Archive for 'Culture'
Danwon Posted by Ginny on Jul 12, 2011
Starting from July 15th to July 20th of this year, the Danwon Art Festival (단원미술제) will take place in the city of Ansan (안산). Ansan is in the district of Danwon (단원구), which is located in Gyeonggi Province (경기도). The District of Danwon is named after the famed Korean painter Danwon, whose real name was…
Korean Festivals in July Posted by Ginny on Jul 3, 2011
In South Korea, the summer months can get unbearably hot! A great way to cool off this summer is to attend the Boryeong Mud Festival (보령머드축제). This year the Boryeong Mud Festival will take place on July 16th in the city of Boryeong (보령시). There are so many events that you can partake in this…
South Korean Towers Posted by Ginny on Jun 27, 2011
Some of the best places to see Korea from up high are from an observation tower. One of the best observation towers in South Korea is Gyeongju Tower (경주타워). Gyeongju Tower is located in Gyeongju City (경주시) in North Gyeongsang Province (경상북도). It is eighty two meters high and was built as part of an…
Hyanggyo Posted by Ginny on Jun 24, 2011
Before modern public schools, Korean public schools were called Hyanggyo (향교). The Hyanggyo were first started in the Goryeo Period (918-1392) and ended sometime in the Joseon Period (1392-1910). While the Hyanggyo fell into disuse, the Seowon (서원) faired much better than the Hyanggyo. The Seowons were privately run schools for the sons of the…
Korean Gates Posted by Ginny on Jun 18, 2011
There are several famous Korean gates that serve as important landmarks and reminders of Korea’s history. The Independence Gate (독립문) is one of those gates that fall into this category. The Independence Gate is located in Seoul (서울). It commemorates Korea’s independence from China as a sovereign nation. The Indpendence Gate is made of granite…
Why did you come to our house? Posted by Ginny on Jun 15, 2011
There is a popular Korean children’s song that can be heard in preschools all over Korea. Take a listen: 우리 집에 왜 왔니 왜 왔니 왜 왔니 (oori jibeh weh watni weh watni weh watni) Why did you come, why did you come, why did you come to our house? 꽃 찾으러 왔단다 왔단다 왔단다…
Korean Festivals in June Posted by Ginny on Jun 3, 2011
The month of June is a wonderful time to spend one’s time in the great outdoors. One way to do that is to attend a Korean festival in Korea. The Gangneung Danoje Festival (강릉단오제축제) is a festival that preserves the folk culture of the lower classes. There are lots of contests and competitions that you…