夜晚的浪漫之旅,庆州
[english.visitkorea.or.kr] Gyeongju is a great city to enjoy a romantic night tour. Banwolseong Fortress and Daereungwon Tomb Complex boast even smoother curves under the moonlight and Cheomseongdae Observatory and Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond show their gorgeous figures at night. It is easy to appreciate the beautiful city of Gyeongju, especially with a nice slow walk after sunset when the lights come on.
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Photo: Night view of Cheomseongdae Observatory (top) /
Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, lotus flowers near Cheomseongdae Observatory (bottom)
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The highlight of Gyeongju night tour is Banwolseong Fortress which is one of the five designated Gyeongju Historic Area [UNESCO World Heritage] sites. Gyeongju Historic Area includes Banwolseong Fortress, Gyerim Forest, Cheomseongdae Observatory and Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, a detached palace site of the Silla Kingdom.
Banwolseong Fortress is a great place for a walk, and Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village is near Woljeonggyo Bridge, which is currently under construction, and the old house of the Gyodong Choi Clan. Although visitors are not able to walk on Woljeonggyo Bridge that crosses Namcheon Stream in front of the Gyochon Traditional Village due to its restoration, it still looks amazing at night.
Cheomseongdae Observatory can be seen as you pass by Gyerim Forest next to the Confucian School in Gyochon Traditional Village. Built during the reign of Queen Seondeok, Cheomseongdae Observatory is known as the oldest astronomical observatory in East. It is very popular at night and many visitors come to see the nearby lotus flower area every summer.
Movie and Drama Filming Sites in Gyeongju
Gyeongju is often used as a filming location for Korean movies and dramas. The whole city seems like a giant museum as it contains many beautiful and historical buildings. Movies and dramas filmed in Gyeongju include Queen Seondeok of Silla, Princess Hours (Gung), King’s Dream, Wonderful Days, Gyeongju, Kick the Moon and many more.
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Photo: Doldam-gil Road of Daereungwon Tomb Complex (top) /
Café Droptop (bottom left) / Silla Elementary School (bottom right)
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* Drama Filming Locations - Wonderful Days
The drama Wonderful Days, which aired in 2014, was mostly filmed in Gyeongju. Café Droptop, situated between Daereungwon Tomb Complex and Banwolseong Fortress, is one of the drama’s filming locations. This café was often featured when the two main characters, Dongseok (Lee Seo-jin) and Hyewon (Kim Hee-sun), met up. The café has two floors, and the signature of actors and actresses are displayed on the walls.
Café Droptop is also a convenient place to take a break while looking around Gyeongju as it is close to Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Cheomseongdae Observatory and Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Near the café is Silla Elementary School where Donghee (Ok Taec-yeon) and Mari (Lee Elijah) shared some lovely moment in the drama. For a more romantic walk, try walking the course of Dongseok and Hyewon along Daereungwon Tomb Complex’s Doldam-gil Road.
* Ragung, a hanok hotel featured at Boys over Flowers
Located inside Shilla Millennium Park, the hotel Ragung was introduced as Yoon Jihoo’s house in the drama Boys over Flowers in 2009. Ragung, which literally means ‘a palace of Silla’, is a traditional hanok hotel that combines the exterior architecture style from the Silla dynasty with a modern interior.
Ragung features 16 hanoks all connected by a corridor. There is even a year-round, open-air hot spring bath inside the main room of each hanok. There is a tree named after Gu Jun-pyo (played by the actor Lee Min-ho in the drama) which is very popular among visitors.
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Photo: E-World (top) / E-World 83 Tower (bottom left) / The ARC (bottom right)
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Night Tour - Daegu
Daegu is famous for its modern nighttime cityscape. A great nighttime trip in Daegu starts with E-World’s 83 Tower, moves on to Apsan Observatory, and finally stops at Duryu Park.
E-World 83 Tower is a great vantage point to view the city at night, and is often visited by families, friends and couples. Ayang Railroad, which was newly renovated from the old abandoned railroad, is a romantic place for a night-out along the riverside. Apsan Observatory is also a highly recommended place to visit in Daegu.
Daegu Apsan Park, one of the must-visit places in Daegu for its city view, and the trail to the peak are well-loved by citizens. From the observatory, visitors can enjoy a beautiful night view of Nakdonggang River and Daegu’s city lights. There is also a cable car that runs to the top for more convenient access.
Furthermore, The ARC (Architecture of River Culture), equipped with a water-themed art and photo exhibition halls, offers a magnificent night view of the city as well. Its extraordinary exterior and lights make for a beautiful night view. If you have more spare time, try visiting Hill Crest, which was used as a filming location of the drama It’s Okay. It’s Love that starred Jo In-seong and Gong Hyo-jin.
Night Tour – Cheongdo
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Photo courtesy of Cheongdo Provence Photo Land
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Cheongdo Provence Photo Land
With an area of 60,500㎡, Cheongdo Provence Photo Land uses over 1,000,000 LED bulbs to light up the city every night. Its Provence-styled houses make for a European atmosphere and the hundreds of various small and cute photo zones draw visitors during the day, while diverse light villages make a great backdrop for taking romantic photos at night. Recommended photo spots include “Love Road” and the 70 meter-long “Propose Road.”
The current outdoor art exhibition, “Starry Night of Orsay,” will run through October 2015, featuring the works of some of the greatest artists including Edouard Manet, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne and more. Right next to Cheongdo Provence Photo Land are Cheongdo Bull Fighting Arena, Cheongdo Wine Tunnel, and Unmunsa Temple, making Cheongdo a popular one night, two day vacation destination.
Cheongdo Wine Tunnel
Cheongdo Wine Tunnel was originally Namseonghyeon Tunnel built in 1898. It was a railroad tunnel for a steam locomotive (Gyeongbu Line); however, due to its steep ramp and long distance, its use was discontinued. The cherished historical tunnel was turned into a tourist attraction where visitors can buy wines made using Cheongdo persimmons, a local specialty.
The tunnel is decorated with persimmon tree sculptures throughout. The entrance area is free, but you will have to pay admission to go further down the tunnel. The ticket is fixed at 2,000 won and this will allow visitors to delve deeper into the tunnel and see all it has to offer, including art exhibition halls, photo zones, and more.
The tunnel serves as a wine storage as well, thanks to the temperature remaining stable at 14 to 16 Celsius year-round, making it the perfect place to mature and keep wines no matter the weather. We recommend bringing a light jacket if you plan on exploring what’s inside!