Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, opens an event 'Gyeonggi tour rally 100 sceneries' until October.

An event to get a gift will be held if you leave a picture taken during traveling in major tour sites of Gyeonggi-do in the homepage.

'2010 Gyeonggi tour rally' is going on from June 21 till October 31. One representative per each family can participate for that period. If any one posts his picture with the background of photo zone in the spots Gyeonggi tour rally assigned for picture taking on the picture board of homepage within ethankyou(http://www.ethankyou.co.kr), he can get alloted marks from 1 to 5 and rankings qre determined based on total marks. Repetitive visits to the same tour site is not allowed.

Gifts by ranking such as LED, TV, I-phone and net book, and raffle awards such as mp3 and Icheon rice given to winners of over 10 points are prepared, and diverse events including photogenic awards are planned to be held through the homepage. Also, benefits will be offered to the travel agency which has attracted the largest number of group tourists for the corresponding period. Detailed information can be checked in the homepage. A construction relater said, "This event aims at actively attracting individual tourists and group tourists to Gyeonggi-do and facilitating activation of regional tourism business by advertising hidden tour attractions,"

◇ In the Garden of Morning located at the foot of Chookryung mountain in Gapyung-gun, there are total 20 beautiful gardens in about 100,000 PY basin. © G newsplus Min yeon Choi miyeon09@gmail.com

For more information, contact Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Domestic Business Team, 031-259-6932

<Gwangju Mangweolsa>

The Sad Stories of the Temples of Dongmun

Namhansanseong is a great place for autumn excursions. We can see the stone tower of Tower Park, which is said to have been built by an old man, at the end of Dongmun, which is connected to Road No. 308. The wind rose in the thick forests, and leaves fell like rain. Sanseong is such a great place for an excursion to see maple leaves in autumn. I moved from Namhansanseong Rotary to Dongmun, and turned left to go to Mangweolsa and Janggyeongsa.

It is said that Janggyeongsa was built by Geumdanseonsa to pray for a mother and a son who died miserably, and that the stone tower of Mangweolsa was built by a lady who failed to marry the one she loved, and so pursued Buddhist values for the rest of her life. Two temples with sad legends are located near Dongmun of Namhansanseong.

Mangweolsa with the Sad Love Story
Mangweolsa is magnificent. The temple is located on the foot of a steep mountain. It is like a gallery in a mountain, as the large windows of Daewungjeon reflect the autumn scenery and the newly built stone tower. There are Geungrakbojeon and large-scale Daewungbojeon at the back. We can see the castle of Dongmun from Daewungbojeon. Jeokmyeolbogung Tower in the yard of Daewungjeon and Mountain Byeongpung are popular among visitors of Mangweolsa. The stone tower symbolizes the story of the hopeless love of a lady.

There was a couple that loved each other so much, but they had to break up because their families became sworn brothers. The lady failed to forget her lover, and decided to take the veil. She came to Mangweolsa, and laid down stones whenever she missed her lover, ultimately building a tower. Meanwhile, her lover came to Janggyeongsa, the temple located on the opposite side of Mangweolsa, after breaking up with his lover, and studied Buddhism. In order to renounce worldly desires, he took a walk around the temple. He saw and saved a lady who had fallen while building a tower. Surprisingly, she was his lover from long ago. He asked Gongyangju Bosal to take care of her and went back to Janggyeongsa. A few days later, he visited her again, and heard the story of her over the wall. He wanted to see her smile, but he decided to enter the Buddhist priesthood that night. She recovered, and returned to Mangweolsa, not knowing anything. She continued to build the tower, waiting for her lover who would not come back.

The story reminded me of the essay of Pi Cheon-Deuk. “We miss someone for life, but life separates lovers. I have met Asako three times. I regret the third meeting with her. I am going to Chuncheon this weekend, and the autumn scenery of Soyang River will be beautiful.”

The legend of Mangweolsa is as sad as the essay of Pi Cheon-Deuk.

[Tourist Information]
Monument No. 111, Gyeonggi-do
Gaewonsa, Mangweolsa and Janggyeongsa are the oldest temples remain among nine temples of Namhansanseong. Sites of other temples remain, and Mangweolsa has been newly built on the old site since 1990.

