Friday, April 23, 2010

Discovering Daegu Metropolitan City Part 5

As we shall be only painting the town red tonight, I shall continue a bit with our sightseeing tour of Daegu before night falls.

Daegu Opera House

Perhaps tonight some of you may opt to watch a cultural performance at the Daegu Opera House as a means to while away the night. So I thought I’d tell you something about the Daegu Opera House. It is shaped like a grand piano, a venue capable of accommodating 1,500 people on its 4 floors and 2 basements. The building has been designed with the satisfaction of the audience in mind, that is, in a manner that effectively utilizes the venue's high quality acoustic facilities and virtual space, thus leaving the audience free to enjoy a unique musical experience. The exterior of the building is made of glass, which makes it possible for passersby to peer inside the lobby. Especially impressive is the building's illumination system, which is arrayed in a manner that attracts people from afar; and the lobby, which without being over-elegantly decorated, strikes visitors with its refined atmosphere. The Daegu Opera House, situated in the heart of the city, has become one of the city's landmarks by providing artists with a stage on which to display their work and audiences with easy access to high-quality performances. The Daegu Opera House is expected to become one of Korea's premiere performance hubs.

Or if you prefer, you could also go to the Daegu Culture and Art Hall’s theater for the performing arts, in Duryu Park, which I have already told you about, in my previous post, for a concert or an opera.

Daegu Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park in the Fall

The Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, Daegu, used to be a local administrative centre during the Chosun dynasty, where the administration of the Gyeongsang province was carried out. It was the first site of the Gyeongsang-gamyeong, or the office of the Governor of the Gyeongsang province, equipped in 1596, when it served as the center of administration, jurisdiction and military affairs in the Gyeongsang province.

Daegu Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park

The Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, Daegu, covers an area of 16, 000 square meters, and was the place where the Gyeongsangbukdo government building was located from 1910 to 1965. The park was built as the Jung-ang Park in 1970. In October 1997, the park was re-opened as the Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, Daegu, with various amenities, so as to preserve this historical place forever.

Daegu Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park 03

The Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, Daegu has various historical buildings scattered around the park. The gates are exquisitely made, and so are the ancient-style pavilions. Within the park are a green forest, many types of beautiful flowers, a clean wide grass lawn, a fountain, a number of peaceful and beautiful walks and a lot of benches where people can sit and relax.

Daegu Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park 01

Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park was the first site of Gyeongsang-gamyeong (Governor’s office of the Gyeongsang Province) that was moved to this location 400 years ago. The site was reconstructed as a park with various facilities for the purpose of preserving the historical location forever. Within the park are the Seonhwadang Hall, the former office building (Daegu Tangible Cultural Property #1) and the Jingcheonggak Hall, the former residence of the governor (Daegu Tangible Cultural Property #2). Its 27 Seonjeongbi steles explain the achievements of the past governors. Thanks to its easy access and its downtown location in Daegu, this park is loved and frequented by many citizens all the time.

If you recall, you may remember that I told you in my previous post about this Chinese General, Dusachung and his sons who had come to help fight in the Imjinwaeran in 1592, and how after the war, they had become naturalized citizens in Joseon and settled down in Daegu and were given a piece of land by the Joseon government. Also how they had to give up the land when the Governor’s office was shifted to Daegu. Well today the Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park is standing on that same piece of land.

Daegu Gukchae-bosang Memorial Park 01

Another park worth seeing is the Gukchae-bosang Memorial Park, located just east of downtown Daegu. The Gukchae-bosang Memorial Park was built to retain the spirit of the National Debt Repayment Movement, an expressive national movement that originated from Daegu in 1907. In this park, visitors will find some monuments in memory of local poets inscribed with their poems.

Daegu Memorial Park of National Debt Remuneration Movement

During the Japanese occupation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan maintained that Korea owed them a national debt, and once that debt was paid, Korea would become a sovereign nation. Daegu became a rallying point for what was called the Gukchae-bosang debt repayment movement where Koreans across the country donated anything of value to help repay the debt. The memorial park was built to commemorate the sacrifices that Koreans made in the hope to win their freedom.

Daegu Dalgubeol Grand Bell Building

Amongst the well-sculptured gardens and promenades, is the Dalgubeol Grand Bell, a popular attraction, particularly on New Year's Eve, when thousands of Koreans surround the ringing bell to celebrate the countdown to midnight. The bell is also rung every Saturday and Sunday at 3pm.

Sotdae

There is also a spot where you can find many Sotdae, or long wooden poles with one or more birds at the top.They were considered the medium between this world and the next. In Dangun mythology, sotdae became a passage by which the gods descended from heaven. As they were also erected at the entrance to villages, often alongside the jangseung, sotdae were treated as village guardians, as well as for protection from evil forces and natural disasters such as fire.

I wonder if I’ll have time to squeeze in a few festivals of Daegu before we go out tonight. Should be no problem I think since I’m just going to tell you about them and not ask you to participate in them.

Daegu Mt. Biseulsan Azalea Festival 01

Since it is April now, I shall start with the Mt. Biseulsan Azalea Festival because the Azalea Festival is usually held between April and May when the azaleas are at the peak of their bloom. So if you would like to participate in this festival you still can catch it.

Situated in Yuga-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu Mt. Biseulsan Daegu is regarded as one of the most popular tourist spot in Daegu, South Korea. The mountain peak consists of the twin peaks of Johwabong and Gwangibong which are the chief attractions of the region. Another attractive aspect of the mountain is the 100ha odd of the Korean Azalea community.

A panoramic view of the mountain gives the magnificent picture of the ‘peak on fire’. The mountain is covered with red colored vegetation which creates an illusion of being the fire of the mountain itself. The different ridges of the mountain make the view of the place even mre attractive with the thick cover of vegetation over it. The Mt. Biseulsan Daegu is all covered with coniferous forests up to the 5th line of the mountain ridge. The presence of unique rocks, broadleaf trees and other natural wonders till the 6th to 9th lines of the mountain ridge adds diverse dimension to the beauty of the peak.

