‘Islet’, the fantastic and romantic meaning of this word might be
supposed to derive from the ‘isolation’.
To ride on the ship gave me the another time for my heart flutter. In spite of taking in short 5
or 6 minutes, I felt a little scare as well as fresh new experience for me to
see that the ship goes and makes some ice-breaking sound through the thin ice
layer on the river. At a glance the visitors, one third of them was foreign ones. They talked each other with their languages. I thought for a while what charms lead to them in this small island.
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the other choice to go the island by Zip-wire, two dots in the sky mean two people
This island
was originally small mountaintop where was a small peanut farm and used to be
submerged when floods occurred each year. It was perfectly became a tiny half-moon shaped
island by the rising water of North Hangang river as the result of the
construction of Cheongpyeong Dam in 1944. In 1965 Byeongdo Min bought this
island and planted various thousands of trees in here in order to change the peanut
farm into forest. |
However it has not been long since this island got to be a
like this kind of harmony place of nature, art and culture. When I look back
about here this was the recreation area of membership training for college
students and businessman, site for the day trippers, families, seminars and
outdoor life for the public during so long time from 1960s till 2001. It is located
in enough to approach here within 2 hours from Seoul by public transportation.
Needless to say at that time there was not moderate area to recreate on their
weekend with their colleagues at work, friends, families and other purposes. And
thus here was always crowded with people on the every weekend, occupied by bustling sound all day and getting dirty due to the trashes spreading all over the island. In
2001, a professional CEO Woohyun Kang, majored in graphic design, a fairy tale
writer, President of a design company until 2000, was scouted for management for this island. He
became to eliminate the image of the playground where visitors just play and drink
and re-composed into the eco-friendly and new cultural space.
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| The recycling artwork |
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| Artwork in front of front desk in the small boutique hotel (Junggwanru 정관루) |
And also he decorated it with the artworks by using abandoned
wastes being accumulated during the previous time. With his great efforts and
staffs served for this island we are able to contact various recycling,
eco-friendly art objects being laid in spread all over and enjoy at
the cultural space like as performance stage, UNICEF Hall, Song museum,
Andersen hall, Yu Qing Cheng clay art exhibition, Raison Gallery, ‘Winter
sonata’ photo gallery and so on.
It was reborn from the playground into
attractions must to go to the all the generation, especially it became an
essential date course for young lovers. Here is famous for filming location of ‘Winter
Sonata’ with the theme of fantastic romanticism of first love which brings back
a touch of nostalgia lady viewers of all ages. It aired on 2002 through KBS (Korean
Broadcasting System), staring by Bae Yongjoon and Choi jiwoo, had created a boom
of Hanllyu phenomenon to abroad (Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippine
etc.).
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| K-drama, Winter Sonata |
However the most charming point of here maybe the nature itself. Towering
giant Dawn Redwood path, Ginkgo trees, White pine trees, White birch trees,
Korean nut pine lane were waiting me with their own scent.
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| bike rental area |
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| The corner selling Korean style steamed bread(Hoppang 호빵) |
In the grassy area
ostriches who were not kind a little to visitors, rabbits, squirrels, ducks and peacocks were running around the field.
There were various kinds of riding thing such as sky bike, UNICEF train, electric bicycle, electric
car for tour course and bike.
 |
| Please take off your shoes |
There was small boutique hotel, Junggwanru(정관루), decorated with artist work, and several villas for accommodations. This island has been loved
so much since K-drama fever. However the people working and loving this island
was worry about that this islet would be end just with the photo zones. They really has tried steadily let make here the cultural attraction containing beautiful image and arts. They did eager to create here into as the fresh charming for culture as well as fairy tale world to the people.
In 2006, here was reborn as Naminara Republic, imaginary country, with more
comprehensive setting for cultural projects of international events and arts
through such as Int’l Children’s Book Festival, with cooperation together with writers
and international organizations such as UNICEF and UNESCO. It is keep on going
forward and renewing day by day as before. All people who visit here make story their own.
They have happy retirement policy that people can work until they are 80 years
old if they want. ***Namisum island is registered in namsanmyeon Chuncheon city of
administrative district, but is located closely to Gapyeong station(
가평역) on the line of Gyeongchun train. Recently it is
more easily access to this station within just one hour by ITX-cheongchun train
from Yongsan station(용산역) in Seoul(via Cheongnyangni station 청량리역). There are also many
kinds of transportation resource like as shuttle bus, bus tours, intercity bus
service and so on. You can get more detail information on their official website click here !!!.
If you want to stay at their hotel, you would better to send e-mail of them or
call. You can get the address and phone number at their Q&A.
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