◆ Location
Research Keyword: Namhansanseong Mangweolsa
Address: 14 Sanseong-ri, jungbu-myeon, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province
By Car: Namhansanseong Rotary → Go to the direction of Dongmun → Turn left when Dongmun appears → Go up the hill to get to Mangweolsa
Yangjae IC of Gyeongbu Expressway → Heolleungro → Segokdong Sageori → Yakjinro → Sanseong Tunnel → Jungng Parking Lot → Go to the direction of Dongmun → Turn left in front of Dongmun → Mangweolsa

Public Transportation: Get off at the final stop of Sanseong and walk to the direction of Dongmun until there is a sign.
No. 9: Sanseong Rotary
No. 15-1: Gwangjiwon Jungbu Myeon Office  Sanseong Rotary (intervals of 30 minutes)
No. 52: Sanseong Rotary  Nammun  Sanseong Station  Jonghap Market  Moran  Sangdaewon (intervals of 50 minutes)

◆ Adjacent Tourist Destinations
Namhansanseong, Namhansanseonghaenggung, Chimguaejeong, Jisudang, Hyeonjeolsa, Janggyeongsa, Catholic Site of Namhansanseong and Namhansanseong Historic Museum

Beautiful Station and Amusement Park Filled with Great Memories

<Ilyeong Station and Ilyeong Amusement Park, Yangju>

The main characters (played by Jeon Ji-Hyeon and Cha Tae-Hyeon) in the film “My Sassy Girl” say their good-byes at a beautiful, quiet train station after burying a time capsule together. The station is Ilyeong Station, in Yangju.

With Seoul Ring Expressway fully opened, we can now visit Ilyeong Train Station and Ilyeong Amusement Park more easily. A short trip from Songchu IC of Seoul Ring Expressway will bring us to Ilyeong Station and Ilyeong Amusement Park, via National Road No. 39 and Local Road No. 349.

Ilyeong Station is a small train station located between Byeokje Station and Jangheung Station on Seoul Suburban Line, which started operation on July 10, 1961. Local residents would take the trains every morning to go to work or school, couples and families would enjoy day trips, and university students would enjoy overnight barbecue parties. As more roads were built in the Seoul suburban areas, the number of passengers decreased, eventually resulting in the suspension of passenger trains in 2004.

It is just a closed train station with one station building and an outdoor waiting area, but it give visitors a chance to walk along the railway tracks and enjoy a romantic trip to a quiet, tranquil place. It is quite popular among amateur photographers, and is also a recommended tourist destination for couples and families.

Ilyeong Station is located adjacent to Seoul and the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and the adjacent Ilyeong Amusement Park and Jangheung Tourist Park feature a wide range of great restaurants, beautiful cafes, and museums, as well as Songam Observatory and numerous historic sites.

We can visit Ilyeong Amusement Park, which is located along the curvy streams of Gongneungcheon, by crossing Local Road No. 349 from Ilyeong Station. Facilities such as soccer fields, kickball fields, restaurants, basketball courts and pools are located at both sides of the stream at regular intervals.

Ilyeong Amusement Park Driveway leads us to the deep mountain villages along Gongneungcheon, and it is a solitary driving course where we can see streams and forests. The driveway is connected with National Road No. 39, and then divides into the roads bound for Goyang and Uijeongbu.

As Ilyeong Amusement Park is located in the Green Belt Area, we cannot see large-scale resorts featuring cutting-edge facilities near the Park. Instead, we can see the forests and streams in the raw. We can have dinner at the tables along the riverside, and dip our feet in Gongneungcheon and enjoy tubing, enjoying the atmosphere of an old-style resort.

As the Park is located near Seoul and has spacious playgrounds and parking spaces, it has gained popularity as a perfect spot for training, company excursions and workshops. There are also a large outdoor pool and a boat pool in the Park. 