The Eulalia community which has cropped up at the highlands of the mountain ridges is also a noticeable entity at the Mt. Biseulsan, Daegu. The different temples built in and around the mountain peak makes some exciting visits for the travelers and the hikers as well.

On a highland over an altitude of 1,000 meter grow large groups of azalea flowers in a large area of 300,000 Korean pyeong (1 pyeong = 3.954 sq. yds) in Biseulsan Mountains. The main events include a reciting contest of azalea poems, a drum dance performance, a climbing contest and Korean folk games.

Daegu Dalgubeol Festival 

Dalgubeol Festival commemorates Daegu's rise in status to a metropolitan city on September 1, 1981. This festival consists of a variety of events for citizens, traditional or contemporary. Held between late September and early October every year. Some events change from year to year to ensure a variety, but visitors can always expect such traditional favorites as bullfighting, great food, art exhibitions and textile fashion shows in downtown, in Duryu Park, and at Daegu Culture & Arts Center. Other highlights include dance parades, Korean folk song & music performances, and traditional cuisine cafes.

Daegu Yangnyeongsi Festival

Yangnyeongsi Festival is an oriental medicine festival that retains the 350 year tradition of Korean herbal medicine in Daegu Yangnyeongsi (Medicine Market). Yangnyeongsi Festival is held every May in Yakjeon-golmok Street and the Yangnyeongsi Exhibition Hall there. Yakjeon-golmok Street is located in Namseong-dong, Jung-gu on the opposite side of Jungang Police Box. This 700 meter long street is totally occupied by medicinal herb wholesalers, Oriental medicine pharmacies, acupuncturists' clinics, medical instrument stores and other related facilities. Yangnyeongsi Market and Yakjeon-golmok Street were originated from Daegu Medicinal Herb Fair that used to be held in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) from the 16th century. The market used to be an important supplier of medicinal herb to China, Manchuria, and Russia from the mid-Joseon period.

Daegu Yakjeon-golmok Street

Along the Street of Yakjeon-golmok, visitors can experience medicinal herb cares and purchase first-class medicines at lower prices.

Daegu Yangnyeongsi Festival 02

Daegu Yangnyeongsi Festival 01

Particularly, during the festival, they can find herb flower gardens, galleries of Oriental medicine equipments and competitions on chopping dried medicinal herb, etc. Additionally visitors can enjoy medicinal herb teas, liquors and rice cakes and other traditional foods featuring medicinal ingredients.

Daegu being a well-known city of textile fashion, and aspiring to develop itself as a world leading textile-producing city with fashion styles to rival Milan, holds fashion festivals during the year, like the Textile & Fashion Festival and Preview in Daegu.

Daegu Textile & Fashion Festival 01

The Textile & Fashion Festival is held semi-annually in May and October to promote the best quality Daegu textiles.

Daegu Textile & Fashion Festival 03

Textile Festival was initiated as a sub-plan of the municipal master plan “Milano Project." The festival originally aims to introduce Daegu as a large textile production place to the world, held twice a year, in spring and autumn. The spring festival consists a part of Preview In Daegu (Daegu's annual international textile fair) and the autumn festival is held during the same period with Dalgubeol Festival. Main programs of Textile Festival include a sewing competition, an textile design contests, a swim wear show, a Korean traditional costume (Hanbok) exhibition, a traditional embroidery exhibition, etc. Fashion Center Korea and Daegu Culture & Arts Center are the main venues for the festival. During the festival, the city government invites overseas buyers to promote the export of local textile products.

Preview in Daegu

PREVIEW IN DAEGU is an international textile fair held annually in March. Its purpose is to showcase upcoming fashion trends for both citizens and enterprises. The fair includes seminars and symposiums on fashion trends and textile technologies, textile and fashion design contests, fashion shows in various themes, and fashion exhibitions. PID presents the following year's spring/summer trends, while Preview In SEOUL displays the following year's fall/winter trends.

Daegu Palgong Goryeo Cultural Festival 01

The Palgong Goryeo Cultural Festival is aimed at inheriting the passion of Korea's Three Kingdoms in the 10th century, towards the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

According to history, the pioneer tribe in Daegu was called  Dalgubeol and they thrived in the hilly grounds of the city. It was also by this name that Daegu was known by in the olden times. They initially occupied the lower hills and to defend themselves from any invasion by other nearby tribes they built walls made of earth mounds surrounding their residential area.

It was said that during ancient times, people flocked to Daegu due to its abundant natural resources. The place was surrounded by two rivers called the Geumhogang River and its tributary the Sincheon River, which produced very productive fields due to the fertile soil there. Various ancient pots made of stone and knives  were discovered in Daegu that indicated the existence of inhabitants in the prehistoric period.

The three kingdoms namely Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla were known to exist in Daegu. It was in this region that the famous battle called the "Dongsudaejeon" was fought by these kingdoms as the place was a significant, strategic point for each of them. During the war, a general named Shin Sung-gyeom of the Silla kingdom was made famous by saving the life of "Wang-geon", King of the Goryeo Kingdom fighting against the attacks of the Baekje army, when the Kingdom of Goryeo came to the aid of the Silla Kingdom.

A dramatic event happened when Wang-geon was on the verge of being killed in the Dongsu battlefield. General Shin came to the rescue by disguising himself as the King, by wearing the King's helmet while running away thus attracting the soldiers of Baekje to chase after him leaving the real King out of harm’s way and was able to get back to his kingdom safely by wearing a soldier's uniform. After some time, Wang-geon was able to achieve his goal in unifying the three kingdoms leading to a new era in the history of Korea, establishing the Goryeo Dynasty.

