'Time Machine Takes You
to a World of Fantasy
and Nostalgia for the Past'

Jeollanam-do offers diverse mesmerizing, intriguing things to see, food to eat and sights to appreciate

Jeollanam-do Province, located on the southwestern part of Korea, is the most suitable place to take a break in a relaxed environ, away from the hustle and bustle of the urban lifestyle as it offers diverse and intriguing things to see, taste and appreciate.
As if riding on a time machine, you can return to the 1950s and 1960s. Your journey to such places as Cheongsando Island and the Gokseong Train Village can give you a glimpse into aspects of traditional Korean culture that have remained intact for decades without the influence of industrialization.
Unlike the dizzying speed of a constantly changing urban lifestyle, you cannot even find a fast food store, a supermarket or a coffee vending machine, fixtures of every nook and corner of the nation. Residents of Cheongsando Island do not lead a modernized and convenient life style, but resort to the ways of our ancestors ― they use oxen to plow their long, narrow fields and employ decades-long traditions and precedents like the "Chobun,"
a traditional burial of the deceased for the initial two years on an elevated surface before the formal underground burial.
A walk along the mud road to the Dangni Village will be a fantastic view in May when the village is a sea of yellow, filled with rape flowers. The road with a long line of rock walls is one of the filming locations for the popular movie "Soepyonjae,"depicting the lives of two Pansori (the traditional Korean narrative songs) performers, and the drama, "Waltz of Spring."Cheongsando Island is emerging as one of the new additions to the province's tourist map dotted with numerous and enchanting tourist attractions, as the remote island has been designated as one of the few "Slow Cities"not only in Korea, but also in the whole of Asia together with Samjicheon Village in Changpyeong-myeon, Damyang-myeon, Banwol Village in Yuchi-myeon, Jangheung-gun and Jeungdo Island in Shinan-gun. Inspired by support for the "Slow Food"movement initiated by the Italians,
Jeollanam-do has set about initiating the Slow Cities Movement, which supports the way people live in a slower manner.
A steam locomotive-driven train ride along the Seomjingang River, departing from Gokseong Station in Gokseong-myeon, is a way of taking tourists to a world of old memories, a symbol of Korea's legendary economic development, which has now disappeared. It runs along a 13km long track, giving tourists an opportunity to see fascinating views passing by their window. Entering the Gokseong Train Village, you come across two locomotives, the location of the sensational hit movie "Taegeukgi Brotherhood of War."While stepping into the trains on display, you can recall the scene in the hit movie in which the hero, played by Korean star Jang, Dong-geon, and his brother, played by Won Bin, bid a tearful farewell with their family prior to their forced conscription. A group ride on a rail bike is recommended. The Gokseong Station, the sole one remaining intact since the Japanese colonial rule of Korea,
has become a tourist attraction since it was closed following the disappearance of the old 17.9km long Jeolla Line section, which gave way to a newer double-track line.
Every spring, flower seekers flock to Jeollanam-do as the province blooms into a sea of diverse flowers, including camellia flower, azalea, forsythia, royal azalea and cherry. Jeollanam-do holds the Gwangyang Ume Cultural Festival in the Daap-myeon area. Gwangyang City from March 8-16; the Gurye Sansuyu Festival in the Sangwi Village in Sandong, Gurye from March 20-23; the Azalea Festival in Mt. Yeongchwisan in Yeosu, which will coincide with the Wangin Cultural Festival in Yeongam from April 5-8.
Making the most of "Visit Gwangju and Jeollanam-do Year,"the Jeollanam-do provincial government has announced a selection of 20 springtime tourist products, five related to the internationally renowned Hongdo Island, Baekdo Island, Gajeodo Island and other islands of the Dadohae (Archipelago) Marine National Park along with 15 inland products,
on the basis of the outcome of a public survey. The park comprises 463 island jewels. In reality, the province boasts approximately 2,000 scenic islands, large and small, accounting for two-thirds of the nation's total.
Visits to Hongdo and Heuksando Islands via a ferry departing from Mokpo are the highlights of fascinating tours to the Dadohae Marine National Park, including a 2.5 hour long leisure boat ride around the breathtaking Nammun Rock and other rock wonders as well as a panoramic view of the national park by visitors who climb the Sangnabong Peak of Heuksando Island.
Jindo Island, the third largest in Korea, has earned an international reputation as the site of the so-called Miracle of Moses. The 31st Jindo Mysterious Sea Road Festival takes place May 5-7, 2008 when the water recedes, creating a road about 30-40m wide and 2.4km long allowing visitors to walk on the seabed for about one hour before it is submerged again.
Also added to the selected springtime tourist product list are the Hampyeong World Butterfly and Insect Expo, the Slow Cities, the Gwangyang Ume Festival and the Yeongam Cherry Festival.
The Yeonggwang "Gulbi"(a dried croaker) and the Mokpo "Yeonpotang"(octopus soup) are among the province's representative foods. Jeollanam-do is recognized as a province of tastes. Launched in 1994, the Jeollanam-do Food Festival has established itself as one of the nation's largest food festivals. The festival is held in the Nagan Eupseong Folk Village.
Gurye Sansuyu Festival
A point in focus is the 2008 Gurye Sansuyu (Cornus officinalis) Festival, one of the diverse festivals Jeollanam-do offers to attract tourists from Korea and abroad. The festival takes place from March 20-23 around the Sangwi Village at Wian-ri, Sandong-myeon, Gurye-gun, where the flowers of the Sansuyu trees are in full bloom. The village is a production center of Sansuyu, accounting for 30% of the nation's total production of the medicinal herb considered effective in treating various women's diseases.
The nearby tourist attractions of the Sansuyu Village include Nogodan Peak, stretching above a sea of clouds, one of the three major peaks of Mt. Jirisan. You will find fantastic landscapes that cannot be seen elsewhere as the mountain offers incredible scenery as well as a deep valley and unique mountain shapes varying according to height.
Hampyeong Butterfly Festival
The 2008 Hampyeong World Butterfly & Insect Expo will be held at the expo park in Hampyeong-eup from April 18-June 1. The expo is a new concept of festival using butterflies, flowers and insects as its theme. It is drawing more attention as the public demand is mounting for a focus on environmental friendliness and the cultivation of organic agricultural goods.
A majority of visitors to Jeollanam-do conjure up such images as "Clean water," "Clean air"and "green,"indicating environmental friendliness.
Boseong Tea Festival
Boseong holds the 34th Boseong Tea Festival from May 3-6 with the goal of promoting the tea industry and tea culture as the nation's largest producer of tea. The festival is a beautiful event harmonized with tea, music and royal azaleas, and presents such diverse programs as a tea cultural event, a royal azalea event, exhibitions, experiences and side events.
In particular, the tea cultural event provides tourists with opportunities to experience the taste of Boseong green tea. nw

Visitors can recall the nostalgic memories of the past when they tour the Gokseong Train Village in Gokseong, Jeollanam-do.

(above) A sea of ume flower in Gwangyang
(Left) A fantastic view with rape flower in Cheongsando Island, one of the "Slow Cities"in both Korea and all of Asia.

An inspection team on the designation of the "Slow Cities"experiences salt-making on Jeungdo Island, which was later designated as one of the Slow Cities in Korea.

Women pick tea leaves in Boseong, the venue of the annual Boseong Tea Festival.