SOUTH KOREA
While Alpensia Ski Jumping Center may
be one of the several event venues for the
PyeongChang 2018, it is also a tourist
destination in its own right. This very
location was used to film “Take Off”, a
2009 South Korean ski jumping film that
received the second highest attendance
that year. Film director Kim Yong-hwa
successfully piqued the interest of the
nation through the movie and helped raise
awareness and improve national support
for the competing athletes. While visitors
are unable to try out the facility due to it
being a high-risk sport, all floors are
accessible during non-competition season
for a chance to feel the excitement and
stress at the launching ground of the ski
jump slope. An elevator also takes guests
up to the lounge and viewing balcony,
where you can capture a spectacular view
of the surrounding area, as though you are
standing at the peak of mountain pass
Daegwallyeong.
Works are currently still ongoing to
increase the seating capacity at Alpensia
Ski Jumping Center but as I walk through
Alpensia Stadium and its gallery, the
atmosphere got me thrilled thinking of the
buzzing that happens on competition
days. It may be frightening for the
competing athletes but it will also be some
of the most memorable days of their lives.
As with most good holiday destinations,
there are a variety of attractions and
activities to do. Within 30 minutes of the
Alpensia Resort, you can choose to feed
the sheep at Daegwallyeong Samyang
Ranch, the only one in all of Korea, or
enjoy some piping hot dishes at Herbnara
Farm that uses herbs cultivated on the
farm. Alternatively, delve deeper into
Korea’s culture abd heritage with a visit to
Odaesan National Park, which stands
1,563m above sea level and has remained a
sacred ground for Buddhism for many
centuries. The park is a great hiking spot
with superb views, and is situated
alongside two prominent Buddhist
temples, Woljeong-sa and Sangwon-sa.
The forest is an orchestra of my mind,
playing one enchanting symphony after
another. Leaves dance to an unheard beat,
whispering their songs in the wind and
birds were chirping occasionally. In here,
the mighty trees shelter the walkway. To
the observant onlookers, there are
artworks placed tastefully at certain spots
to blend into the surrounding
environment, yet still evokes an eccentric
and alluring factor, probably because the
message behind the artworks lies in
conservation efforts. We are taking a short
trek up the valley east of Mt. Odaesan,
heading towards Woljeongsa Temple.
“Statistics show that only 51% of theWith over 100 herb types,
there is much to see, smell
and learn in this garden.
Below Recently renamed Eco
Green Campus, Asia’s largest
green pasture on a plateau
offers more than just sheeps
for visitors to seeIt’s amazing what
abandoned spaces
can turn into, in this
case, an art galleryBibimbap is one
of Korea’s most
distinctive cuisines