Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village

Many Japanese tourists visit this place, following the rumor that a rock of Bae Young-jun is located here. This place is called Goguryeo Blacksmith's Village. Although the drama ended more than six months ago, this place still attracts visitors to a real site of Goguryeo history in which the past still lives.

Editor: Park Ji-yeong   Photographer: Ju Eun-hi   In cooperation with Guri City Hall, Gyeonggi Film Commission

”Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village” is widely known since it was used as a film locale for <The Story of the First King's Four Gods>, an MBD drama, and <Hong Gil Dong>, a KBS drama, and has opened to the general public last April. Since the <The Story of the First King’s Four Gods> drama was exported to Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe, this area has attracted many foreign tourists. Many tourist corporations, including the Korean National Tourism Group, recognized Goguryeo’s Blacksmith’s Village as a Korean wave hub and urged for the area to be opened to the public earlier. A blacksmith’s shop from the Goguryeo Dynasty period was restored in such detail that it was judged to be a successful model for a drama filming place.

The Story of the First King’s Four Gods received attention again since it was recently rebroadcast through an anonymous cable company. I visited “Goguryeo’s Blacksmith Village” at the skirts of Achasan (Mountain), thinking of the <Story of the First King’s Four Gods>: it’s rumored that its production cost was 40 billion won since it included gorgeous CG and appearances by Bae Yong-jun, a leading star of the Korean wave, and Mun So-ri, a notable actress. To the right side of the village entrance, there is an exhibition hall where Goguryeo relics found in Acahsan and fortresses of soldiers and living forms are located, and there is Bonghwa Doldarimun (stone bridge) that leads to the village on the left side.
Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village consists of a blacksmith’s shop, stable, village headman’s house, Malgal Chi-tan people’s house, a well, and other quaint village structures. On large TV screens located between buildings, a form of this palace, which was broadcast on the <Story of the First King’s Four Gods>, is broadcasted to help visitors better understand the area layout. When I arrived at the center of the village looking around the inside and outside of the building, I encountered a large blacksmith’s shop where a brazier as high as a two-story building was erected. This blacksmith’s shop reproduces all processes that melt and  harden iron to produce iron weapons.

Each set was built to emphasize the characteristics of houses in the Goguryeo dynasty period: braziers are built in the center of the inner rooms, and Ondols connect to the brazier so that the air in houses would warm the house. Such a set helps in understanding the history of Goguryeo. The model of the Gwanggyeto Stele of real size was reproduced through a real historical investigation so that visitors would feel the spirit of Goguryeo. Visitors inside the 122m long fence of the historical panorama exhibition hall can look around and study everything about Goguryeo. Another point of interest in the Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village is the large rock face of Achasan, which became famous since it looked like an image of Bae Yong-jun. Since it was found when Bae Young-jun was photographed, it was named, “Bae Yong-jun Rock” or “Gwanggyeto Rock.” After looking around Achasan, a proud landscape whose beauty certainly earns its place among the ”Top Nine Landscapes in Guri,” I go toward Myohyang Sonmandujip to eat some food to satisfy my hunger. I can taste the handmade flavor of Hamgyeong Province since the owner’s hometown is the city of Pyeongyang. I recommend the “Oisobaki Guksu” (cucumber kimchi noodle)” and ”Manduguk” (Korean dumpling soup). Tiny Japanese characters as small as sesame grains are also written on the menu because Japanese tourists also visit this area often.

Tourist Information
Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village
Business hour: Mar. Oct. weekday (9:00 a.m. ~ 6:00 p.m.), Saturday, Sunday holidays (9:00 a.m. ~ 7:00 p.m.), Nov. ~ Feb.: 9:00 a.m. ~ 5: 00 p.m.
Contact: 031-550-2363
Address: San 45-1, Acheon-dong, Guri, Gyeonggi-do
How to go: Bus (Bus toward the Gangbyeon station from Guri City Hall - get off at the bus stop of Uminae village: walk 10 minutes)) Subway (Get off at Guri station, Line no 1, Gwangnaru station, Line no. 5, Gangbyeon station, Line no. 2 – get on a bus toward the Guri City Hall – get off at the bust stop of Goguryeo Blacksmith’s Village (Uminae village): Walk 10 minutes)
Private car (Use the surrounding place of blacksmith’s village and Hangang (River) Citizen Park (charged).

Tip: Culture Tourism Commentator Service (visit the site information center: 10:00 a.m. ~ 5: 00 p.m.)
Things to see: Achasan that is a treasure house of Goguryeo relics, Donggureung (Tomb) that is a spirit of 500 years of the Joseon Dynasty, Jangja Lake Park that is a natural eco learning field, Guri Hangang Citizen Park where humans and nature are harmonious, Guri Tower that is an environmental friendly incineration facility, Bronze statue of Great King Gwanggyeto that includes spirits of Goguryeo.