South Korea - Hwaeomsa Temple

Gakhwangjeon (Hall) in Hwaeomsa Temple

Sent by Nurul from Jeju Island, South Korea. Terima kasih banyak-banyak.

Hwaeomsa (Sino-Korean: hwa-eom-sa 華嚴寺, literally "Flower Garland Temple") is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is located on the slopes of Jiri-san, in Masan-myeon, Gurye County, in the province of Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It was constructed under the Silla dynasty in 544, burned down during the Seven Year War in the 1590s, and rebuilt thereafter.

Four national treasures of South Korea are located within the temple. These include Gakhwangjeon Hall, an ancient stone lantern, and a three-storied stone pagoda supported by four stone lions. There are eight treasures of South Korea such as the Lion Pagoda in front of Wontongjeon Hall. (Source)

South Korea - Talchum Dance

Talchum Dance in Busan.

Sent by Natasha, a postcrosser from South Korea.

Talchum could be characterized as a Korean dance performed while wearing a mask, miming, speaking and even sometimes singing. Although most Koreans believe that talchum refers to all mask dance dramas, it is in fact a regional term only properly applied to dances of Hwanghae Province in present day North Korea. Dances from the Seoul or Gyeonggi Province region are known as sandae noli, whereas the dances from the southern coast are known as yayu which means field play or ogwangdae which means dance of five clowns. Korean mask dance dramas are not just dances performed by masked dancers but also include significant dramatic content with masked characters portraying people, animals and sometimes supernatural beings. These folk dramas reflect the frustrations felt by the lower classes towards the Confucian literati Yangban, due to the latter's treatment of the commoners, show the life of the common man and process social problems such as monks who ignore their precepts and men who cast off their old wives. (read further)

South Korea - Hwarot of Flower Pattern

Hwarot of Flower Pattern.

Sent by Sarang, a postcrosser from South Korea.

This is from Wikiepdia : Hwarot is a type of traditional Korean clothing worn during the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty by royal women for ceremonial occasions or by commoners for weddings. It originated from the Kingdom of Khotan, Central Asia.

South Korea - Mount Sorakson Nature Reserve

Mount Sorakson Nature Reserve.

Sent by Samara, a postcrosser from Camp Walker in Daegu, South Korea. The stamps were postmarked at Army Post Office (APO).

This is from UNESCO : Located in the eastern part of the central Korean peninsula, Mt. Soraksan Nature Reserve covers an area of 163.6 square kilometers. This region includes many high peaks measuring over 1,200 meters above sea level including Taech'ongbong, the highest peak (1,708 meters). It is part of a complicated mountain ranges of strongly dissected granite and gneiss and is characterized by spectacular rocky hills and ridges. The magnificent natural beauty of Mt. Soraksan is due to these geographical features. Mt. Soraksan Nature Reserve region is considered to be a floristically diverse area. More than 822 vascular plant species have been recorded in the region, including rare plants such as Hanabusaya Asiatic and Abios nephrolepis. The fauna includes 49~5 species of birds and mammals. In particular, endangered species such as the Dryocopos javensis richardsi, Naemorheudus goral raddeanus, and Moschus moschiferus parvipes are considered to be of major conservation significance. In addition to the plants and animals, biologically important and rare fish such as Brachmystax lenok and Moroco oxycephalus are also desere to be protected and preserved. Famous for its beautiful landscape and valuable cultural properties including Paektamsa (Buddhist temple) and Shinhungsa (Buddhist temple), Mt. Soraksan Nature Reserve is considered to be one of the most popular tourist resorts which attracts a great number of people every year.

South Korea - Gu Hye-seon/Ku Hye Sun

Gu Hye-seon in a scene of "Boys Over Flowers".

Sent by Yunjeong, a postcrosser from South Korea.

This is from Wikipedia : Ku Hye Sun (Korean: 구혜선, born November 9, 1984) is a South Korean actress, singer, author and director. An admirer of Leonardo Da Vinci, Ku also dabbles in directing, writing, illustrating, singing and composing. She is best known for her role as Geum Jan Di in the hit TV show Boys Over Flowers.

Ku entered the entertainment industry after gaining popularity on the internet as an ulzzang. She soon rose to fame in the drama Pure in Heart and surprised critics with her performance in the historical drama The King and I. Ku is most well known for portraying Geum Jan-di in the hit KBS drama Boys Over Flowers. After a year in limbo with no broadcasting slot, her pre-produced drama The Musical finally aired in September 2011. Ku will next star in the Taiwanese drama adaptation of the manga Absolute Boyfriend and is currently filming for the upcoming SBS series Take Care of Us, Captain.

Originally set to debut as a singer (supposedly in a 3-member girl group with 2NE1's Park Bom and Sandara Park), YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun-seok advised Ku to pursue acting rather than music. In recent years, she has displayed her vocal talents through Saranga (which became the title song of Pure in Heart), a cover of Shim Soo-bong's I Don't Know Anything But Love (which played during a crucial scene in Boys Over Flowers), and a duet of Kim Gun Mo's song Rain Falls on a Sleepless Night with Big Bang member Seungri on the music talk show Lee Hana's Peppermint. Ku has also composed an album of New Age music titled Breath.

Ku wrote Tango, a semi-autobiographical novel about a twenty-something woman's experience with love and relationships. The book was a bestseller, selling 30,000 copies within a week. Its release coincided with her first solo art exhibition, also titled Tango, in July 2009 at La Mer Gallery, which attracted 10,000 visitors. The exhibition featured around 40 of Ku's illustrations, some from her novel. She has also done artwork for Gummy's fourth album Comfort.

