Gangneung, selected as the ‘Best Temple Stay’, what is the secret of this place? [여행의 기분]

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Dong-A Ilbo’s condensed travel news for this season. Check it out every week.

This week’s travel highlights

1. ‘The secret of the best temple stay, Heondeoksa Temple, is “Rest even if you have to force yourself to do so.”
A small temple in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Hyeondeoksa Temple is considered the best temple for temple stays even without cultural assets. It is located on the slope of Manwolsan Mountain in Odaesan Mountain, and has only two monks and small pavilions. Despite its simple facilities, it boasts a high level of satisfaction from participants and provides true rest. Experience true rest at this place, which contains the philosophy of the head monk, “Take a rest even if you have to force yourself.”

2. World-class graffiti works on display in Ulsan
The exhibition ‘From Bangucheon to Urban Art’ held at the Ulsan Museum of Art has been very popular, attracting 20,000 visitors in just 56 days since its opening. It is a chance to see works by world-renowned artists such as Jeff Koons and Shepard Fairey, as well as graffiti that started in New York in the 1970s. Come experience the charm of various street art at this exhibition that will be held until October 27.

3. Following the royal path, the path of elegance… Certification challenge with ‘National Heritage Passport’
The National Heritage Visitor Passport is emerging as a new travel trend. This special passport, which collects stamps by visiting 76 places in 10 courses across the country, has already become a must-have item for many. The 75,000 copies issued this year quickly sold out, and the additional stock was also quickly sold out. It is a new way to enjoy travel and history.

1. The secret to the ‘Best Temple Stay’ at Hyeonduksa Temple is “Force yourself to rest.”

▶You can view the full article by clicking the link below.
https://www.donga.com/news/Culture/article/all/20240827/126695564/2

A small temple with nothing like this is the best temple for temple stay?

The Hyeondeoksa Temple in Gangneung, Gangwon Province (head monk Hyeonjong, pictured), which I visited on the 10th of this month, is a small temple with only two monks, located on the slope of Manwolsan Mountain in the Odaesan Mountain range. It consists of the main hall, temple stay accommodations, a gongyanggan, and two small buildings, Geungnakjeon and Samseonggak, centered around a courtyard. Not to mention the cultural properties designated by the city or province, there is not even a single-pillar gate indicating the entrance to the temple.

But this temple, which is not worth seeing, received the highest grade (A) in the temple stay evaluation of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism last year, along with UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do; Daehwaeomsa Temple in Gurye, Jeollanam-do; Jingwansa Temple in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, which receives state guests; and Sudeoksa Temple in Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do, which has a thousand-year tradition… .

2. See world-class graffiti works in Ulsan

▶You can view the full article by clicking the link below.
https://www.donga.com/news/Society/article/all/20240826/126695052/3

“I’m glad that I can see the works of world-famous artists in Ulsan. The kids who came with me during the vacation are having fun too.”

According to the Ulsan Museum of Art on the 26th, the exhibition ‘From Bangucheon to Urban Art’ held at the Ulsan Museum of Art in Bukjeong-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, has been gaining popularity, surpassing 20,000 visitors on the 21st, 56 days after its opening. Urban art is street art that began with graffiti (murals) in the South Bronx area of ​​New York in the 1970s. Graffiti, which expresses letters or pictures with paint on large walls, has expanded its scope to include various performances and public art.

Park Ga-eun (42), who visited the exhibition on the 25th, said, “It was amazing to see in person the works of Jeff Koons and Shepard Fairey, whose names I had only heard of.” Her daughter Kim Da-eun (12), who came with Park, said, “There were videos showing how the artists created their works, and there were cartoon-like works, so it was fun.”

3. Following the royal path, the path of elegance… Certification challenge with ‘National Heritage Passport’

▶You can view the full article by clicking the link below.
https://www.donga.com/news/Culture/article/all/20240826/126678336/2

Kim Hyun-jin (34), a hanbok creator who visited Beopjusa Temple in Songnisan Mountain, Boeun-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do in June of this year while wearing a light green hanbok, stopped by the Beopjusa Temple self-experience zone and stamped his “National Heritage Visitor Passport.” He has collected 40 stamps so far. He posts videos on Instagram promoting the beauty of men’s hanbok and often visits historic sites that go well with hanbok, but stamping his National Heritage Visitor Passport stamps has become another pleasure. Kim said, “At first, I went there to take videos, but now collecting stamps from beautiful historic sites has become another goal.”

The National Heritage Visitor Passport is emerging as a ‘hot item’ that is not easily available these days. This virtual passport, which is made to be similar in size to an actual passport as part of the ‘National Heritage Visit Campaign’ jointly conducted by the National Heritage Administration and the National Heritage Promotion Agency, can be issued online and offline and stamped at 76 locations on 10 courses nationwide. Depending on the number of stamps, you can also receive products such as a passport case and a ready bag. If you stamp all 76 locations, you will be awarded a completion certificate and a crystal certification plaque. It was originally a simple stamp tour, but it has become more popular since the introduction of the passport in October 2022.

According to the National Heritage Promotion Agency, all 75,000 passports scheduled to be issued this year were sold out in the first half of the year. An additional 35,000 copies were produced, but even these quickly sold out. As of this month, 199 people have visited all 76 places listed on the passport. Choi Eun-jung, head of the regional cooperation team at the promotion agency, said, “The response was so hot that an average of 300 calls were made to the call center per day asking for new passports.”

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2024-08-28 20:55:39