Visiting the best Little Prince-themed locations in Korea can be fun for adults and toddlers. Kids can enjoy the fun illustrations while parents can connect with the themes of the book as it relates to living lives abroad. Here are The Little Prince places I go with my little one. Antoine de Saint-Exupery Antoine de Saint-Exupery was the French writer, poet, journalist, and aviator, who gifted us, the dreamers and the adventures, the story of “The Little Prince”. This young prince traverses a galaxy and gains invaluable wisdom as he interacts with other characters on distant planets. And, in doing so, his story captivates audiences of any age. I’m not going to ruin this story for those who have not yet read it because, much like the quest for the holy grail, the actual treasure hides in the journey. His lessons will resonate with world travelers and expatriates, especially during a pandemic, to remind us of what is most important, our relationships with others and our imagination.  About ‘The Little Prince’ Book The Little Prince has sold millions of copies, translated into many languages, adapted to screen and theater, it’s no wonder that Korea has also fallen in love with the story. The Little Prince is filled with beautiful esoteric writing that allows the reader to reflect on their priorities, perceptions, loves, and losses. Reading ‘The Little Prince’ While Living in South Korea In fact, The Little Prince may be the perfect story for those of us who live abroad and struggle to balance our priorities. The story brings up many themes such as love we have left behind, how confirmation bias forms our perceptions of a place, and how the words of others may influence our journeys. Additionally, reading a book on Korean history written by a Korean historian and then following it up by reading “The Little Prince” with an understanding that Korea loves The Little Prince can be an incredible tool for gaining deeper insight into the heart and the soul of the culture. While you may find many locations, such as pensions and hotels, named “The Little Prince”, don’t be misled. For current and future generations of Little Prince fans, I’ve highlighted a few obvious and not so obvious places to find him.  Where to look for the Little Prince Travel Notes: For beautifully illustrated murals, pick up a coffee and treat at Cafe Hangout. This cafe isn’t 100% dedicated to The Little Prince but they do feature the character and their drinks and baked goods are fantastic so you get theme and substance. Travel Notes: For a day of feeling as though you’ve traveled into another world, visit this Little Prince theme park. This is a VERY popular Instagram spot in South Korea. Travel Notes: In the National Sejong Arboretum garden and gift shop. You’ll find beautiful, woodcrafted nightlights with the Little Prince inside. Perfect gift for Little Prince fans of any age. Travel Notes: A trip for the senses, this flower park includes a maze, a petting zoo, a tea and spa house, a cafe, and a Little Prince-inspired garden and pension. Rather than traversing the galaxy, this garden is organized by chapters so you’ll watch our main character meet characters on distant planets. If you visit during the Spring and Summer, you’ll even meet his rose. Travel Notes: Sculpture Park at St. John’s Hotel in Gangneung has a statue of the Little Prince. If you love the beach, seafood, and coffee, this is a beautiful location any time of year. Off-peak season, such as the Fall, is also much more affordable. Travel Notes: Stay in a pension that will leave you feeling relaxed and transported into the world of the Little Prince.  Travel Notes: A chromatophile’s dream adventure to a half-moon island in South Jeolla. As you walk along the bridge, you’ll meet a familiar face. Travel Notes: Take a walk along Gwangjucheon Stream in Gwangju and find a Little Prince statue. You’ll also find Little Prince murals around the city. Travel Notes: The most popular and Instagram-able location for Little Prince sightings,  Gamcheon Village in Busan.  Travel Notes: Le Petit Prince has a few cameos, as one should expect, in Fairytale Village, Incheon. Travel Notes: The Byeolmadang Kids Library in Anseong Starfield Mall – As a blend of literature, art, and technology, kids may practice coding while watching the story of The Little Prince. Travel Notes: With one of the largest collections of The Little Prince books, art, memorabilia on display, this beautiful 3-floor cafe is a must-see-destination for all Little Prince fans. There’s also a small golf putting area on the first floor and a walking trail along the side with lovely, white butterflies. As you travel around Korea, remember The Little Prince says, “Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies” and allow yourselves to be transformed by his story. More family friendly trips in South Korea Join the Pyeongtaek Travelers Group You are also welcome to join our Pyeongtaek Travelers. The South of Seoul moderated community of active and friendly travelers (most who live in Pyeongtaek, South Korea) sharing their adventure across the country. Volunteer with South of Seoul Interested in working with a fun team of talented volunteers? The South of Seoul volunteer team is always looking for other like-minded folks to research information, compile blogs, and edit content. LeaDan Yee, M.EdLeaDan Yee holds a Master’s in Education with a focus in Secondary Education and Teaching – Language Arts and Bachelor’s in Psychology, with a minor in Speech. As a Cultural Liaison and Content Creator at South of Seoul, Ms. Yee focuses on creating content for families interested in traveling and those with toddlers.  She is especially interested in opportunities to share her Native Hawaiian background and empower others to be cultural ambassadors. Prior to joining South of Seoul, LeaDan worked as a High School Speech Teacher and Adjunct Communications Professor. She specializes in Public Speaking, Argumentation and Debate, Team Management, and Event Planning.