The Joseon Dynasty followed in 1392 after the successful reign of the Goryeo. During this time, the population in Daegu continued to grow and the region developed into an agricultural capital in the province of Gyeongsang. It was also during this time that Daegu improved their educational policies with the introduction of Confucianism from China.

Scenes of the famous battle"Dongsudaejeon" are closely re-enacted and historical plays are performed by citizen actors and actresses during this festival. The festival consists of other environmental reports, a teenagers' festival and sales of local specialties. Dong-gu District Office hosts this festival every October and Dong-gu Palgong Cultural Center is in charge of organizing specific programs for the festival. The memorial to General Shin Sung-gyeom and the Geumhogang River Ecology Park are the two venues for major events during this festival.

Daegu Dalseong Chunghyoje

The Dalseong Chunghyoje festival awakens the spirit of loyalty and filial piety in the minds of the youth in order to pass down good traditions to the next generation.
Daegu is a traditionally well-known city for its people who are loyal to the country and respect their seniors and the aged.
Chunghyoje is held in Dalseong-gun Community Stadium every October. Feasts for the aged, performances by farmers' band and various cultural exhibitions make this festival as rich as the autumnal crop of the season.

Daegu Bongsan Fine Art Festival

The Bongsan Fine Art Festival is held along Bongsan Culture and Art Street for 12 days in the middle of October every year. During the festival, galleries standing along this street present various exhibitions and seminars on fine art. They prepare other diverse activities, including great road paintings, body paintings and installation arts. Visitors can join in creating art works themselves in the street.

Finally, I’d like to introduce you to a few hot springs and spas because they can help relieve your stress and fatigue, after which you’ll be in great shape to dance the whole night away.

For hundreds of years Koreans have enjoyed visiting hot springs. Korea’s hot spring resorts are equipped with the latest beauty and spa facilities. Visiting a hot springs resort isn’t just about relaxing. At some of Korea’s resorts you can enjoy the thrills of wave pools and waterslides in the hot spring's warm waters. Have fun and improve your health all at the same time.

Daegu Mt. Palgongsan Hot Spring Hotel

The Mt. Palgongsan Hot Spring Hotel is an alkaline, sodium carbonate hot spring. The hotel is equipped with an open-air hot spring, the largest in the nation, and other facilities for relieving fatigue To prevent stress and disease of the adult, the newly renovated public spa opened for the first time in this country. In the private bath, you can enjoy the diverse experience of a herb bath by way of selected menu.

Daegu Sangdae Hot Spring

The famous Sangdae Hot Spring in Daegu has alkaline water, containing 2,500 kinds of minerals. Due to its rich mineral component the water from this hot spring is used for several therapeutic purposes, including the treatment of such ailments as stomach ache, rheumatism and skin disease. That apart it is also used in the manufacturing of several beauty products as well, as the minerals found in this water have a rejuvenating effect on the skin. The water temperature is 36oC almost the same temperature as that of the human body. The Sangdae Hot Spring area is also known as the Hot Rock Spring or Hot Water Valley since ancient times. With the curative powers of the hot spring coming to the knowledge of the people, a spa was commercially developed here in 1982.

Daegu Yongam Hot Spring

The Yongam Hot Spring, Daegu located at Samsin-ri, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is a popular attraction. Apart from it being a major tourist destination the good quality water of the Yongam Hot Spring, Daegu that comes out from an underground layer some 850m below the land surface, has also earned a reputation for its curative properties. The main constituent parts of this hot spring’s water are germanium and sulfur, which are known to have medicinal value for treatment of such ailments such as arthritis, asthma, stomachache, anemia, rheumatism, etc.

For those of you who would like to benefit from the restorative powers of the water of the Yongam Hot Spring, Daegu, you can enjoy the spas treatment offered there. This spa contains germanium, also known as the magic stone, 15 to 30 times more than the average of other spas.

Daegu Spa Valley 01

Daegu Spa Valley is close to Daegu, so Spa Valley is considered to be a resort in the city. It offers a good recreational course for families on weekends. Hot baths can be enjoyed at various hot spring facilities, such as an open-air bath and a big bath which uses mineral waters including the element germanium. Other facilities, such as a sports massage room and a skin care room, are also on hand for customers' use. State-of-the-art health-related facilities are well matched with the surrounding nature. Spa Valley first opened in 2003 and the citizens of Daegu City have been enjoying its hot springs and sauna facilities ever since.

Daegu Spa Valley 02

The 1st floor of Spa Valley holds a health club, souvenir shop, and various stores, while the 2nd floor has a variety of hot spring pools and a jjimjilbang. The hot spring pools include a bath pool that is said to be good for your health and a kids’ pool for the children, while the jjimjilbang facilities include the UK-Ball Jjimjilbang, proven to be beneficial for skincare and blood circulation, and a jjimjilbang cave.
The 4th floor provides a large hot springs spa where visitors can enjoy various themed saunas and hot springs.

Daegu Spa Valley 03

The outdoor water park offers a wave pool, youth pool, waterslide, a water polo pool, diving pool, and more.

Now that you are refreshed and recharged, are you ready for some fine dining, nightclubbing and bar hopping all over Daegu? I know you guys who are night-clubbers or bar hoppers must be impatient to try out the scenario here in Daegu. Don’t you worry Daegu has plenty of bars, noraebangs and other hotspots. The same rule applies as  with shopping, if you got the money you’ll never die of thirst! It’s a matter of how long the money will last.

1st Shop of Coffee Prince

Daegu, like the rest of Korea, is crazy over coffee. Did you watch the drama 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, it’s a nice story with a coffee shop background? I know some people who must have a cup of coffee after a meal. Getting a cappucino, expresso, or latte can be found with ease. You'll see little coffee vending machines everywhere that spit out 300won cups of coffee, but if you want the gourmet stuff, there are 6 Starbucks' in the city. Coffee shops in Daegu can be broken down into the gourmet places like Starbucks and Hollys Coffee, but there are also loads of random cafes and dabangs dotting the urban landscape.

