Yang Gui-ja's novel, “Wonmi-dong People" is a book that everyone has read once during his or her school days. The setting of the book is Wonmi-dong, Bucheon and it is a city located in western Gyeonggi province and also a satellite city of Seoul. The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival is famous for its annual opening ceremony, and Dooly is an honorary citizen, so the streets of Dooly were also made. In addition, there are many different cultural facilities, such as museums, parks, and theme parks in Bucheon. Why don't you step away from the crowded and familiar Seoul and go to Bucheon which is in the suburbs of Seoul in Gyeonggi-do?
Way to Destination: Sang-do Station-27 min.- Kkachiul Station-11min.-Samsan Gymnasium Station
Traveling Course: Jakdong Hong Dukkae Kalguksu- Café 1155- Korea Manhwa Museum-Sangdong Lake Park- Aiins World
1. KOREA MANHWA MUSEUM
Built to enrich the cultural values and heritage of cartoons, Korea Manhwa Museum is a cultural cartoon complex with diverse experience zones, exhibits, 4D animation theaters, and cartoon character parks. Before the regular view, a dark cave full of the best scenes in Korean cartoons greets visitors. The museum is designed to feel the writers’ breath more closely. Cartoon characters representing Korea are engraved in a cartoonist's tree and it also shows explanations of characters and writers. In 4D animation theaters, you can watch 4D films every 30 minutes. In the experience zone “Drawing Cartoons”, you can draw cartoons with a light box, which is one of the tools cartoonists actually use for their work. There is also a “Cartoonists’ Head” zone, where people can learn about the life of cartoon writers. In the photo zone, you can take pictures with the special technique “chromakey”, which helps to compose the best scene for spectators. There is also a cartoon library where you can enjoy cartoons freely.
Location: 529-36, Sang-dong, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: 10:00~18:00, closed every Monday
Admission Fees: Adults 5,000 won
Contact Info: 032-310-3090
2. SANGDONG LAKE PARK
Sangdong Lake Park is a large-scale park with a lake in the center. Its construction was completed in March 2003 and many citizens visit for its various facilities and its large scale. Approximately 65 percent of the total park is used for green areas, and many species of fish swim in the lake. There is a wooden bridge to walk acorss the artificially constructed lake. People can take a walk through three walking trails along the lake while enjoying the beautiful scenery. It is also equipped with sports facilities for activities such as inline skating, gate ball and badminton. Moreover, there are three large squares which are used for performances, events, and exhibitions.
Location: 15, Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: Always
Admission Fees: Free
Contact Info: 032-320-3000
3. AIINS WORLD
Aiins World is the world's best miniature theme park where visitors can enjoy a new type of world trip in a day. It consists of a Theme Park which is divided into daytime and nighttime as well as Play World, Camping World and Water World. Aiins World which is located in Bucheon Sang-dong Culture Complex was created by Wonderworks, a Hollywood film production company. On the inside, you can see buildings and attractions of various countries. After sunset, visitors can enjoy the World Night Light Festival. You can see all kinds of miniatures under the beautifully shining night view. Among them, the Eiffel Tower nightscape lighting show is famous. You can feel the splendor of the night sky and leave with a wonderful memory. The 4-way lighting system (inside + surroundings + scenery + outside) featuring the Hollywood film lighting system makes buildings more fantastic with sounds.
Location: 529-2, Sang-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: Daytime Mar.~Oct. 10:00~18:00, Nov.~Jan. 10:00~17:00
Nigh time Mar.~Oct. 18:00~23:00, Nov.~Jan. 17:00~23:00
Admission Fees: Daytime 10,000 won, Night time 13,000 won
Contact Info: 032-320-6000
4. Jakdong Hong Dukkae KALGUKSU
It is a famous restaurant in Bucheon that was introduced on KBS 2TV. The dough for kalguksu is made with a 160 cm wooden roller, so the noodles are very chewy. Then, ingredients such as radish, onion, red pepper, garlic, crab, and bay leaves are boiled for two hours to make the noodle broth. Soaking kelp in cold water is one of this restaurant’s secret recipes. In cold water, we can extract chewy water from kelp to give a chewy texture. Add fresh seafood, noodles and you can eat delicious kalguksu. You can try barley rice before the meal for free. You can enjoy your kalguksu even more with fresh kimchi that was made directly by this restaurant.
Location: 560, Gilju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: 10:30 - 21:30
Price: Kalguksu 8,000 won, Cold bean-soup noodles 8,000 won
Contact Info: 032-679-9930
5. Café 1155
It is a relaxing cafe located in the residential area near Kkachiul Station. The 1155 neon sign is an eye-catching feature. All cakes are handmade and carrot cakes, strawberry cakes, and green tea cakes are known to be delicious. You can also order a cake two or three days in advance. It is a cafe with a combination of white and gray interior and it is a sunny spot in the daytime. It has cactuses and flowers that make the mood of the cafe lively. It is a place where people can enjoy delicious beverages and desserts in a comfortable atmosphere.
Location: 24-43, Road 20, Kkachi-ro, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: 09:00 - 23:00
Price: Americano 3,500 won, Cafe latte 4,000 won
Contact Info: 010-7712-3177
Until now, we looked at main attractions and eateries representing the city Bucheon. Bucheon is a city of quiet ambience, but there are many things to enjoy. In fact, it is the place where people can experience various attractions in a secluded area. It is also nearby our school, taking only about 20 to 30 minutes by subway. Like this, Bucheon is very charming in the way that it has various entertainment, delicious food and great accessibility. How about spending this weekend in Bucheon?
Kim Yeun-soo
lucy0815@cau.ac.kr