Paju is emerging as a vacation destination where tired city dwellers can escape the heat and stress without having to travel long distances.
▶ Tongildongsan Tourism Special Zone, where a cutting-edge media art center and a traditional architectural component preservation center are located in one place
Among them, ‘Museum Hey’, which opened last month in the Tongildongsan Tourist Complex, is gaining popularity through word of mouth as a photo spot for families and the MZ generation to escape the heat.
Museum Hey is the largest media art exhibition hall in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, with a 10-meter high ceiling, a 70-meter-wide plaza that runs through the interior, and over 20 different media art techniques. In particular, you can feel the specialness of the lighting, music, and even the atmosphere-appropriate orchestration.
It will provide a new perspective on ‘media art’ with content that will satisfy both adults and children, and even an artist center that fosters new artists.
Another hidden tourist attraction in the Tongildongsan Tourist Special Zone is the ‘Traditional Architectural Elements Preservation Center’. The center, which was completed in 2017, has been open to the public for free since last year. The permanent exhibition hall features materials collected from architectural cultural heritage repair sites across the country and reproductions using carbonized materials from Sungnyemun, and the outdoor exhibition hall features the reconstruction of Ajaedang, known as the Sarangchae and office of Heungseon Daewongun, allowing visitors to experience traditional architecture.
Nearby are the National Folk Museum, Odusan Unification Observatory, Heyri Art Village, Matgoeul, Provence Village, cafes, etc., so you can enjoy culture, art, delicious restaurants, and desserts all at once.
▶ Gyeonggi Unique Venue ‘First Garden’, Korea Unique Venue Asia Publishing Culture Information Center’
Another special attraction is the ‘First Garden’. This is one of the 10 ‘Gyeonggi Unique Venues (unique conference venues)’ selected for the first time in Gyeonggi Province this year.
It is a cultural complex where you can enjoy various indoor and outdoor experiences, including a garden of about 20,000 pyeong, a restaurant, a wedding hall, and amusement facilities. The night view is especially beautiful.
For reference, the ‘Asia Publishing Culture Information Center’ in Paju Book City is one of the 52 Korea Unique Venues selected by the Korea Tourism Organization. It has a multipurpose hall, conference hall, event hall, and video exhibition hall, and the ‘Forest of Wisdom’ in particular is famous enough to be featured in various media.
▶ Local restaurants hidden in every corner, Gyeonggi Province’s oldest restaurant
Although it is not a tourist destination, there is a place that has been selected as a ‘Gyeonggi Old Restaurant’ by Gyeonggi Province starting in 2023. In 2023, ‘Yeonggwang Oil House’ and ‘Samsung Chicken’ in Beopwon-eup were selected, and this year, ‘Deokseongwon’ located in Geumchon was selected.
‘Yeonggwang Oil House’, located in Beopwon-eup, has been in operation for three generations in the same area for approximately 60 years since 1963, and uses sesame seeds grown by local elders.
The old restaurant ‘Samsung Tongdak’ in Beopwon-ri Jayu Market opened in 1983 and has been sticking to the same taste and the owner’s personal delivery for about 40 years. The owner’s deep intention to gain the trust of customers through hand-delivered food is hidden here.
Located on Geumchon Myeongdong-ro, ‘Deokseongwon’ is a Chinese restaurant that opened in 1954 and has been operated by four generations. It was also selected as a luxury store in 2019. It is a local restaurant that has been recognized by local residents for over 70 years. There are many tourist attractions and old stores hidden like jewels in Paju. I hope you enjoy finding them one by one.
Economy Queen Reporter Hongmi Kim / Photo Paju City
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2024-08-14 17:06:30