Recent books

Korean Journeys: Heartland of Culture and History

The Korea Foundation: 259 pp., $25 (25,000 won)

This book is a compilation of articles published in English by the Korea Foundation in the Koreana magazine from 2000 to 2010, and gives useful tips for foreign tourists who want to visit secluded parts of Korea.

Unfortunately, many visitors here tend to stay in Seoul, missing out on the beautiful and genuine Korean landscapes in provincial areas.

The book introduces unique lifestyles, cuisine, folklore, history and traditional heritage that can only be found in outlying regions.

Consisting of five parts — Seoul, the Central and Western Region, Southwestern Region, Southeastern Region and Gangwon Province, the book offers picturesque images of every corner of the peninsula.

The Seoul section tracks through Gyeongbok Palace, Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon and the City Wall, looking into the historical tradition of the city.

In the Central and Western Region part, Suwon, Pocheon, Chungju, Gongju, Daejeon and five islands in the West Sea are explored.

Jeonju, Jinan, Janghueng, Suncheon and Jeju Island are introduced in Southwestern section, while Namhaedo, Miryang, Ulleungdo and Dokdo are on the list of the Southeastern part.Lastly, Taebaek, PyeongChang and Chuncheon are described as tourist spots in Gangwon Province.

— Chung Ah-young