Nightlife in Daegu, can come in many forms. Fine dining in Italian restaurants run by world class chefs, losing your cultural bearings in a salsa/merengue club, or watching a performance at the Opera House, catching a movie in a theater or DVD bang, washing down samgyupsal with soju at a local BBQ restaurant, losing your voice in a noraebang, bar-hopping (not just a Western habit, the Koreans do it too,) getting lost in the blaring noise and frenzy of a sprawling booking club, realizing how easy your originally planned 5 minutes of fun stretched into an hour in an orakshil, or even just being low-key like going bowling or hanging out at a board-game cafe.

There's certainly something for everyone which can be found in virtually every nook and corner of the city. However, there are certain areas of Daegu that are more nightlife-oriented than others and both Koreans and foreigners flock to them. As with the rest of Korea, the commercial districts outside of universities are always a guarantee to find all kinds of action. But the following are the main centers of activity:

Daegu The nightlife district across from Kyungdae.

About a 15 minute drive northeast of the downtown core is what locals call Kyungdae. This is the north gate of Kyungpook National University. The vibrant Kyungdae nightlife district just outside of the north gate is a big draw for young Koreans from all over the city. This area is packed with bars, nightclubs, restaurants, PC bangs, and DVD bangs. University nightlife districts are not only known for their young atmosphere, but also for having inexpensive restaurants that cater to the budgets of students. So a good night can be had and at a relatively cheaper price, as compared to the other nightlife districts.

Daegu shooting gallery

Don't forget to visit the shooting gallery in the heart of the district. A visit to the area can't be complete without stopping by the pellet gun shooting gallery, located just down the hill.

I can offer you recommendations for restaurants and bars but I can’t promise you that they will still be there tomorrow because they seem to open and shut down at such a fast pace, it’s difficult to keep track.

Daegu Tiamo   Daegu Indo Bangrangi

Kyungdae cafes and restaurants include Gobul,(fusion) Hunny Dog, (kebabs and hot dogs) Indo Bangrangi, (Indian) Nonna's,(Italian) Marie, Maya,(Indian and Nepalese) Pastario,(Italian) Steff Hotdog,(13 outlets in Daegu) and Tiamo (Italian).
Daegu Bar Mo Mo   Daegu ELXSON
Kyungdae bars and clubs include Bar Mo Mo, ELXSON, and Umber.

The following are some of the other active nightlife districts:

  • Dongseongno and Academy Cinema districts
  • Jisan, Suseong, and Deurangil districts
  • Siji district
  • Seongseo and Keimyung University districts
  • Kyungpook University district
  • The Camps

    Daegu has many popular areas for dining, however, the downtown core consisting of the Rodeo area in eastern downtown and the Dongseongno area on the west side , possess the highest concentration of restaurants and nightlife.

    Daegu Samdeok Fire Station and Rodeo Street district

    The area around Samdeok Fire Station in downtown Daegu has traditionally been an area that foreigners tend to congregate at. On any given night, but particularly on the weekends, this area is alive with Koreans and foreigners looking to party it up at the clubs, relax in lounges, or dine in the numerous cafes and restaurants of varying world cuisine.It's renowned for not only its expat hangouts, but also the high turnover rate that they have over the years. It seems like every year, 2-3 new bars would come onto the scene, while 2-3 would close or change ownership/name/theme, etc...Ask any long-term expat in Daegu about Samdeok bar history and you'll hear fond memories of former haunts like Gypsy Rock, Funkaholic, Kiss Me, Rock and Roll, Head Bing Bing, Ping, Mojo's, etc...Although many new foreign bars and western restaurants tend to come and go like the tide, there is always lots of Korean and foreign activity in the area and usually something for all tastes. A particular hotbed of activity is Rodeo Street which is the small street that runs north/south through the area and is home to most bars that are frequented by foreigners. If entering downtown from the fire station, take either your first left or first right and you'll find yourself on this street.

    So you’ll have to excuse me if some of my recommendations are out of date. I also got it from somewhere else.

    Samdeok cafes and restaurants include 2nd, Berkeley, Billibow, Burnham's Burgers, Cafe 5, Cafe Forest, Cafe Francesco, Cafe Kori, Cepheus, Dijon, Dim Sum, Gobul (2-28 Park), Gobul (Samdeok), Into, Italy & Italy, Jin's, Kraze Burger, Le Petite France, Mies Container, Olive Garden, Pan-house, Pepper Mill, Rama and Bavana, Road to India, The Holy Grill, Tteulerae, Yo! Chicken Festival and Oriental Bar

    Some of the Samdeok bars and clubs you can go to are AU, Babalu, Basil, Billibow, Caribe, Club Anna, Club Bubble, Club G2, Commune Lonely Hearts Club, Club Frog, Club Monkey, Club That, Flower Garden, Gibson, Itaewon Crew Bar, Julliard, Martini, Metro, Mies Container, Munchen, Old Blue, Old Skool, Organ Bar, Sokong, Sweet Tree, The Corner, Thunderbird and Wes.

    Daegu near Burger King on Dongseongno.

    The West side of Daegu where Dongseongno resides, is certainly no slouch, either. Restaurants and shopping in abundance and a different movie theater on seemingly every corner, it possesses some notable landmarks and areas. Dongseongno is the unmistakably busy street running north-south through the heart of downtown. Jungangno Station is very close and has exits opening up to the different cinemas and streets in the area. One area that's a famous rendezvous point for foreigners is in front of Academy Cinema, just south of the station.

