[Talk Talk Market] Hwagae Market

[Talk Talk Market] 

Hwagae Market

“Why don’t you come here? It looks like a just country market, but…~♬”

Nearly everyone in Korea has heard this song. That is, ‘Hwagae Market’

Because of this song, the market has gained more popularity :-)

Hwagae is located in the spot where water from the Mt. Jiri and Seomjin River meet. Does it sound so fresh and beautiful?

It’s like a bridge between Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollanam-do. It used to be one of biggest markets in Korea before Independence in 1945.

It was formed as a 5-day market but it has gained popularity because of the song and opens everyday for the tourists! Especially, there will be many events because 2014 is a year visiting Mt Jiri.

If you love travelling, you can enjoy the Mt. Jiri and this market :-) 

[Talk Talk Market] Gurye Market

[Talk Talk Market] 

Gurye Market

Are you ready to enjoy Christmas? I thought about the postings on the last week of this year and considered some subjects. I decided to introduce you some of the most traditional Korean markets.

 This is the first market, Gurye Market :-) If you walk along the Seomjin River, you would find Gurye Market!

When you enter the market, you can see a line of houses roofed with tiles. It makes the market more traditional.

Also, you can see a blacksmith who makes farming tools and knives by himself. There are lots of people in front of forge to watch the rara avis. The scene is a magnificent sight that is incomparable to any other!

And, Delicious food if you visit the market! Bean soup with agar! Agar has texture like a jelly! It tastes savory :-P

If you visit this market, you enjoy beautiful Seomjin river and feel nostalgia! 

[Enjoy Korea] Bakdaljae

[Enjoy Korea] 

Bakdaljae

There are some popular and old songs that everyone knows in Korea. Among them, ‘Bakdaljae crying over’ is related to the place where I’ll introduce today.

When you hear this song, you might feel so sad. Do you know the song has a sad story?

Long ago, a countryside scholar named Bakdal was on the way to Seoul to take Gwageo, the highest-level state examination to recruit ranking officials. Because it takes several days to get Seoul, he decided to stay in a village in Jecheon. He wanted to stay a farmer’s house and the farmer has beautiful daughter named Geumbong. As you can guess, Bakdal and Geumbong fell in love each other. However, he couldn’t help leaving the village to take a test.

He arrived Seoul, but he couldn’t concentrate his study and examination because of her. So, he failed the examination. So did Geumbong. She waited and prayed for him at the hill all day long, and as time went by, eventually she got tired of wating and died. She had already died when Bakdal returned to the village. He lost his composure and cried at the hill where she had waited for him. Suddenly, he saw the phantom of her and hugged. He died there, too. Because the place he stood was cliff. After that, people called this hill ‘Bakdaljae’.

Visit here, and you can feel the heartrending love of them. 

[Enjoy Korea] Cheongpung lakeside

[Enjoy Korea] 

Cheongpung lakeside

Cheongpung lake was made by construction of Chungju dam in 1985. With the building of a dam, lots of villages in Jecheon, Dannyang and Chungju was submerged. Among them, villages in Jecheon take up more than 50%.

Cheongpung lake is so beautiful that lots of people call it ‘inland ocean’. Jecheon has become hot spot on the basis of superb natural landscape where tourists want to visit. It makes visitors peaceful.

Cheongpung Cultural Properities Complex is a rteconstruction of Cheongpung, a village that became submerged after the construction of Chungju Dam located above Chungju Lake. Especailly, SBS Jecheon Setting, co-located on the site of Cheongpung Cultural Properties Complex, recreates a historical Korean folk village used in the SBS produced TV mini-series “Daemang” and “Jang Gilsan”. Several other historical SBS TV productions were filmed on this set as well.

Do you want to enjoy both natural and traditional place?

Visit Jechoen, and you’ll go for the effect of killing two birds with a stone.

[Talk Talk Market] Jecheon Yeokjeon Hanmaeum Market

[Talk Talk Market] 

Jecheon Yeokjeon Hanmaeum Market

Where is a major transportation point? There are many traffic points. Especially, Jecheon is one of them because it borders on Chungcheong-do, Gyeongsang-do and Gangwon-do. If someone loves to travel by train, he must stop off at Jecheon station and take a picture in front of the station.

Jecheon was selected as a special zone for medicinal herb by government. So, it is famous for its great medicinal herb and superb natural landscape. To make use of these strong points, Jecheon Market placed in front of the station is offering healthy foods and tour programs.

Its name was changed to Jecheon Yeokjeon Hanmaeum Market in 2011, and its interior was also changed. The market readjusted the division of lots to make visitors enjoy shopping and foods in clean environment.

If you enter the market, you can see lots of tables and stools in a row. You can enjoy delicious foods such as jeonㅡa kind of pancake, noodles, gimbap and dongdongjuㅡsuspended rice wine. I guess you’re so surprised because they are so cheap and heavy.

Visit this market, and you’ll get energy from mountain and lake around Jecheon.

[Enjoy Food] Gwamegi

[Enjoy Food] 

Gwamegi

 Pohang has lots of famous foods, so we want to introduce their food again.

Gwamegi is a Korean half-dried Pacific saury made during winter. It’s mostly eaten in the region of North Gyeongsan Province such as Pohang where a large amount of the fish is harvested. Especially, Guryoungpo Harbor in Pohang is the most famous.

Fresh saury is frozen at -10 degrees Celsius and is placed outdoors in December to repeat freezing at night and defreezing in the day. The process continues until the water content of the fish drops to approximately 40%.

Try some chewy and nutrious gwamegi from Guryongpo, where the northwesterly wind and the sea winds meet to create ideal conditions. :-)

[Enjoy KOREA] The street of Kim Gwang-seok

[Enjoy KOREA]

The street of Kim Gwang-seok

 

 A harmony the market and art? The market and Kim Gwang-seok?

Kim Gwang-seok is a famous Korean singer. And he sang beautiful songs. But, he died at the tender age of 31. A lot of people remember his songs during his short life.

There is a 350-meter-mural street with his life and music theme in the East of market.  Nowadays, it became one of attractions of Daegu, so the fans of Kim and tourists, bloggers are visiting here.

Every Korean can reflect himself or herself in his song. His songs are that common. Some listen to music waiting for his love and others having a drink because of bitterness of love. This is why his music is forever despite of fast-changing times.

 How about feeling his music in the street and cherishing the moment as a beautiful memory?