The post The Best and Most Endearing Le Petit Prince Spots in South Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

The perfect spot to enjoy the sea view while drinking a craft beer. Add this brewery and cafe to your next Seosan trip. About Oh Brewery and Cafe in Seosan, South Korea The Oh Brewery and Cafe (간월 오비어카페 수제맥주) nestled on the beach in Ganwol-do, Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-do was an interesting experience. Not quite a dedicated brewery, it served baked goods, coffee, and had a bread bowl mushroom soup and a “Korean” pizza with hot dog and veggie toppings. The food was underwhelming and we didn’t try the baked goods, but they appeared tasty and were popular with other visitors. The beer, however, was worth the trip. They offered four beers: a pale ale, IPA, Weizen, and stout. Their IPA and Weizen were true to form. The IPA had a great blend and amount of hops and the Weizen a perfect wheat taste, typical of a Belgian witbier or German Weizenbier. The IPA had more hoppiness than most Korean IPA’s I’ve had. I took to-go the stout and ale to try at home and will post about them at a later date. About the Owner and a Tour We bumped into the owner (didn’t catch his name, but perhaps Mr. Oh, as in “Oh” Brewery?) while looking at his distilling equipment and he offered us a swig of homemade soju, which was the best tasting I’ve ever had–seriously. Hereinafter, I will refer to the owner as Mr. Oh. I can’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed the taste of soju, but his was special. It had a slight sweetness to it with a hint of rice. At 46% ABV, it was very strong but definitely tasty. I don’t believe Mr. Oh actually sells his soju, so we were lucky to have made his acquaintance. We began talking about homebrewing and learned Mr. Oh’s brewery was a “passion project” from his years of homebrewing. He started brewing as a hobby in 2015 and decided to professionally brew in 2020 by opening the brewery/cafe, which is a family business. I asked his teenage son, who also accompanied us around if he wanted to also brew and carry on his father’s work, to which he responded ‘yes,’ to the surprise of his father. Mr. Oh didn’t realize his son wanted to learn the craft. I say go for it! After asking for a quick tour, Mr. Oh obliged and apologized for the slight mess in the brewery. I told him that it wasn’t a mess and looked well used and had character. He showed me one of his fermenters full of double IPA and poured some directly into a jug. My goodness, it was absolute perfection at 9% ABV. These fermenters were chilled to help preserve the beer and this double IPA was great chilled. Mr. Oh said he was working on paperwork for the government before offering it for sale. After the quick tour and tasting, we thanked him for his hospitality and wished him and his son well. Would I come back? A great, quality product and a perfect view, I highly recommend a visit to Oh Brewery. It is a 90 mins’ish from Pyeongtaek City or Anjeong-ri. There are also a bunch of seafood restaurants and boardwalk in the area to make a day of it. Dog friendly on the upstairs patio. The soup and pizza–I would skip since it’s not my style, but the beer? YES! Join Me To Talk About All Things Beer Check out The Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society group page for beer-centric topics and reviews by fellow beer enthusiasts and friends of the Pyeongtaek beer scene! Mike Smith, Pyeongtaek Craft Beer SocietyFounder of the Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society, Mike Smith is currently studying for a Master Brewers Certificate while living and working in South Korea. The Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society fosters friends and a love for craft beers across South Korea. The group provides a welcome and inclusive space to learn about new beers, share beer stories, and generally geek out about all things brewing. Anyone is welcome to join their Facebook group to learn more about Korean craft Beer. www.facebook.com/groups/847899272568598/

The post Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society: Oh Brewery and Cafe Introduction appeared first on South of Seoul.