    Dongseongno has its fair share of cafes and restaurants too, like Basilia, Bennigan's, Burger King, Dim Sum, Fresh Italy, Gobul (Academy), Gobul (Dongseongno), Hoeseon Sushi990, Jamie Oliver, KFC, Leo Chow, Little Italya, Lotteria, McDonald's, New York Pizza, Outback, Pan-house, Papa Johns, Papparoti, Pastario, Road to India, Seven Frypan, Spabi, Tiamo and Wild Sushi.

    As for the bars and clubs you can always go to Gibson, Itaewon Crew Bar, Old Blue and Old Skool.

    Dongseongno notable Movie Theaters are:

    Suseong-gu is the most expensive ward in Daegu and as one might expect, you are able to find loads of high class restaurants and clubs in the area. Most notable is the wide restaurant street of Deurangil, which is full of expensive restaurants. Just south of that street and along the road parallel to Suseong Lake, is another restaurant strip that has a mixture of Korean, Chinese, Western, and ethnic restaurants. Just east of Suseong Lake is another popular area for restaurants and noraebangs.

    Jisan, Suseong and Deurangil cafes and restaurants include Bizantium, Capital, Freshia, Hwangto Duck, Il Sole, (Italian) New York, New York, (popular steak restaurant) Pastel, Piatto, Suseong Air Park, (steak and seafood) Sushi990, (Japanese sushi take-out franchise) Table 13, (steak) Vincent, Yongjibong

    Daegu Ariana Brau

    Ariana Brau is a popular brew pub in the basement of Ariana Hotel in Suseong-gu. In addition to having on-site brewing facilities and serving all kinds of German ales, they have live bands and offer a broad menu, ranging from Korean anju to nachos and chicken.

    Penthouse is a jazz restaurant and bar in south Daegu, which serves Guinness on tap.

    In East Daegu, is the under-rated Siji district, home to a loyal concentration of foreigner hangouts, just east of Sinmae Station. The Siji district of Daegu technically refers to a small area called Siji-dong, however, many foreigners refer to the east side of Daegu's Subway Line 2, as being Siji. The Siji area has many hagwons and is near some outlying universities in the Gyeongsan area, so there are concentrations of English teachers here. The foreign contingent hangs out in a variety of local bars. The most popular foreign hangout, In My Memory closed in April 2009. Wa Bar, across from E-mart and around the corner from Outback is one of the more common foreign hangouts. There are also many hot bars in the area by the basketball courts, notably Odyssey and Long Life Bar, which foreigners frequent.

    In western Daegu along Line 2 of the Daegu subway, there are numerous areas that are good areas for shopping, dining, and nightlife, however, the most notable is the area of Seongseo around the east gate of Keimyung University, as well as the main gate area. Keimyung cafes and restaurants include Gobul, Gusto, Olive, Pak-Asian, Tiamo and Viva.

    At the foot of Apsan and about 15-20 minutes south of downtown, one can start seeing a lot more US army personnel. Daegu has 3 army bases in this area, Camp Walker, Camp Henry and Camp George, all located near each other in southern Daegu, Camp Walker being the biggest. Although George is quieter, as its mostly an installation for military housing and the American school, Walker and Henry have the most active areas on and outside of the base. Although the nightlife in the area has quieted down compared to days of old, there are still some hold-outs that make the scene.

  • And with this I bid you good night or rather good morning. Until we meet again……

    Special thanks and appreciation to the following:
    Photos and articles © courtesy

    http://english.daegu.go.kr

    http://wiki.galbijim.com/KyungpookUniversity_district

    http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/taegu/177

    http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/

    http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/south-korea/daegu

    sri2006.postech.ac.kr

     

    Saturday, April 17, 2010

    Discovering Daegu Metropolitan City Part 4

    So, is everyone happy with the purchases you made on our day out shopping? There are still a lot of places in Daegu that we haven’t been to yet and that’s where we heading for today.

    Daegu Yuksinsa Shrine

    First stop is the Yuksinsa Shrine. Six loyal royal officers and all their family members were killed because the six officers were staunch supporters of the child King Danjong who was dethroned in 1455, usurped by his uncle. The officers were Park Paeng-nyeon, Seong Sam-mun, Lee Gae, Yu Seong-won, Ha Wi-ji, and Yu Eung-bu. In that persecution only one blood descendent survived the massacre. The man was Park Il-san who was a grandson of Park Paeng-nyeon, one of the six officers.
    His descendants have built Yuksinsa in Myo-ri Village and every year have dedicated memorial tributes to them. Ground breaking for the shrine started in 1972 and it was only completed in 1981. The shrine is composed of three buildings: Oesammun (the outer triple gate), Samchunggak (the three-storey tower), and Sungjeoldang or Shrine. Notable are the hexagonal stone stele and the Taegojeong Pavilion. The stele keeps the deeds of the six officers as inscribed records.

    Daegu Taegojeong 01

    The Taegojeong Pavilion was built by Park Il-san and has been designated as Treasure #554.

    Daegu Taegojeong 03

    It was originally built in 1479 by Park Ilsan, grandson of Park Paengnyeon, But it was reconstructed in 1614, during the reign of King Gwanghaegun, as it was partially burnt down during the 1592 Japanese Invasion. Also called Ilsiru, the pavilion stands on a square base and measures 99 square meters. There is a hanging board carved with a Chinese poem written by Yun Dusu, along with the tablet inscribed "Seonmugwan" in the pavilion.

    Daegu Taegojeong 04

    This building is not so large but its furniture and detailed workmanship skills are highly regarded as the important cultural asset.

    Habin-myeon area occupies a basin area of the Nakdong River. This place is not that well known but it is a hidden attraction. Panoramic scenery is spread along the shore of the river. Hamokjeong Pavilion is situated in one of such places. On the way to Seongju County, stop just before crossing the river at Seongju Bridge, walk down towards the river bank and you will see the pavilion.

