Blogs from South Korea, Asia

After breakfast in the morning, we'll make our way to Andong Hanji, a hub for the production of hanji paper, to delve into the intricate process behind crafting Andong's distinctive hanji. Hanji, known for its use of paper mulberry bark as the primary material, is a traditional Korean handmade paper.Following our field trip at the Hanji Factory, get ready to immerse yourself in creating Hanji paper, experiencing the art firsthand. Next on our itinerary is a visit to Andong Hahoe Village, renowned as one of Korea's most prominent folk villages. This village is celebrated for its preservation of the Hahoe Mask Dance Drama (Talchum), a folk art performance depicting shamanistic rituals and village spirits. We'll have the chance to watch this traditional performance during our visit. After the Andong tour, we'll head to Pyeongchang, enjoying dinner ... read more

Today, we'll depart from Yeosu for our visit to Busan. The journey will take over 3 hours. Our first stop in Busan will be Gamcheon Culture Village, where houses cascade in a staircase-like fashion along the foothills of the coastal mountains. This vibrant community features alleys adorned with lively murals and sculptures created by its residents. After lunch, we'll visit Gukje Market (Bupyeong Kkangtong Market). This market gained prominence during the Korean War for supplying canned goods to the US forces. It served as a central hub for foreign products in Korea and earned the moniker 'Gukje (International) Market' due to its extensive collection of rare goods. Continuing our exploration, we'll experience SPA LAND Centum City, situated within the world's largest department store, Shinsegae Centum City. This luxurious and contemporary Korean traditional spa (Jjimjilbang) spans across ... read more

Our destination today is Jeonju Hanok Village with over 800 traditional Korea houses. The village is famous among tourists because of its atmosphere that strongly contrast with the modern city around it. Choose your preferred Hanbok, Korean National Costume and make a special memory wearing Hanbok with your companions. You will explore Gyeonggijeon Shrine which was erected in 1410 and holds the portrait of King Tae-jo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. Afterward you will have Jeonju Bibimbab lunch at a local restaurant. Following that, we will proceed to Jangseong, where Baegyangsa Temple is situated within Naejangsan National Park. Upon arrival you will experience Conversation over tea with a Monk. The combination of the mountain and valleys on both sides creates beautiful scenery. Nature reveals its beauty throughout all seasons here, especially through the red maple ... read more

Although the taxi ride to the airport in Hong Kong, China was an hour or so, the check-in process was smooth as silk, and, while I was enjoying a cup of coffee, I was entertained by a robot that delivered cocktails from the bar to the servers at a lounge across from the bar. The flight from Hong Kong to Seoul, South Korea was uneventful, and the seats between my aisle seat and the "window" seat were unoccupied. The passenger across the aisle from me, a man from Northern Ireland who had now been living in Hong Kong for eight years, also had two empty seats between him and the window. This was not unusual for many flights, but this flight seemed to be about 95% of capacity. I suppose most of the passengers were travelling ... read more

For those of you who have followed us for a while are quite aware, we are foodies who enjoy tasting new cuisine both at home and especially when traveling. The U.S. has plenty to offer those in search of new taste delights, given the size and diversity of the populace, but the opportunity to travel to distant lands and encounter completely new dishes is heavenly. Our friends Galen and Denise are living in Seoul and are fellow foodies so we knew we would be taken care of during our visit, and they did not disappoint. If you don’t care about looking at food photos or reading about a food experience, you might as well close this blog now, because it will hold limited interest for you. We will catch you on the next blog….. Arriving quite ... read more