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• DYNAMIC REA

[jHollym Elizabeth, NJ-Seoul DYNAMIC KOREA

First published in Korea by Korea Plus in 2005 American edition printing, 2010 by Hollym Intemational Corp. 18 Donald Place, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07208, USA Phone 908 353 1655 Fax 908 353 0255 http://www.hollym.com

[J Hollym

Published simultaneously in Korea by Hollym Corp. , Publishers 13-13 Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 11 0-111 Korea Phone +82 2 734 5087 Fax +82 2 7308192 http://www.hollym.co.kr e-Mail [email protected]

ISBN: 978-1-56591-242-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2010925342

Printed in Korea

6 Dyn amic KO REA C.ONTENTS ----

Preface 9

Korea, a Long History, a Bright Future 12

Seoul, Truly A World-Class City 18

Korea's Gateway to the Pacific, Busan Is a City of Passion and Romance 48

Gyeongju, a Millennium of Silla Kingdom History Still Alive and Well 62

]eju, the Island of Many Blessings 84

Korean Culture Stems from a Long, Vibrant History 104

Sublime Scenery that Holds the Mystery of Nature 138

Traditional Annual Customs 164

Seoul, Truly A World-Class City

Seoul is a beautiful city where tradition and modernity Seoul is surrounded by 17 mountains, the highest of coexist in a very special way. It is a pleasant, convenient which is Mt. Bukhan (836 m). The Han River, a major and people-oriented city with brisk economic activity, and symbol of Seoul, flows through the middle of the cit y, is now being reborn as the hub of Northeast Asia. The supplying drinking water and water for other household capital city of the Republic of Korea, Seoul has grown into a and industrial uses to the city's residents. It was during the teeming metropolis with a population of over 10 million Neolithic period, some 6,000 years ago, that people started to people. Having had to overcome many difficulties over the live around the Han River, which is why many relics of this ages, from foreign invasions to the Japanese occupation to age have been found around the area. Amsa-dong the Ko rea n War and national division, Seoul is now Prehistoric Settlement Site at Gangdong-gu is the largest functioning as and playing the role of an international city group-housing site of the Neolithic period in Korea. During on a par with other prominent global cities. This has been this prehistoric age, people mostly dug deep pits in the done primarily on the strength of its rapid economic ground and built mud huts around them. Amsa-dong mud growth, referred to by many as "The miracle on the Han huts are located in a broad plane along the Han Ri ver. This River." Situated in the middle of the Korean peninsula, Seoul displays how the people at that time depended heavily on is 605.4 km', with the distance between its eastern and fishing. This hypothesis is supported by fishing nets, spears western boundaries spanning 36.78 km' and the distance between the northern and southern ones spanning 30.3 km '.

and other such items that have been excavated in the area. Upon the founding of the Joseon dynasty in 1392, the founding king, Taejo, or Yi Seonggye as he was known Seoul's population stood at just over 10 million as of the before hi s ascension to the th rone, wanted to move th e end of 2004. This means that 25% of Korea's population capital to Han yang (today's Seoul). After ca refully lives in Seoul, even though it represents only 6% of Korea's examining the topography of Hanyang, Chong To-jon and total land area. Seoul, which means "capital" in Korean, was other officials produced complete plans and blueprints on officially given its name in 1946, after liberation from how to build Jongmyo (royal ancestral shrines), Sajik-tan Japanese colonial rule in 1945. One other interesting fact (national altar to worship the gods of land and grain), about Seoul is that it is the only city in the world whose palace buildings, market places and road networks, all in meaning is "capital" and is actually the capital of a country. harmony with the surrounding environment.

18 Dynamic KO REA was ranked as the second most popular tourist destination in Seoul. Visiting Namsan's observation tower allows people to see all of Seoul and the surrounding areas in one panoramic view. There are many other must-see attractions in Seoul, including Dongdaemoon and Namdaemoon shopping districts; plenty of must-eat food, such as bulgogi, kimchi and bibimbop; and a great many must-see performances, including the traditional Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, a reenactment of the changing of the royal guards of the Joseon dynasty. There is also Nanta, a non-verbal performance of amazing rhythms that dramatizes customary Korean percussion in a strikingly Following the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910, Seoul comedic stage show, and the Insa-dong Festival, which was renamed Kyongsong, but it regained its name with features Korean musical instruments and regional dishes. liberation in 1945. In 1948, when the government of the Republic of Korea was established, Seoul was designated as its capital. The following year, Seoul was elevated to the status of a Special City and placed directly under the control of the central government. North Korea, on the other hand, designated Seoul as its constitutional capital and Pyeongyang as a temporary capital. For this reason, when the Korean War broke out in 1950, North and South Korea scrambled hard to have Seoul in their possession, reducing it to piles of debris as a result. At the end of the war, many who were part of the UN's forces thought that Seoul was Seoul's air transportation volume, a barometer of a city's nothing but a "poor and hopeless city." openness and globalization, has surpassed 10 million people. However, as social and economic conditions improved, The city's hosting of the Olympics in 1988 had a hugely Seoul was able to transform itself from a "horizontal city" positive impact on the way the rest of the world viewed into a "vertical city," with large numbers of tall buildings Seoul and its people. In addition, by successfully hosting the and skyscrapers. In addition, with an increasing number of Europe-Asia Meeting (ASEM), which brought together factories and businesses springing up, Seoul came to leaders from 26 European and Asian countries, Seoul function as the backbone of the country's economic secured an opportunity to grow into an international growth. convention city. In particular, Seoul has become more Gyeongbok Palace, the primary residence for the royal internationally known after it successfully co-hosted the family of the Joseon dynasty, was picked as people's 2002 World Cup of football with Japan, when fans and favorite tourist spot in a recent survey with foreign visitors members of the "Red Devils," the official fan club of the by the Seoul Metropolitan government. Gyeongbok Palace Korean national soccer team, flooded Seoul's City Hall plaza, is very special because it allows visitors to experience 500 the streets of Seoul, and other major cities in red clothing years of Joseon dynasty history in one place. whenever Korea played, proudly waving the national flag, Seoul Tower is located on top of Mt. Nam, or Namsan as Taegeukki. Koreans say, and is a major landmark in this capital city. It

Seoul, Truly A World-Closs City 19