    Daegu Hamokjeong Pavilion in Dalseong 02

    Dalseonghamokjeong(Hamokjeong Pavilion in Dalseong) Hasan-ri, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Tangible Cultural Properties  #36 was built in 1604, by Magistrate Lee/Yi Jongmun, who commanded a volunteer force during the Japanese Invasion(1592-98). The calligraphy on its signboard was done by King Injo, who once came to the pavilion before his ascension to the throne. He was so attracted to it that he endowed it with the name Hamokjeong.

    Daegu Hamokjeong Pavilion in Dalseong 

    At that time, no extension rafters were allowed for private homes and pavilions. But Hamokjeong was allowed extension rafters at the end of eaves with the special permission of King Injo. In an unusual T-shape, the pavilion has a gabled roof featuring eaves bent in a fan-like curve. Framed poems by Kim Myeongseok, Nam Yongik and other poets are hung inside the pavilion.

    Daegu Maegok Water Purifying plant

    Daegu Maegok Water Purifying plant 02

    The Maegok Water Purifying plant is the water supplier for Daegu and is equipped with high-degree water filtration facilities that can handle 800,000 tons of water a day. By acquiring the ISO14001 international environment evaluation from BSI, England, acknowledging its strict water quality inspection system, the plant supplies clean water to visitors and Daegu citizens.

    Daegu is a well-known city of textile fashion, and the city has launched the Milan Project to develop itself as a world leading textile-producing city with fashion styles to rival Milan’s fashion sense and the quality to compete with Germany’s technology. Appropriately, the Korea Textile Development Institute, Korea Sewing Technology Institute, Korea Textile Machinery Research Institute, Korea Optical Industry Support Center, and other government research institutes are centered in this region. Daegu continues to develop Nano-textiles, micro fibers and smart textiles, digital dye procedures, fashion designs, textile machineries and other high-value added products. Daegu plans to nurture textile experts so that it will become the only city in Korea specializing in textile fashion.

    Daegu Korea Textile Development Institute 

    The Korea Textile Development Institute is a nonprofit organization for contributing to development of the textile industry, established as the Civil Production Technology Research Institute in accordance with the Law for industry and Energy Technology Foundation Building.

    It was established as a specialized production technology research institute to contribute to advancing the textile industrial structure and improving the international competitiveness through production technology development and textile technical human resources development (Act on the Establishment of Industrial Technology Foundation , Article 18).

    Daegu Duryu Park

    The Duryu Park, Daegu, in Seongdang-dong covers over 40 acres. It has facilities for many sports, recreational, and cultural activities, the most popular are the lake and fountain. Every day the park is full of Daegu citizens, enjoying the scenery and taking a break from their hectic lives.The park can be easily found due to its close proximity to Daegu Tower, in the Woobang Tower Land Amusement Park, just beside it.

    Daegu Duryu Park

    Duryu Park, Daegu is perhaps what you might call, Daegu’s answer to Seoul’s Olympic Park. Daegu has certainly gone all out in the construction of this enormous park, with its buildings, athletics facilities and hiking trails.

    Daegu Culture and Art Hall 02 

    Around the lake is the wide plaza of the Daegu Culture and Art Hall which comprises of a theater for performing arts and galleries for hosting exhibitions and events and outdoor performance spaces.

    Daegu Culture and Art Hall 01

    Established in 1991, the Daegu Culture and Art Hall, has one of the largest areas for culture-related activities in Daegu. The Art Hall has a large theater, a smaller theater, international conference hall, outdoor performance hall, and art museum, arranged to form a honeycomb pattern. Each month, the facilities are used to hold various cultural performances, concerts, exhibitions, and operas. In the summer months a number of outdoor performances are held inside the park. Daegu Culture & Arts Center, Daegu has gone a long way in promoting local cultural development.

    Daegu Kolon Outdoor Music Hall

    The Kolon Outdoor Concert Hall, Daegu is a popular place as well as a suitable concert venue. It started operations on 29th September, 2000. More or less 30,000 people can enjoy various performances such as plays, musicals, operas, etc. at this 33,058 square meter lawn plaza. Kolon Outdoor Concert Hall, Daegu is a great place, for enjoying performances and to chill out. This hall provides visitors the opportunities to enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Daegu as well as South Korea. Kolon Co. Ltd. donated this hall to the City of Daegu with the purpose of enhancing the local culture.

    Performing Hours of Kolon Outdoor Concert Hall, Daegu
      -   From 8 am to 12 noon
      -   From 1 pm to 5 pm
      -   From 6 pm to 10 pm.

    In case you lose your bearings you can always seek assistance at the Daegu Tourist Information Center here. There’s a monument of the Daegu Citizens' Charter which was erected in October 1977 inside the park. There’s even a public library in case you want something to read. The parking area inside the Duryu Park, Daegu has a parking lot where roller blades and skates can be rented. There is a beautiful lake inside the Duryu Park, Daegu where one can spend a lazy afternoon. Besides, roller blade skating and hiking, one can play baseball, tennis, and even swim at this park. Duryu Park, Daegu also houses a multi–purpose stadium which is mostly used for conducting football matches. The stadium can accommodate 32,500 people.

    Daegu  Woobang Tower Land amusement park

    Since we are already at the Duryu Park we might as well go to the Woobang Tower Land Amusement Park which is just next door to it.

    Daegu  Woobang Tower Land amusement park 01

    Daegu-Woobang Tower Land, is a beautiful amusement park in Daegu which can boast of having a beautiful landscape. The Woobang Tower Land, Daegu is an ideal destination for both children as well as adults. The kids can enjoy the great variety of joy rides, compulsive shoppers can drop-in the shops and see the latest items hitting the shelves. The foodies can also take heart as there are a number of restaurants which offer mouth watering international cuisines. In a nut shell visitors to the Woobang Tower Land, Daegu can never fall short of choices and can experience a lot of thrill and excitement in the play area. Another popular attraction of the Woobang Tower Land, Daegu is the Daegu Tower which stands on the top of Woobang Tower Land.

