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Korea has many beautiful places to visit, says Turkish expat
Kuvvet Ayse, right, receives a certificate, in recognition for her achievement in visiting all 76 sites in the Korean Heritage Passport, from Korea Heritage Service administrator Choi Eung-chon during a ceremony at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul, Tuesday. She became the first foreign national to do so. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration
By Kim Se-jeong
Kuvvet Ayse becomes first foreigner to complete Korean Heritage Passport after visiting 76 sites in 60 days
"Just like how I, as a Turk, don’t know much about Turkey myself, there are also some Koreans who mistakenly think, ‘I have to go abroad to travel. What is there to see in Korea anyway?’ But that’s absolutely not true. Korea has so many beautiful places (to visit).”
That’s what Kuvvet Ayse, 28, from Trabzon, Turkey, told The Korea Times in fluent Korean, Tuesday.
Kuvvet became the first foreigner to visit all 76 sites in the Korean Heritage Passport, a campaign created by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS).
The 76 destinations are part of the KHS' Visit Korean Heritage Campaign, which promotes cultural tourism by issuing special passports that visitors can stamp at each site.
On the list are royal palaces in Seoul, the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province; Buddhist temples on the east coast; National Maritime Museum of the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province; Soesokkak River Pool on Jeju Island and more.
Kuvvet completed the entire journey in just two months, averaging one site per day starting in April — all while continuing her remote job.
Journey of discovery
Kuvvet first came to Korea in 2017 as an exchange student, returned to Turkey and then came back in 2019 to study at Seoul National University. After graduation, she settled in Korea and now runs an online Korean language institute for Turkish learners with her Korean spouse.
She initially began the Korean heritage tour to promote her institute and posted updates on the institute’s Instagram account to share her experiences and attract new students.
Although it wasn’t her original plan, she eventually set her sights on becoming the first foreigner to complete the Korean Heritage Passport.
Kuvvet Ayse poses with the Haesugwaneumsang at Naksan Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, April 18. Courtesy of Kuvvet Ayse
"While traveling, I had to call the heritage agency's call center often. We got to know each other through those calls,” she said. “One day, I asked (the call operator) if any foreigner had completed the full tour. She said no — and that’s when I decided I wanted to be the first.”
Except for Jeju Island, she drove to each destination herself, returning most nights to her home in Bupyeong District, Incheon.
She made the trip solo — without her husband. “He was super busy with work at the time,” she explained.
That doesn’t mean she was free from work — just on a different schedule.
“Because of the time difference between Turkey and Korea, I usually start to work at 6 p.m. here. So I would travel during the day and stop at a cafe by evening to teach Korean,” she said.
Her favorite spots
Asked which site stood out the most, her answer was immediate — Pocheon Art Valley in Pocheon, Gyoenggi Province.
"I have only heard about it. When I saw it with my eyes, it was astonishing," Kuvvet said.
Now with a wealth of experience exploring Korea’s cultural heritage, she can offer travel tips for different occasions. For couples, she recommends Naksan Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province.
“There’s this big Buddhist statue, Haesugwaneumsang (Bodhisattva of Mercy), with the ocean in the background. It’s out of this world. The tall statue, the ocean, the old temple ... it was just so beautiful.”
For a dream wedding? “I would do it on Jeju Island, especially Yongmeori Beach. The atmosphere there is so romantic and exotic.”
For summer vacations, her pick was the coastal city of Mokpo — even though the city itself not officially on the list.
"I enjoyed the scenery in Mokpo, especially near the Mokpo National Maritime University and nearby.”
For those planning their own heritage passport journey, especially foreigners who aren't fluent in Korean, Kuvvet offered some hard-earned advice.
“Make sure to check the official website in advance to find out exactly where to get your stamp at each site — otherwise, you’ll end up wandering around. That’s actually why I had to call the heritage call center so often,” she said.
"Also, always double-check the closing days. You don’t want to make an empty trip."
What's next?
Completing the entire heritage tour in just two months came at a cost. Her car broke down by the end of it — and for now, she’s without transportation.
“When we get a new car, I want to set out again," she said. "This time, I want to visit small towns across Korea. I visited many as part of this program and they were all so beautiful. I want to see others that I haven’t been (to).”