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Jeju Island will amaze you with
its beauty. The harmony of the mountains, ocean, the smaller
islands, and the beautiful beaches- all unique with different
sand colors and different hues of water- make Jeju an amazing
travel destination. The mysteries that you will discover in
Jeju are endless and every time you visit, there will be more
secrets to unlock and more places to experience. |
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Samda: Three
Abundance (Rocks, Wind, Women) |
"Three abundance" is a famous term that characterizes the three things which are abundant on Jeju. They are Seokda (rocks), Pungda (wind), and Yeoda (women). That's why they call Jeju Samdado: the island of three abundance. Seokda originated from the Mt. Halla volcanic activity of the past. People had to cultivate the land through a long process of clearing away the numerous rocks covering the land and then form the inlets for irrigation, then construct the walls for protection against wind. Seokda, tells of the harsh surroundings of Jeju. Jeju is located in the path of typhoons, so the islanders had to fight against the sea. The effect of Pungda and Seokda shows in Jeju life styles. Two examples are the thatched roofs of Jeju which are tied up with straw rope, and the fields surrounded by stone walls. Yeoda originated from the fact that most men of Jeju were lost at sea, which made women larger in number. Also, women had to come out to the fields with men due to the Jeju's living environment being harsh. Yeoda is a comment on population statistics, but moreover it is a metaphor for the diligent women of Jeju. The famous women-divers who fight against wild waves to catch fish are the very symbol of Jeju. |
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Sammu: Three
Non-Existence (Thief, Gate, Beggar) |
Sammu is the term meaning there are no thieves, gates or beggars on Jeju. From the old days, Islanders have made "diligence, thrift, interdependence" their virtues in order to pioneer the rough and harsh surroundings. So they didn't steal or beg, which led to the condition of having no use for fences or gates. Also, all the inhabitants were the descendants of Tamna, scholars who were banished due to their great will to keep their principles. Therefore they all valued their honor highly. They also knew everything about each other, which prohibited them from doing anything bad or dishonorable. So islanders led diligent, thrifty, and interdependent lives. They didn't need barriers. They only needed to leave a long log at the entrance of their homes to let the others know that the owner was out. |
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'Dolharubang'
means 'Stone Grandfather' |
A Dolharubang is a statue sculpted out of volcanic rock from Jeju that looks somewhat like a man or spirit guardian. Dolharubangs are found all over the island and come in all sizes, from ones that can be placed on one's desk to those larger than a human. Superstition says that touching its nose helps women give birth to a boy. So, many honeymooning couples can be seen lining up to do just so, each standing to either side to have their pictures taken with their hands on its nose.
Click here for more information on Jeju Island
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Korea is a country full of spirit
and surprises. Following its miraculous development over the
last 50 years, Korea is now a modernized vibrant nation that
still maintains its traditional culture.
The Korean Peninsula is located in North-East Asia. It
is bordered by the Amnok River (Yalu River) to the northwest,
separating Korea from China, and the Duman River (Tumen
River) to the northeast which separates Korea from both
China and Russia. The country itself is flanked by the Yellow
Sea to its west and the East Sea to the east. There are
several notable islands that surround the peninsula including
Jejudo, Ulleungdo and Dokdo. Because of its unique geographical
location, Korea is a very valuable piece of land and an
international hub of Asia.
Today Korea is making giant leaps towards the rest of the
world to be firmly anchored on the international map. |
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Four Distinct
Seasons |
Korea's climate is regarded as a continental
climate from a temperate standpoint and a monsoonal
climate from a precipitation standpoint. The climate
of Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons:
spring, summer, fall, and winter. |
Spring
Spring lasts from late March to May and is warm and
sunny. Various flowers, including the picturesque cherry
blossom, cover the nation's mountains and fields during
this time. |
Summer
Summer lasts from June to early September. It is a hot
and humid time of the year. By June the average temperature
is over 20°C(68°F) Monsoon rains usually begin around
the end of June and last until mid-to-late July. August
is hot and humid. |
Autumn
Autumn lasts from September to November, and produces
mild weather. October's vivid gold and vibrant reds
create a colorful panorama. It is the best season to
visit Korea. |
Winter
Winter lasts from December to mid-March. It can be bitterly
cold during this time due to the influx of cold Siberian
air. Heavy snow in the northern and eastern parts of
Korea makes for favorable skiing conditions. |
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National Flag |
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Korean flag is called "Taegeukgi" in
Korean. Its design symbolizes the principles of the
yin and yang in Oriental philosophy. The circle in the
center of Korean flag is divided into two equal parts.
The upper red section represents the proactive cosmic
forces of the yang. Conversely, the lower blue section
represents the responsive cosmic forces of the yin.
The two forces together embody the concepts of continual
movement, balance and harmony that characterize the
sphere of infinity. The circle is surrounded by four
trigrams, one in each corner. Each trigram symbolizes
one of the four universal elements: heaven ( ), earth ( ), fire( ), and water ( ). |
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Korean Alphabet-Hangul |
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Hangeul was invented in 1443, during
the reign of King Sejong. It is composed of 10 vowels
and 14 consonants. Hangeul has 11 complex vowels, 5
glottalized sounds, and 24 basic Hangeul letters. The
chart below represents the 24 Hangeul letters and their
romanized equivalents. The Hunminjeongeum, a historical
document which provides instructions to educate people
using Hangeul, is registered with UNESCO as World Documentary
Heritage. UNESCO awards a ‘King Sejong Literacy Prize',
every year in memory of the inventor of Hangeul. |
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Korean Food
- Kimchi & Bulgogi |
A diverse array of foods and dishes can
be found throughout Korea. Korea was once primarily
an agricultural nation, and Koreans cultivated rice
as their staple food since ancient times. These days
Korean cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of
wild greens and vegetables. Various fermented and preserved
foods, such as kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), jeotgal
(matured seafood with salt) and doenjang (fermented
soy bean paste) are notable for their unique flavor
and high nutritional value. The prominent feature of
a Korean table setting is that all dishes are served
at the same time. |
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Kimchi is a pungent, fermented dish generally
consisting of cabbage or turnip seasoned with salt,
garlic, green onions, ginger, red pepper and shellfish.
It is low in calories and cholesterol and very high
in fiber. It is also very nutritious. In fact, it is
richer in vitamins than apples. Had the individual who
coined the well-known saying "An apple a day keeps
the doctor away" been Korean, perhaps he would
have said "Some kimchi a day keeps the doctor away." |
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The word bulgogi is commonly translated
as Korean barbecue, though it literally means "fire
meat" as bul is "fire" or gogi is "meat".
Beef is most often identified with bulgogi, but even
pork, chicken, lamb, squid and octopus, for example,
can be cooked bulgogi style as bulgogi, like barbecue,
is a method of cooking. For the most common beef bulgogi,
thin slices of meat, usually tenderloin, are marinated
in a sauce made of soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic,
sesame seeds and other seasonings, and then cooked over
a charcoal grill, usually at the table. The grilled
beef slices can be eaten as it is or wrapped in lettuce
along with slices of fresh garlic and green pepper and
a dab of soybean paste, red pepper paste, or a mixture
of the two, all of which are rich in vitamins, minerals
and cancer-fighting substances. |
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Click here for more information
on Korea |
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