Name	Yangju Ilyeong Station and Ilyeong Amusement Park
Address	Ilyeong Station: 327 Samsang-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju, Gyoenggi-do Ilyeong Amusement Park: Samsang-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju, Gyeonggi-do
Contact (Website)	Ilyeong Station (031)855-5582  Culture & Tourism Division, Yangju City Office (031)820-2122  Website with Information on Ilyeong Amusement Park www.pink.co.kr/ilyeong.htm
Location (Information of Nearest National Road and Expressway)	By Car * Songchu IC of Seoul Ring Expressway → National Road No. 39 (bound for Goyang, Byeokje and Jangheung) Turn left and go straight for 3km → Local Road No. 349 (bound for Gupabal) Turn left and go straight for 2km à Samsung Elementary School → Turn right and head in the direction of Ilyeong Station   * Gupabal Samgeori → Go straight for less than 1km in the direction of Bukhansanseong à Take Local Road No. 349 on the left à Go straight for 6~7km → Ilyeong Amusement Park will appear on the right side   * Euijeingbu, National Road No. 39 (bound for Goyang) → Jangheung-myeon, Yangju, Local Road No. 349 (bound for Gupabal) Turn left and go straight for 2km à Samsung Elementary School → Turn right and head in the direction of Ilyeong Station * Goyang, Natinal Road No. 39 (bound for Euijeongbu) → Jangheung-myeon, Jangju → Turn right at Local Road No. 349 (bound for Gupabal) → Go straight for 2km à Samsang Elementary School → Turn right and head in the direction of Ilyeong Station   Public Transportation * Bulgwang-dong Bus Terminal ↔ Get on Bus No. 360 at Euijeongbu Terminal à Get off at Ilyeong Amusement Park and Ilyeong Station   * Gupabal Subway Station, Subway Line No. 3 → Get on Bus No. 15, 15-1, 7725 and 360 à Get off at Ilyeong Amusement Park and Ilyeong Station
Facility Overview	Ilyeong Station: One station building Ilyeong Amusement Park: Over 30 spots located along Gongneungcheon
History	Ilyeong Station July 10, 1961: Launched operation December 21, 1961: Completed construction of the station building August 20, 1963: Completed the entire Seoul Suburban Line August 21, 1994: Launched operation of the steam train (Mugungwha Train) May 16, 2000: Suspended operation of the steam train April 1, 2004: Suspended operation of the passenger train
Descriptions (Fact-Based Characteristics)	Ilyeong Station: The station provides the tranquil and quiet atmosphere of a closed train station. Visitors can walk along the railway tracks.   Ilyeong Amusement Park: Visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of an old-style amusement park. The Park is ideal for group gatherings. It is recommended to travel by car, as the Park is located in a secluded village near Gongneungcheon.
Tips for Visitors	Outdoor pool (Sinheung Leisure Town) and boat pool (88 Boat Pool) are located in the Park.  * Admission fee for pool: KRW 12,000 per adult and KRW 10,000 per child
Operating (Opening) Hours	Ilyeong Station: open 24 hours Ilyeong Amusement Park: No fixed operating hours
Admission (Accommodation) Fees	Ilyeong Station: Free Ilyeong Amusement Park: Free admission. Accommodation fees and meal expenses may differ by pension and restaurant
Adjacent Tourist Destinations	Jangheung Tourist Destination, Bamnamu Park, Jangheung Folk Museium, Jangheung Art Park, Songam Observatory and Olleung
Accommodation	Most of the stores operate cottages. A guesthouse, Star House, is located at Songam Observatory in Jangheung Tourist Destination.
Restaurant Options	Restaurants serving traditional chicken dishes, fish soup, duck dishes, pork barbecue, acorn-starch jelly and mountain herbs bibimbap are located in the Park.

Visit Seolmaejae in Yangpyeong,
the Location Used in Many Popular Movies

There is a grassland on a steep mountain slope, and a dirt path. Pampas grass blooms, and the sight of the billowing pampas grass field fills my heart more than words can express. This might be because some scenes from popular films and dramas are flashing through my mind. The grassland between Yumyeongsan (Mt.) (862 m) and Daebusan (Mt.) (742 m) is called Seolmaejae.

“I am here. Are you there?”
Do you remember the most famous scene in the film “King and the Clown,” when Golgil, the main character, acted as if he were a blind person? The scene in which Jangsaeng and Golgil acted as though they were blind people on the green hill with the annuus in full bloom was the most memorable scene for the millions of people who watched the movie. Now, pampas grass, the messenger of autumn, has replaced the annuus that billowed in the spring breeze.

Seolmaejae Natural Forest is located within a one-hour drive from downtown Seoul. The hills between the peak of Daebusan and Yumyeongsan are called Seolmaejae, and Seolmaejae Natural Forest, a private forest, is situated at Seolmaejae. The forest includes pine trees and tamaracks, and the path surrounded by Acer mono, maple trees, royal azaleas and pine trees leads to Yumyeongsan and Yongmunsan. As Yongcheon Valley and Yumyeongsan Valley are located near the path, the beauty of the unspoiled landscape is beyond description. There are a cluster of log cabins, a grass-covered square, and wild flower gardens in the Forest. There are wild edible greens in the sun-kissed ground, and the recreation facilities include a survival game court, a paragliding ground and ATV trails.