Buddhism in South Korea Buddhism was first adopted on the Korean peninsula by the Goguryeo in 372 CE then by the Silla in 528 CE and finally by the Baekje in 552 CE. Currently, the Jogye and Taego Orders are the most common in South Korea. South Korea has no national religion and no majority religion. Instead, South Korea considers itself free religious society. Some poles say that Korean includes people with no religious affiliation (46%), Christians (29%) and Buddhists (23%). However, such numbers change dramatically based on the organization conducting the research. One of the reasons polling religious affiliation in South Korea can be complicated is the fact that Korean society holds a somewhat unique pluralistic view of religion. Such a pluralistc view of religion means many Koreans consider themselves both Christian and Buddhist and see no issue with practicing both religions. Each year South Korea celebrates Buddha’s birthday as a major national celebration. In fact, most Korean’s take of more time for Buddha’s birthday than they do for Christmas. How many Buddhist temples are there in South Korea? There are over 900 Buddhist temples in South Korea. CNN even came out with their list of 33 of South Korea’s most beautiful temples in 2020. We think CNN’s list of temples is fantastic. however, we also feel CNN missed a few of our favorite unique temples in South Korea. We decided to offer up our more localized list of temples you need to see when living in South Korea. What cultural rules are there for visiting Buddhist temples? South of Seoul blogger, Angie, put together an amazing blog all about Korean Buddhist temple etiquette. We highly recommend reading this detailed and helpful blog as you explore the South of Seoul Korean Buddhist Temple Adventure Map listings. Why were these temples chosen for the South of Seoul Buddhist Temples Adventure Map? We made the Buddhist Temples Adventure Map by looking at what temples are often recommended in the Pyeongtaek Travelers Facebook group, which temples our volunteers enjoy the most, which temples offer the most unique experiences and the temples with strong historical value. Buddhist Temples Adventer Map We created a Buddhist Temples Adventure Map to make exploring Korea’s temples more approachable and easy to manager. Map Color Coding: The red temple names are considered three of the most important temples in South Korea. The blue temple names have ocean views or are on the ocean. The white temple names are simply lovely. Supported via the South of Seoul app: You can search “temple adventure map” in the South of Seoul listings to see each Buddhist Temple listed on the adventure map. Download the South of Seoul app to have all of this information available in the palm of your hand as well as ideas for what to do in the areas around these temples. The South of Seoul app makes all of your South Korean adventures more fun and easy. 20 Must-Visit Buddhist Temples in South Korea South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

The post 20 Must-visit Buddhist Temples in South Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

Looking for rail bike courses in many different areas across South Korea? You have come to the right place. We have options for those who want to explore beyond Seoul. What are rail bikes in South Korea? Rail bikes are a popular activity in South Korea. Such rail adventures occur on decommissioned scenic railway routes throughout the country. Essentially, rail bikes are human pedal-powered vehicles designed to travel along railway tracks. The bikes offer a unique and relaxing way to enjoy the countryside and take in the scenery. Usually, rail bike tours in South Korea last between one or two hours and are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. It’s a very popular activity for families with kids of all ages. Korea’s Most Commonly Promoted Rail Bikes One of the most popular rail bike routes in South Korea is the Gangchon Rail Park, which is located in the northeastern part of the country. The route runs for 8.5 kilometers along the old Gangchon railway line, which was originally used to transport coal and lumber. Along the way, visitors can enjoy views of the Bukhangang River and the surrounding mountains, as well as pass through several tunnels and over a number of bridges. Another popular rail bike route in South Korea is the Jeongseon Rail Bike. This rail bike course runs for 7.2 kilometers along the Jeongseon Arirang Railway. Also, this route is particularly popular in the autumn months when the leaves on the trees turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow. Visitors can also stop off at a number of scenic spots along the way, including a suspension bridge and a traditional Korean village. Overall, rail biking is a unique and enjoyable way to experience the South Korean countryside and take in its natural beauty. However, this list isn’t really about these heavily promoted rail bike locations. That’s because, during the 10 + years we’ve lived in Korea, we’ve found many other delightful rail bike course locations. Where Can I Ride Rail Bikes Across Korea? Despite what most travel blogs may make it seem, numerous rail bikes pepper the Korean countryside. Many of them are clearly marked on Naver or Daum and others are hidden away within parks. These parks offer up different types of experiences and scenery. The rail bike experiences often blogged about aren’t necessarily better, they just happen to be closer to Seoul or there is more English information available for them. Since we are weird old hipsters, we actually prefer visiting the rail bikes that are lesser-known in the English language social channels. Why? Just because we find they take us to fun, new places we never would have thought to visit. We discover all kinds of fun things just because we visited these rail bike spots. If you are a “hidden-gem” sort of person, then this list of rail bikes is going to be a lot of fun. What if I need more information about the rail bikes? We have provided you with the information you need to get help from 1330 about your personal situation. When traveling across the country to do anything, we recommend contacting 1330 to confirm the important details. Is the rail park open? What are the current prices? Do I need a reservation? 10 Rail Bikes to Try South of Seoul Planning a Trip Across South Korea? Explore over 52 itineraries by South of Seoul volunteers who live and travel in Korea. South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net

The post 10 Rail Bike Courses South of Seoul appeared first on South of Seoul.