    Daegu Woobang Tower,

    The Woobang Tower, constructed by Woobang Corporation, is a tower that is 202m in height and rises 312m above sea level. The tower is the nation's largest observation tower. Construction on the tower began in December 1984 in commemoration of the rise of Daegu to a cosmopolitan city, and it opened in January 1992. With a body similar to the form of the Dabo tower, the famous Korean traditional tower, the tower realizes the stability and the beauty of Korean traditional architecture.

    It has a sky lounge cocktail bar and a restaurant that revolves around the tower's base, giving diners a panoramic view of the entire city. Other restaurants include a cafeteria, Korean restaurant, and Western-style barbecue. Woobang Tower Land has regularly scheduled events each season. During the winter, people enjoy a snow sleigh. During the spring, visitors can observe the flower festival in the gardens. During the summer and fall, the park offers many performances, concerts, and exhibitions. The Tower Skyway (cable car) travels across the entire park, allowing visitors to get a bird's eye view of all the park's rides an shows.

    Daegu  Woobang Tower Land amusement park 02

    The Woobang Tower Land opened in March 1995, as a European-style urban park, decorated with waterfalls, illumination, and flowers, featuring amusement rides, exhibition spaces, and clean restaurants that people of all ages can enjoy.

    Daegu  Woobang Tower Land amusement park 03

    The total park area is 406,000m², and its facilities include six squares (each square has a particular theme), 31 amusement rides (Boomerang and Coasta etc.) and four cultural facilities, it also has three performance halls (main performance hall, young town, outdoor stage in the lawn square), two exhibition halls (Ghost house, Super cinema), and two sports facilities (Lawn sleigh, Snow sleigh).

    The landscape consists of three artificial ponds, two fountains, one large-scale waterfall, a flower garden (flowering plants such as tulips, roses, and chrysanthemums), and 50,000 trees, including zelkova trees and pine trees.

    How about going to a couple of museums next? Since we are in Daegu it’s only natural that we visit the National Museum of Daegu.

    Daegu National Museum

    Inaugurated on December 7th 1994, the Daegu National Museum houses approximately 30,000 artifacts of art and archaeology. With its three permanent exhibition rooms (one each for archaeology, art, and traditional life), the museum presents the visitor with the opportunity to explore objects from the prehistoric to the historic period. The main collections focus on the material culture from Daegu, and from the western and northern parts of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

    Archaeology Gallery is designed to show various archaeological objects from the Daegu region and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Ranging from the Neolithic to the Three Kingdoms Period, the gallery displays objects from the prehistoric to the present. With the exhibits, visitors will experience the ancient people's life style at a glance.

    Art History Gallery is all about:-

    · The Buddhist Culture of Daegu and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province

    · Buddhist Sculpture of Korea

    · Buddha Statues

    · Buddhist Crafts

    · Goryeo Celadon

    · Buncheong Ware

    · Joseon Period Porcelain

    You can learn all about the Seonbi Culture of the Yeongnam Province, the Traditional House and Beliefs and Rituals in the Yeongnam Province in the Traditional Folk Life Gallery. There are replicas of traditional houses and other artifacts of Yeongnam which helps visitors better understand the regions lifestyle, religion, society, etc.

    There’s a 5-storied stone pagoda from the Jeongdosa Temple Site and a Temple Banner Staff in the outdoor gallery.

    Daegu Museum Five-Storey Stone Pagoda

    This pagoda designated as Treasure #357 had been moved to Gyeongbuk Palace (in Seoul) from the Jeongdosa temple site in Chilgok County, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province in 1934 and then finally here on the occasion of the opening of the Daegu National Museum in 1994.
    Although it had been built during the early Goryeo period(918-1392), it was patterned after the style of the stone pagodas dated from the Unified Silla Period(676-935). The basement is two layered and the remaining roof stones has four tier stepped cornice. The harmonization of the upper and lower parts shows characteristics of pagodas of
    the early Goryeo period. An inscription on the upper layer of the basement says the pagoda was made in the 22nd year of the reign of king Hyejong(1031). The foundation had been discovered from the pagoda, which was written in the Idu transcriptions. Because of the bad condition of the pagoda, some parts of the pagoda have been newly replaced in 2001.

    Daegu  Museum flagstaff topped with a dragon's head

    This kind of Buddhist temple banner staff was used to hoist Buddhist banners or flags. This has been considered to be set up in front of the main hall of a Buddhist temple. In most cases the flagstaffs were made of wood, the reason why they have disappeared. So in the Korean countryside you can often encounter twin stone supports for the tall masts in the temple premises as the only visible remains. This banner staff consists of a flagstaff topped with a dragon's head and twin stone supports for the tall masts with stone foundation. There is no example of a complete dragon-headed Buddhist flagstaff except a miniature model among a collection of Hoam Art Museum.

    Daegu Bangjja Yugi Museum

    Bangjja Brassware Museum Dohak-dong, Dong-gu is the first original museum of its kind in Korea. Unknown to many, Bangjja Brassware possesses a host of beneficial attributes and is used both for storing food and for growing plants. One of its primary functions is that of cultivating nutritive elements. The Bangjja Brassware Museum in Daegu has numerous brassware products on hand that were generously donated by Lee Bong-Ju. His collection was subsequently designated intangible cultural asset #77. The museum’s layout is rather intricate. Both the basement floor and second ground floor consist of three exhibit halls, a data research hall, a cultural experience hall, a video education hall, an outdoor stage, and several planning exhibit halls. In the Brassware Cultural Hall, a display boasting Korea’s history regarding various kinds of brassware, together with other relevant information is on hand for visitors. In the nearby Donation Hall, an important intangible cultural asset, Lee Bong Ju’s luxury brassware collection, is on display. In the Reappearance Hall there are makeshift displays illustrating where brassware was first produced and where it was traded.