Most notably, the Forest is best known as the shooting location for countless movies and dramas. Some of the movies and dramas filmed at this site include The King and the Clown, Damo, Hong Gil-Dong, Daejoyoung, Hwang Jini, Art of the Wind, Lee San and Jumong. Recently, Queen Seondeok was also filmed here. But as soon as I arrived, I understood why it had been chosen for so many movies and dramas.

On the way from Seolmaejae Natural Forest to the mountain top, an ATV Trail, X-LIFE, appears. For a more exciting tour, rent an ATV here. Wear a helmet, gloves and protection devices and complete a simple drill, and then you are free to take your own tour. After walking along a narrow path, you will arrive at a grassland. Now, it is time to enjoy the thrilling ATV experience. The top of Daebu Mountain rises 740m above the sea level, and can be seen at the end of the mountain path, covered with pampas grass. Half of the mountain is surrounded by other mountains. When the sun sets, the sun-kissed pampas grass becomes shadows in the dark. We can see the winding Namhan River across the green pampas field. The clean air also allows us to see Yeoju, which is tens of kilometers away. The set of a thatched cottage, which was the house of Shin Yun-Bok in the drama Art of the Wind, remains. Bidam, a character in the drama Queen Seondeok, saved the life of Deokman, who had been captured by enemies, and the honored arrival of Misil was filmed on the hill. To see the site of the film King and the Clown, we need to run 15 minutes more from the top of Mountain Daebu to the direction of the famous paragliding ground. The pampas grass stretches to the site. Except for one large tree, the site is blanketed with grass and pampas grass. If you have seen the film, the scene that was shot here is unforgettable. We can enjoy the ATV experience year ‘round, even during the winter season when it snows. I am already thrilled at the thought of taking an ATV on the snow-covered trail and seeing snowcapped Seolmaejae.

Tourist Information

Name: Seolmaejae Natural Forest
Address: 29-21, Yongcheon-ri, Okcheon-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province
Contact: 031-774-6959, 772-5965 www.SNRF.co.kr

Location: 
(By Car) Seoul (45km) – Okcheon IC (4km) – Seolmaegae Natural Forest
(By Bus): Dongseoul Bus Terminal in Sangbong-dong – Yangpyeong (50 minutes) – Final Stop at Yongcheon-ri (20 Minutes)
(By Train): Cheongnyangni Station –Yangpyeong Station (50 minutes) – City Bus bound for Yongcheon-ri (20 minutes)

Tips for Visitors: Reservations are required to use the accommodations in the Forest. Kitchen utensils and tableware are available for rental, but guests are required to bring their own soap and toothbrushes. As the hill between Mountain Daebu and Mountain Yongmun where Seolmaejae is located is private property, visitors must pay an admission fee.

Admission Fee: KRW 1,500 for adults and KRW 1,000 for children
ATV Tour: * Course A (Yumyeongsan – Site of King and I, King and the Clown, Seodongyo, Dr. Gang, and Lawyers): from KRW 30,000 to KRW 40,000
Course B (Daebusan – Site of Queen Seondeok, Art of the Wind, Hong Gil-Dong, Jumong, Daejoyoung and Hwang Jini): from KRW 30,000 to KRW 40,000
Course C (Courses A and B): from KRW 40,000 to KRW 50,000. It takes about one to one and a half hours to complete the course.

Accommodations: Log Cabin in the Forest (for four): from KRW 64,000 to KRW 80,000
(for six): from KRW 96,000 to KRW 120,000
Co-op (for four): from KRW 56,000 to KRW 70,000


Adjacent Tourist Destinations: Batanggol Art Center, Yangpyeong Fresh Water Fish Museum, Moka Museum, Semiwon, Deulggot Arboretum, Tomb of Dasan Jeong Yak-Yong, Yumyeongsan, Sanasa and Yongmunsa
Restaurant Options: Located in Sinbok-ri, Okcheon-myeon, Jungmisan Makguksu (031-773-1834) is a popular restaurant that is always crowded with visitors. A cold noodle dish with watery radish kimchi is a delicacy of the winter season. Other special dishes include tasty mixed noodles, tender slices of boiled meat and crisp pancakes. There are a few cold noodle houses outside Hanwha Resort, and all of them have their own unique qualities. Most of them serve similar dishes, and the tasty slices of boiled meat and meatballs complete a delicious meal.