Shim Hyun-chul has been a photojournalist for The Korea Times since 2006, covering news events throughout the country. He is committed to strict journalism ethics, and it has never changed since his first day in the newsroom. He has covered four presidential elections, two Olympic Games and countless daily assignments around the world. When he is not at work, he plays tennis. Shim is also a certified lifeguard by YMCA International, which means he can actually save lives.
Zzzip-line
By Shim Hyun-chul
In the time it takes for the cable to make the telltale ``zip!’’ through the pulley, your body is already flying through the air. The cord is the only thing keeping your limbs from crashing into the ground, and a lone bird mid-flight the only obstacle between you and a mountainside. The vast, beautiful landscape stretching underneath your feet removes the daily anxieties so typically plaguing your mind, body.
The time to take repose in the crisp autumn skies of the weekend is now. Zip-lining is similar to paragliding in that it doesn’t take up too much time, and you’re able to feel at one with the skies above you.
Zip-lining is the sport of speeding down thick wires hung from the sides of mountains and trees. The rider, attached to dollies, speeds past wildlife and foliage at great speed over a long distance. The activity is derived from the natives of tropical rainforests such as Costa Rica and Hawaii, who would use the tree-height, thick wires to avoid snakes, insects and other poisonous creatures. They call it ``zip-lining’’ due to the undeniable zipping sound emitted whenever a person straps in for a ride. Depending on the region, however, it might also be called ``flying fox,’’ ``zip wire,’’ ``aerial runway,’’ and ``Tyrolean crossing.’’
Zipline Mungyeong is located in the Buljeong Recreational Forest in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province. The resort has installed nine courses that total at least 1.3-kilometers-long, which hang at a dizzying height of 487 meters between the idyllic ridges and the valleys. It’s difficult to not feel enchanted by the experience.
No matter which guide you choose, each tour will make the rounds at all nine of the courses. There are paths that take you between the tallest of the trees, another deep in the valley, and each one boasts a different personality and level of difficulty. The last and longest zip-line course at 360 meters is the most exhilarating and dynamic of the collection.
To check out all the courses takes about two hours. Two people can ride together if they weigh less than 130 kilograms. Reservations are available online; for more information visit www.zipline.co.kr, and call 1588-5219.
By Shim Hyun-chul