Photos - The Korea Times

Dongpirang wall painting village

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter On the cracked wall graffiti, colorful fish swim. Sketches and drawings of morning glories and parachute-donned ants decorate the stairway leading to the roof, while little bugs are painted on top of the letterbox and fishing boats on the walls. This place is Dongpirang, a small village located in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, where small colorful houses are gathered together under the clear autumn sky. The walls that lead to the village are decorated with fairy tale-like paintings. The fish, morning glories, ants and small bugs can be found on the winding walls of Dongpirang. Walk through the road surrounded by the walls and it will feel like the drawings are whispering something to you. Dongpirang, where you can see the blue sea with a single glance, is also the place where Admiral Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) set his military camp Tongjaeyeong during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). Literally meaning ``the cliff of the East,'' the village of 53 families is located on the hill behind Joongang market, Joongang-dong, Tongyeong. Don

Oct 9, 2008

Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province A Step Into Timeless Beauty

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Autumn has descended on the countryside. In Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, whose villages Sanunmaeul and Sachonmaeul are so timeless that one could imagine the Joseon gentry reading words out loud over the fields of gold, the new season ripens with the sweetening apples. Graced with tranquility and charms of a bygone era, these two villages are representative of an old-style community and symbols of Confucian culture. Sanunmaeul is flanked by Korea's oldest known volcano Mt. Geumseong and its neighbor Mt. Bibon, which form a beautiful backdrop. The village was named during the Silla Kingdom, after the sight of clouds lingering in the valley of Mt. Geumseong, Sujeonggyegok; ``san'' means mountain and ``un'' clouds. Founded and developed by the community of the Lee family's Yeongcheon strand, Sanunmaeul boasts 40 or so traditional houses listed by the province, like Soudang, Ungokdang, and Jeomudang. The village also prides itself for giving birth to many patriots. Sachonmaeul was founded 612 years ago by Andong-born carpenter

Oct 2, 2008

Damyangs Bamboo Garden Juknogwon

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Walk through the bamboo forest, and feel the breeze sweep away worries of the heart. The path that meanders through the bamboo trees is too breathtaking to enjoy alone. How inspiring would it be to share the experience with a loved one? Damyang, South Jeolla Province is not only rich in cultural heritages but in the beauty of its nature. Perhaps it is only natural that culture thrives amid such a scenic backdrop. Bamboo park Jungnogwon sprawls about 170,000 square meters. There are eight paths with thematic titles such as ``Good Luck Path'' and ``Friends Forever.'' Visitors can immerse themselves in the forest, slowly breathing in the fresh air. The paths spread out from Jungnogwon Observatory. From the observatory, visitors can get a full view of Damyang Stream and Damyang Gwanbangjerim, a forest full of 300-year-old trees. Also visible is an avenue lined with metasequoia trees, which ranks among the top 100 most beautiful roads or avenues in Korea. Lights are installed for nocturnal tours. Jungnokcha leaves grow amid the bamboos,

Sep 25, 2008

Makgeolli, Traditional Alcoholic Beverage Native to Korea

“When everything goes right, the makgeolli perfectly blends the sweet, the sour, the bitter and the dry” By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter The color is white like milk and it has a tangy scent but tastes a bit sweet. Drink one glass after another and you might find your world spinning. ``Makgeolli'' is a representative Korean traditional wine. It is white, cloudy and has a rich history. Alcohol content stands around six to seven percent. The drink is also called Nongju, Takju, Jaeju and Huiju. The name ``makgeolli'' is derived from it being made by brewing rice and yeast ``roughly,'' or ``mak'' in Korean. Makgeolli has been made and consumed in households for many centuries. There is one kind that dates back to the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), the ``Yihwaju,'' and it was named because the yeast for the wine was made during the pear blossom season. ``Yihwa'' literally means pear blossom. The process of making the traditional drink starts with steaming glutinous rice, non-glutinous rice, barley or even flour. The ingredients are then dried and mixed with yeast and water

Sep 18, 2008

Koreas Traditional Cookie

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Mixed grain is held together by sweet honey. Bite into the ``hangwa'' and a sweet delight spreads in the mouth as the crunchy sound reaches the ears. Each hangwa tastes different as they are made with different ingredients, but the sweetness and nutty taste are integral to the Korean hangwa. Hangwa is one of the most favorite gifts on traditional holidays such as Chuseok. It can be found on ritual tables, a spread of fruits and snacks to pay respect to ancestors. Hangwa is also served along with tea to visitors. "We are extremely busy when holidays such as Chuseok come around. Because hangwa has to be made individually by hand, it takes a lot of time," said Kim Won-sook, president of Dandre Hangwa Shop in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Recently, villages have come out with their own brands of hangwa, easily purchasable on the Internet. Prices range anywhere from 10,000 won to 200,000 won. Variety of hangwa abound. ``Yumilgwa'' is made from dough that is fried or dipped in honey; ''dasik'' is ground grain mixed with honey or sugar water

