan warna biru, hijau, merah dan kuning; dan juga penandaan jalur subway menggunakan warna.

Subway Korea juga terkenal dengan kebersihan dan keamanannya. Pingin banget deh di Indonesia juga punya sarana transportasi yang bersih, aman, dan teratur kya gini. Katanya negara Filipina berniat untuk mengadopsi sistem ini lho untuk negaranya. Mungkin ada baiknya juga kalau Indonesia belajar dari Korea untuk sistem transportasi ini dan mengadopsinya. Apalagi kalo ditambah dengan BIS (Bus Information System) dan BMS(Bus Management System)nya. InsyaAllah ga ada lagi yang namanya macet di Jakarta.

source: http://blog.daum.net/korea_brand/1223

WSK Story: Let’s Go Inside the Love Story of Chun Hyang and Mong Ryong!

We see many ‘Couples of the Century’ through numerous media. Whether they are real couples or the fake ones, the range of couple are limitless. For example, world famous football star David Beckham and the member of the world pop girl group ‘Spice Girls’, Victoria Beckham became the couple of the century since their marriage. There are also fictional couples beloved by many in the world. In Jane Eyre, the famous and influential western novel, the love between Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester has been remembered among readers until now. Then, is there any ‘Couple of the Century’ in Korean classical literature? Absolutely, yes! Chunhyang and Mongryong, they are the familiar names to Korean. The novel was adapted for pansori, book, film and even drama, beloved by many fans. The main character, Chunhyang, built an image of active woman in Joseon Dynasty, and now she became the representative image of Korean woman through the various performances carried overseas. They are truly a couple of the century that presents Korea.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t any place to remind us of their love story. Every story was supposed to be alive in the reader’s imagination, however, if the readers can see and look around the virtual place that helps understanding of the full story of ‘Chunhyang-jeon’, visitors would definitely enjoy the story with the scenery. Well, from the idea and demands, ‘Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park’ finally opened on May 2004. Theme park is the place for entertainment attractions that has landscaping, buildings, and attractions that are based on one or more specific themes. The ‘Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park’ is ready for couples with the gist, ‘We invite those of you who have someone in love with!’.

We have everything in Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park!

(Source : Korea Tourism Organization), (Source : Busan Ilbo)

‘Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park’ is comprised of mainly 5 places- ‘Meeting Place’, ‘Pledge Place’, ‘Love and parting Place’, ‘Hardship Place’, and ‘Festival Place’. When you enter the theme park, you will see the facilities and structures that are well-matched to each place. At ‘Meeting Place’, you will see swings where Chunhyang and Mongryong first met, a fountain, and a cultural museum. At ‘Pledge Place’, you will meet a stone tower over the ring-shaped bridge ’Okjihwan’ which means a declaration of love. You might also find some couples in front of the tower, piling a stone on it and tying a small piece of wishing paper. In addition, ‘Pledge Place’ is quite a famous place to couples among other theme places. When a couple put their hands inside the ‘Pot of Pledge’, the love song ‘Sarang-ga’ comes out of it. At ‘Love and Parting Place’, you will see the ‘Buyong-dang’ where Chunhyang and Mongryong spent their wedding night, and the house of gisaeng ‘Wolmae’, Chunhyang’s mother. Also there is a workshop that you can experience the ‘seonbi’s style and arts, and even commoners’ culture in the middle era of Joseon Dynasty. ‘Hardship Place’ is also a place that attracts tourists. There is a rebuilt jail that Chunhyang was imprisoned, and the investigation office which has a stick for flogging criminals. The stick is remade for visitors to try and have fun, so you can try it, too. Finally, at ‘Festival Place’, there are many places to relax for visitors, and private theme school for writing letters with a brush. Once you use the brush, you will feel as if you were a writer going back to Joseon Dynasty.

Enjoy the whole Namwon!

(Source : Korea Tourism Organization)

The introduction of the ‘Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park’ is all over. However, there are more reasons why Namwon is getting attractive. If you look are the other museums and entertainment attractions will give us satisfaction more than ever.

In ‘Chunhyang Cutural Arts Center’ which is located in the theme park, the performance of the intangible cultural asset that was designated by the province holds on regular basis. You can also lend the hall in advance. Please take a look at the performance schedule posted on the homepage of Namwon City Hall.

Besides, you can participate in making a pottery in the traditional cultural center in the theme park. It will be a wonderful memory for you to bring, considering it is neither a plastic, nor a porcelain dish that we see commonly in our daily life. The theme park will give you a meaningful experience on Korean traditional culture as well as Chunhyang’s love story. 

This is not the end. Since last fall, the newly started festival of Namwon will give fresh opportunity to visitors. The marching parade which starts from every Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 5pm is named the ‘Newly-appointed governor’s arrival’. As the parade marches from Gwanhan-ru to Theme Park, which is 2Km long, it will be a ‘must visit’ for those of you who love traveling.

For those of you who want to experience Chunhyang’s love and passion, we recommend you to visit Gwanghan-ru, and Chunhyang shrine. Gwanhan-ru which is famous for the place where Chunhyang and Mongryong first met each other provides splendid scenery in any season. Chunhyang shrine is the place that was built to honor the Chunhyang’s sincere love toward Mongryong. The bamboos planted around the shrine are standing strong and straight as if it showed Chunhyang’s nobel beliefs and principles. The letter ‘Dansim’ which means sincerity that presents Chunhyang’s character will touch the bottom of every single visitor.

In 2012, Yeosu will host the Expo, the world cultural festival. As the festival is expected to draw public attention to Jeolla province, most of the area is spurring the preparation for Expo. Of course, Namwon is not an exception. Namwon already selected several restaurants to recommend during the Expo and is now working on the promotion. In addition, Namwon Chunhyang Theme Park planned last February to provide more entertainment for visitors, overall which shows how Namwon is trying so hard and put a lot of efforts on it.

‘Namwon Chunhyang Them Park’ stands still as it is the first theme park that targeting the classical literature in Korea. Although the novel was written a half century, the love between Chunhyang and Mongryong would have something special that transcend the flow of era. We hope that you can experience the amazing and beautiful power that makes their love and even the entire Namwon as a one cultural heritage over half a century. Do you have someone you love? Then, move your step to the ‘Namwon Chunhyang Them Park’.