Gangneung home of passionate craftsmanship

Published : Nov. 30, 2010 - 17:18

- Link copied

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- For those put off by overpriced tourist spots that offer only beautiful scenery and a relaxing atmosphere, Gangneung touts something more than sightseeing.

The city lives up to its reputation as a city of eccentric people who are passionate and creative artisans.

Gangneung lies spread out with a wide open view of the East Sea. The tough seaward wind coming from the east blows against its pine trees, which are famous for extremely durable wood said to resemble the character of the locals: “tough and one-way.”

“The city is full of eccentric people, and that is the beauty of Gangneung -- a city composed of the conservative, eccentric craftsmen, making Gangneung the city of ‘tenacity,’” says Seo Dong-gu, public affairs and audit officer at the Gangneung City hall.

Mecca of cafés

If you are fed up with franchise coffee shops that seldom meet your tastes, Gangneung is a place where you can find a vast range of imported hand-roasted coffees from around the world.

Gangneung is where Korea’s oldest coffee trees are grown. Thus the trend of starting a café in Gangneung has turned a city into a “coffee village,” influenced by the craftsman Park I-choo, a renowned barista master who studied in Japan then settled near the east coast in 1988.

In appreciation for Park’s contribution to the coffee culture in Gangneung, and to provide more publicity for the new coffee trend, the city successfully hosted its 2nd coffee festival last month. Travelers from around the country visit to sample the exquisite taste of Gangneung coffee.

Park notes that the opened shores and capacious scenery of Gangneung is what sets the coffee experience apart.

Among the unique cafés lining the streets, the biggest is “Terra Rosa” -- famous for its museum-range variety of coffee beans and coffee-related items, and equipped with the biggest roasting machine in the city, with has a 30-kilogram capacity.

Terra Rosa cafe provides a variety of fresh imported coffee beans from all over the world.(Hwang Jurie/The Korea Herald)

Once you step inside the house, you may encounter top-notch baristas at the coffee bar that help you select your coffee and freshly drip it in front of you.

Terra Rosa also grows coffee trees in their green house. Coffee trees are difficult to grow, and are rarely grown in Korea due to the climate.

You can also buy fresh roasted coffee beans at the bar in 250 gram packs. Prices start at 15,000 won and depend on the type of bean. A cup of fresh drip coffee at the bar starts at 6,000 won.

For information call (033) 648-2760 or visit http://www.terarosa.com. Also, to visit the coffee missionary Park I-choo, you can find out more at (033) 662-5365 and also at http://www.ebohemian.co.kr.

Charmsori Gramophone and Edison Science Museum

If you are a fan of music, movies, or inventions in general, this should be your first stop.

The museum filled with approximately 5,000 items of Thomas Edison’s inventions, gramophones and radios has the world’s broadest collection of gramophones and related exhibits.

A collection of movie reels and the world's first single-viewer movie box (Hwang Jurie/The Korea Herald)

Founder and president Son Sung-mok is known to have traveled to some 60 countries in order to collect gramophones from around the world, despite traffic accidents, robberies and life-threatening incidents. Thanks to his efforts, visitors can enjoy the exhibited items, a third of which are the gramophones, Edison’s inventions, music boxes, radios and TVs from the first machines of the 18th century to 20th century models.

The music hall at the museum is designed in the shape of a Gramophone record and can accommodate up to 200 people. Visitors can listen to the 100-year history of sound development from gramophones to modern CDs, LDs and DVDs. The hall is also equipped many kinds of speakers.

The museum also displays the very first TV, “Baird 30 line TV” manufactured in the U.K., to the last hat that Thomas Edison wore before his death.

Tickets are 7,000 won for adults, 6,000 for students and 5,000 won for children under 13.

Find out for more information at (033) 655-1130~2 or experience the cyber museum before visiting the actual site. http://edison.kr.

Hassla Art museum

An outdoor art museum is an exotic idea, even from the sound of it.

A middle-age couple’s love for art and nature has led to a nature-friendly art garden -- an art museum created outdoors using the slope, the height of the mountain and the natural features of the land.

Hassla, an ancient Goguryeo name for the city of Gangneung, introduces you to hear, touch, and scent what Gangneung is all about. Located on a hill, Haslla art world commands a fine view overlooking the East Sea. Strolling along the 108,596 square meters of pathway at the museum designed to provide the spaces where art and nature are united, expands the arts’ limits by letting you experience, touch, watch, hear and smell the artwork at the gallery.

Find out what is inside the out-door art museum at (033) 648-4091-3 or at www.haslla.com.

Suncruise yacht resort

Stepping inside the Sun Cruise Ship hotel -- sitting in one of the guestrooms will create an illusion as if you are sitting in a real boat, especially with the sound of the boat horn.

The Sun Cruise Ship hotel (Hwang Jurie/The Korea Herald)

The fantastic East Sea sun rising goes well with strolling around the beach.

A 10-floor feature ship hotel shares a fine taste of fusion Korean food at the rendezvous rotating Sky Lounge.

A 50-minute regular yacht ride is 60,000 won for adults and 30,000 for children under age 13. Private yachts can also be rented upon request.

You can choose from two views -- the sea-side view or the sun-rise view. A standard to family standard room ranges from 70,000 won–200,000 won depending on season and day of the week.

Find out more at (033) 610-7000 or at http://english.esuncruise.com

A month or so from now, Gangneung will be visited by many young couples for New Year’s Day at the Jeongdongjin Station. “Jeongdong,” meaning “due east,” is derived from the fact that this spot is due east of Gwanghwamun in Seoul. The station is the world’s closest station to the sea. The coastal train shuttles along the beautiful 58-kilometer seashore between Gangneung and Samchoek six times a day. It is an 80-minute journey each way. All seats face windows so that passengers can enjoy the beauty of the East Sea without craning their necks.

By Hwang Jurie (jurie777@heraldcorp.com)

Gangneung home of passionate craftsmanship

More from Headlines