Sep 11, 2008

Haenyeo Women Divers of Jeju

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter The Dokdo-bound ship slices furiously through the waves. After running non-stop for about two hours, a small island comes into view. From the speakers the unmistakable melody ``Dokdo is our land'' resounds. ``The fine weather will allow us to anchor the ship right by Dokdo,'' the captain announces in his thick local accent, signaling the landing. As passengers set foot on the miniscule dock of Eastern Island (measuring 80 meters long and a surface area of 1,800 square meters), they are overwhelmed by the staggering facade of Dokdo that stands before them. Because of Dokdo's fickle weather, there is no guarantee that the ship can land even if forecasts enable departure from Ulleung-do. The fact alone that they managed to reach the island greatly excites the tourists. In the year 512 during the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 936), Dokdo was named Usando, and then called Sambongdo and Gajido throughout the Joseon era (1392-1910). The name Dokdo first came into use in 1906 by Ulleung governor Sim Heung-taek after which the island became an

Sep 4, 2008

'Haenyeo' inscribed on UNESCO cultural heritage list

Geumsan, Goldmine of Ginseng

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter "Shimbatta!'' is a cry shouted by ginseng diggers when after a laborious search they stumble upon a precious piece of ginseng. It's not every day they get to shout this out. But in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province, that shout is often heard as the region is full of the valuable herb. Located at the southern most tip of South Chungcheong Province, ginseng excavation first began 1,500 years ago. Its name ``Geumsan'' is short for "geumsugangsan'' which refers to a place with beautiful scenery. Ginseng is highly affected by geography, environment and the time of harvest. The climate conditions of Geumsan make it the best place to grow ginseng. In Geumsan, digging for ginseng begins in July, and the harvested herb is processed through the end of October, making it one of the most priceless ginseng products in the nation. With a high content of saponine, ginseng is known for fighting cancer and boosting immunity as well as relieving fatigue. It has long been used in medicine and cooking. In summer, samgyetang, which is boiled chicken

Aug 21, 2008

UNESCOs Memory of the World

First book published using metal printing method By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Just a few hours ago, this page you are now holding was nothing but a blank piece of paper. With the help of a computer, color ink and a printing machine, this piece of paper is now covered with neat lines of letters and has been transformed into a newspaper. Everything, from newspapers to books to posters on the streets is printed. Printing is closely related to our lives, but not many people are aware of Korea's printing technology and the history of its development. Take a visit to the Cheongju Early Printing Museum at Cheongju-si, North Chungcheong Province, where the history of Korea's art of printing can found. The museum has a wide collection of old prints and pictures of the Silla, Goryeo, Choseon periods, early printing machines, excavated relics, and even the temple itself, Heungdeoksaji, that housed printing of the oldest existing metal-type book, called Jikji. Jikji, the first book using movable type, was printed in 1377, preceding Gutenberg's ``42-Line Bible' b

Jul 31, 2008

Former Presidential Retreat CHEONGNAMDAE

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter The neatly cut roads and trees seem to be politely greeting visitors, but the barbed wire and sturdy steel walls hint of a place that needed heavy security. This place is called Cheongnamdae, located in Cheongwon-gun, North Chungcheong Province, near Daecheong Lake. Meaning the ``Cheong Wa Dae of the south,'' Cheongnamdae is a former presidential retreat. It was built at former President Chun Doo-hwan's request in 1980 at the completion ceremony of Daecheong Dam in 1980. The former president instructed the facility to be built after seeing the beautiful scenery near the dam. Successive presidents have spent their holidays and summer vacations there, four to five times a year for the past 20 years. Cheongnamdae, 1.8 million square meters, was built and managed so the presidents could be told of state affairs at any time. Whenever the leaders were going through any kind of crisis, they would visit Cheongnamdae, consider their options and make their decision. This is known as ``Thinking at Cheongnamdae.'' A guarded first class security facilit

Jul 17, 2008

Manjanggul Lava Tube Caves

By Shim Hyun-chul Staff Reporter Where can we escape this sizzling hot weather? The beach? The mountains? Or air-conditioned indoors? How about a cave, where the temperature dips more than 20 degrees once you step inside of it? There are many caves located throughout the country. On Jeju Island alone, more than 120 lava caves exist. Among them, the array of caves at Geomun Oreum (parasitic volcano) are some of the best in the world. The lava that flowed from Geomun Oreum created 13 kilometers of lava tubes - the Manjanggul, Bangdwi, Gimyeong, Yongcheon and Dangcheomul lava tubes. Among these only Manjanggul is open to the public, and only partially too. About 8 kilometers long, the tube retains a yearly average temperature ranging from 15 to 18 degrees Celsius and 87 to 100 percent humidity. In 1962, it was designated as natural monument No. 98. Inside, the tracks where the lava flowed(200,000 to 300,000 years ago) can still be seen. One can also see geomorphological features such as the world’s largest, 7.8-meter high, lava column. Other features exist inside but t

Jul 10, 2008

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