    Exhibition Hall Information

    *First ground floor-brassware cultural hall, donating hall, video education hall
    * First basement floor – reappearance hall, special storage, regular storage
    1) First ground floor- planning exhibit hall, a souvenir shop
    2) Second ground floor – data research hall, office

    Daegu Keimyung University Museum

    Keimyung University Museum

    Opened in 2004 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Keimyung University, Keimyung University Museum is composed of three exhibition halls and a museum cafe.

    Daegu Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center Museum

    Keimyung Universitys Dongsan Medical Center displays valued materials which show us the 100-year history of medical service, missionary work, education, and history. This place is open to the public for everyone's enjoyment.

    Daegu Museum of Medical Missionary works

    The Mission Museum was built between 1906 and 1910 when missionary work was carried out full-scale in Daegu. Traditional Korean and western architectural styles are in harmony in this building. Many missionaries, including Missionary Switzer, have stayed at this building. Presently, various items such as bibles, remains from missionary works and pictures are on display.
    Medical Museum
    This building was established between 1906 and 1910. It presents to us the residential and lifestyles of American missionaries. In particular, it is an important historical architectural vestige which shows us Protestant missionaries in Daegu and the architectural style at that time. At present, lots of medical instruments from the East and West used between the 1800s and 1900s are on display, which gives us a better understanding of the progress of medicine.
    Education & History Museum
    Situated to the south of Missionary Chamness's Residence and built around 1910, the Education & History Museum was once occupied by Missionary Blair and others. In the Education Hall on the first floor, schoolbooks and various other books for educational use by all ages are on display. In the History Hall on the second floor, a variety of materials are exhibited which vividly show us the circumstances at the time of the independence movement on March 1, 1919.

    The Momyeongjae Shrine which we are about to see, was built in honor of a General from China who fought in the Imjinwaeran War.

    Daegu Momyeongjae Shrine 03

    The descendants of Dusachung, Ming Dynasty's General who came to Joseon as reinforcements to help fight in the Imjinwaeran (the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592) built Momyeongjae Shrine in 1912.

    Momyeongjae was Dusachung's pseudonym. It means to yearn for the Ming Dynasty. His hometown was in Durung, China. He came to Joseon with Lee Yeosong, the commodore of Ming in December, 1592. He was Lee Yeosong's best staff officer and was good at strategy planning. He planned strategy with the Joseon army. In Jeong-yujaeran (Japan attacked Joseon again), his two sons came to Joseon and rendered meritorious services

    Daegu Momyeongjae

    After the war, they became  naturalized citizens in Joseon and settled down in Daegu. The Joseon government gave them the land which is presently the Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park. But later, when the Gyeongsang-gamyeong governor's office was shifted to Daegu, their land was taken over and they had to move to Gyesan-dong.
    Dusachung yearned for his wife and brothers in China. So he moved to the foot of Mt. Choejeongsan. He named the place Daemyeong-dong which means yearns for Ming Dynasty. Every first day of the month, he would put on his official uniform and bow down to the King of China at the altar. After his death, his descendants made his tomb at the foot of the Brother-mount upon his wishes.

    Gyeongsan-gaeksa (the hotel) was demolished in 1912. They bought the wood of the Gaeksa and built Momyeongjae in front of Dusachung's tomb. It was rebuilt in February, 1966 because it was too old.
    Momyeongjae is the house facing south on the square land. Through the main gate, we can see Momyeongjae right in front. It's the octagonal tile-roofed house with four front rooms and two side rooms

    Daegu Dongchon resort

    Dongchon Resort, Daegu is among the preferred places for the tourists because of its numerous facilities. The air is charmed with the fragrance of the apples which are found in abundance. The local variety of apples has earned quite a name for itself in the region for its quality and taste. The location of the resort has made the place even more enticing; it lies on the banks of the Geumhogang River and a comfortable 4km drive from downtown Daegu. Besides the apples the visitors are also charmed by the blossoming peaches during the spring. the summer brings with it the excitement of many other activities at the resort. The guests can enjoy a boat ride on the Geumhogang River or can collect chestnuts or can even enjoy strolling down the alleys. A walk in the autumn at the resort will sprout the hidden romance in you. Dongchon Resort, Daegu is one of those places in the city that tempts you to come back again and again.

    The visitor can also enjoy other recreational facilities at the resort such as having fun in the outdoor swimming pool, a game of golf at the lush green golf course and playing at the children’s playground. How about taking a ride on the cable cars? Or perhaps enjoy the beautiful scenery from the temples and the suspension bridges.

    Daegu Herbhillz

    Herbhillz Naengcheon Resort is located in Mt. Choejeongsan by the Naengcheon Stream which flows from the Paljoryeong Ridge. Numerous rocks, large and small, add to the scenery of the surrounding valley. Gachan Dam can be found in the up-stream area. Because of its scenic surrounding, it is very popular among those who look for a summer resort. There is a drive-in theater, a zoo, an agricultural museum and also play rides.

    Four posts already and we are nowhere near the end of our stay in Daegu. This cosmopolitan city of Daegu is certainly BIG. i haven’t even talked about the night life in Daegu yet, the food and the festivals too. Looks like you’ve got to come back again if you want to hear more. Bye for now/

    Credits

    Special thanks and appreciation to the following:
    Photos and articles © courtesy

    http://gazette.gokmu.com

    http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/south-korea/daegu/amusement-&-recreation-in-daegu/woobang-tower-land-daegu.html

    http://www.dalseo.daegu.kr

    http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/taegu/177

    http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/

    http://artcenter.daegu.go.kr/bangjja/foreign/eng.html

    http://daegu.museum.go.kr/english