By Honorary Reporter Hyacinta Louisa from Indonesia

Photos= Hyacinta Louisa

I went to Korea for a month last year, from mid-October to mid-November, and took a solo trip to Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province, on Nov. 11. I rode a bus from Dongseoul Bus Terminal in Seoul to Gangneung Bus Terminal, paying KRW 15,600 for a one-way trip on a "business class" bus, which was quite comfortable.

It took about three hours to get to Gangneung. The weather was clear and sunny under a blue sky. When going on a solo trip, don't forget to bring a selfie stick or tripod to take a lot of photos. Buses in Gangneung don't come often, so I went to my first stop, Ojukheon House, from the terminal in a taxi for about KRW 4,000.

The house is where Shin Saimdang, a famous artist, and her son Yi Yulgok, a scholar and politician during the Joseon Dynasty, lived. Shin is on the KRW 50,000 bill and Yi on the KRW 5,000 bill.

The Folk Museum and Gangneung Municipal Museum are located within the sprawling Ojukheon compound. Admission to the home is KRW 3,000 and grants access to all of the attractions including the museums, which show a collection of Shin's works.

I walked to the next stop, Seongyojang House, the former residence of noble family patriarch Lee Nae-beon and his kin. It has all the features of a typical upper-class home of the Joseon period. Admission is KRW 5,000.

Seongyojang offers other interesting sites including Seongyojang House Museum, Daily Living Artifact Exhibition, Education Hall and the Folk Item Workshop. Accommodations for visitors are also available at the house.

So what foods is Gangneung famous for? Chodang sundubu (soft tofu) is one of them, so I went to Chodang Dubu Village by bus. Chodang sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) is a can't-miss food while in Gangneung, costing KRW 10,000 for a meal similar to the one seen in the picture.

Then came time for dessert. I walked through the village and found an ice cream store selling sundubu ice cream for KRW 3,500. It had a unique taste of being so soft, not really sweet and a bit savory.

I ate my ice cream while walking toward the highlight of my Gangneung solo trip: the beach. The eastern part of Korea has beaches with breathtaking views of the emerald-colored sea, especially in autumn. I visited Gangmun and Anmok beaches, and concluded my trip at a cafe in Anmok before heading back to Seoul by bus.

chaey0726@korea.kr


*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.