Gangneung Travel Guide

Seongyojang is a simple yet grand Joseon-era noble residence in Gangneung, a large, well-preserved traditional upper-class hanok estate, archaic and dignified, a stately sight in Gangneung. Seongyojang House, located in Gangneung, is a simple, elegant, grand and exceptionally well-preserved estate of an upper-class Joseon-era noble (yangban) family, one of Korea's most representative, complete and impressive traditional upper-class hanok complexes. This grand estate belonged to a prominent yangban family, preserved for centuries (passed down and lived in to this day), retaining the grand, elegant and refined lifestyle of Joseon upper society, archaic, grand and dignified. The estate is large and well laid out, composed of numerous, well-arranged halls, rooms, wings and courtyards (the sarangchae for guests, the anchae for the family, the haengrang for servants, plus an ancestral shrine and a library), rigorously planned, archaic and grand, vividly showing the refined living and ritual culture of the yangban. Especially beautiful and famous is its picturesque pavilion by the water, Hwallaejeong: a simple, graceful traditional pavilion built beside a square lotus pond planted with lotus, its sweeping eaves reflected in the green water, beautiful, elegant and picturesque (especially stunning when lotuses bloom in summer). Strolling through this simple, grand and elegant estate, admiring the refined halls, the beautiful pond pavilion and gardens, one feels the archaic, grand and elegant traditional life and culture of the yangban, archaic and dignified (the estate also offers traditional hanok stays). A solemn historic home; please visit respectfully, courteously and protect the relics. A visit to Gangneung and its archaic, grand Seongyojang is a stately sight.

Ojukheon is a simple yet stately historic residence in Gangneung. One of Korea's oldest surviving wooden houses and the birthplace of historic figures, it is archaic and dignified, a stately sight in Gangneung. Ojukheon, located in Gangneung, is a simple, elegant, stately and culturally significant traditional residence (hanok), one of Korea's oldest existing wooden houses and an important historic and cultural site in Gangneung. This archaic residence has a very long history (built in the early Joseon Dynasty), simple, elegant and dignified. It is named Ojukheon for the unique black-stemmed bamboo (ojuk) growing in its garden. Its most dignified and respected aspect is that it nurtures the memory of two highly esteemed figures in Korean history: it is the family home and birthplace of Shin Saimdang (a Joseon-era female artist and virtuous mother, respected for her artistic talent and exemplary character, so revered as a model of wife and mother that her portrait appears on Korean currency), and the birthplace of her son Yi I (also known as Yulgok), a respected Confucian scholar whose portrait also appears on Korean currency. The residence thus honors the memory of this outstanding mother and son. Strolling through this simple, elegant, quiet and stately historic home, admiring its archaic halls, rooms and the unique black bamboo and green gardens, one recalls the deeds of Shin Saimdang and Yi I and the traditional virtues they represent, archaic and dignified (the residence also has a memorial hall). A solemn historic home; please visit respectfully, courteously and protect the relics. A visit to Gangneung and its archaic, stately Ojukheon is a stately sight.

Gyeongpodae and Gyeongpo Beach are a beautiful, famous lake-and-sea sight in Gangneung, where a pretty lake, an archaic pavilion and a long beach are lovely and pleasant, a beautiful sight in Gangneung. Gyeongpodae and Gyeongpo Beach form a beautiful, famous natural scene where lake and sea meet in Gangneung. Gyeongpodae is a simple, graceful traditional pavilion perched high overlooking the pretty Gyeongpo Lake, one of Korea's famous Eight Views of Gwandong (eight renowned coastal sights in eastern Korea); in the past scholars and poets climbed it to enjoy the scenery, the moon and compose verses. From the pavilion's railing you overlook the pretty, open, clear Gyeongpo Lake (a calm, mirror-like lake that gives the place its name), the lakeside hills and the distant sea, beautiful and pleasant (the pavilion is especially famed for moon-viewing, with a legend that here one can see several moons at once, in the sky, on the lake, in one's cup and in a lover's eyes, full of poetry). Beyond the lake by the sea stretches the beautiful, long, famous Gyeongpo Beach, a pretty, open, white sandy beach along the East Sea, a renowned swimming and seaside resort: the soft white sand, the open blue sea and the coastal pine forest make it a delightful spot for summer swimming and watching the magnificent sea sunrise. The pretty lake, archaic pavilion, long beach and open sea together form a beautiful, open, tranquil and pleasant lakeside-seaside scene. A visit to Gangneung and its beautiful Gyeongpodae and Gyeongpo Beach is a beautiful sight.