Ku made her official debut as a director through her short film The Madonna (Korean title translates to The Cheerful Caretaker) at the 2009 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. She has since written and directed her first feature-length film Magic, and her second film The Peach Tree premiered at the 2011 Busan International Film Festival.

In 2011 Ku established her own company, Ku Hye-sun Film, and she will produce and film her projects under its name, which will offer her a measure of legal/business protection.

South Korea - Changdeokgung Palace

Donhwamun Gate, Changdeokgung Palace.

Sent by Sonyo from South Korea.

This is from UNESCO : Changdeokgung Palace had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture, garden and landscape planning, and related arts, for many centuries. It reflects sophisticated architectural values, harmonized with beautiful surroundings. The palace compound is an outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design, exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting, adapting to the topography and retaining indigenous tree cover.

In the early years of the Joseon dynasty in Korea, the capital moved many times between Gaeseong and Hanyang (present-day Seoul). In 1405 the King Taejong (1400-18), moved the capital back to Hanyang. Considering the existing Gyeongbokgung Palace to be inauspicious, he ordered a new palace to be built, which he named Changdeokgung (Palace of Illustrious Virtue). This palace occupies an irregular rectangle of 57.9 ha, north of Seoul at the foot of Mount Eungbongsan, the main geomantic guardian mountain.

A Bureau of Palace Construction was set up to create the complex, consisting of a number of official and residential buildings, carried out to traditional design principles. These included the palace in front, the market behind, three gates and three courts (administrative court, royal residence court and official audience court). The compound was divided into two parts: the main palace buildings and the Biwon (royal secret garden). The main buildings (throne hall, hall of government affairs, and royal residences) were completed in 1405, and other major elements were added in the succeeding seven years.

The compound was extended to the north-west in 1462. In 1592, during the Japanese invasion of Korea, the palace was burned down, along with many of the important structures in Hanyang. The ruler, Seonjo, began reconstruction in 1607, and this work was completed in 1610, when it again became the seat of government and the royal residence, a role that it was to play for 258 years. It underwent some vicissitudes during that period, but reconstruction was always faithful to the original design.

The main gate (Donhwamun) is a two-storey structure, built in 1406 and reconstructed in 1607 after destruction by fire. The first of the three functional sectors of the palace (administrative court) is entered through the impressive single-storey Injeongmun gate, in the same style as Donhwamun. It gives access to a courtyard whose dominant feature is the majestic throne hall (Injeongjeon). It was destroyed twice by fire, in 1592 and 1803. Set on a double terrace, it is a two-storey structure supported on four huge columns. The elaborate throne in the main hall is placed on a dais beneath a carved ceiling screen. The roof ridge is decorated with carvings of guardian animals, such as eagles and dragons. The main stairway leading to the hall is ornamented with statues of mythical guardian animals. To the east of the Injeongjeon Hall is the simple blue-tiled Seonjeongjeon Hall, used by the king for everyday business. Next to it is the Huigyeongdang Hall, another modest building, which contained the king's bedchamber and sleeping quarters for his staff.

The Daejojeon Hall nearby was for the use of the queen. The garden was landscaped with a series of terraces planted with lawns, flowering trees, flowers, a lotus pool, and pavilions set against a wooded background. There are over 26,000 specimens of 100 indigenous trees in the garden. To these should be added 23,000 planted specimens of 15 imported species, including yew, stone pine, white pine, gingko and Chinese junipers.

South Korea - Gwanghwamun

Sent by Rob, a postcrosser from South Korea.

South Korea - The Royal Azalea Blossom of Hallasan

The Royal Azalea Blossom of Hallasan. It is a part of Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sent by Chang, a postcrosser from Taiwan.

This is from UNESCO : Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes together comprise three sites that make up 18,846 ha. It includes Geomunoreum, regarded as the finest lava tube system of caves anywhere, with its multicoloured carbonate roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls; the fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, rising out of the ocean, a dramatic landscape; and Mount Halla, the highest in Korea, with its waterfalls, multi-shaped rock formations, and lake-filled crater. The site, of outstanding aesthetic beauty, also bears testimony to the history of the planet, its features and processes.

South Korea - The Royal Court Clothes

The royal court clothes.

Sent from Seoul by Kim of Taiwan.

This is from Wikipedia : Hanbok (South Korea) or Chosŏn-ot (North Korea) is the traditional Korean dress. It is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets. Although the term literally means "Korean clothing", hanbok today often refers specifically to hanbok of Joseon Dynasty and is worn as semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations. Modern hanbok does not exactly follow the actual style as worn in Joseon dynasty since it went through some major changes during the 20th century for practical reasons.

Throughout history, Korea had a dual clothing tradition, in which rulers and aristocrats adopted different kinds of mixed foreign-influenced indigenous styles, while the commoners continued to use a distinct style of indigenous clothing that today is known as Hanbok.

Korean Peninsula - Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

The vehicle that takes down to the tunnel North Korea built under the DMZ.

Sent by Russell, a postcrosser from New Zealand. This postcard was sent from Shemzen in China.

This is from Wikipedia : The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: 한반도 비무장지대) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it. It is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide and is the most heavily militarized border in the world. The Northern Limit Line, or NLL, is the de facto maritime boundary between North and South Korea in the Yellow Sea and the coastline and islands on both sides of the NLL are also heavily militarized.

The 38th parallel north—which cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half—was the original boundary between the US-occupied and Soviet-occupied areas of Korea at the end of World War II. Upon the creation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, informally North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (ROK, informally South Korea) in 1948, it became a de facto international border and one of the most tense fronts in the Cold War.

Both the North and the South remained heavily dependent on their sponsor states from 1948 to the outbreak of the Korean War. The conflict, which claimed over three million lives and divided the Korean Peninsula along ideological lines, commenced on June 25, 1950, with a Soviet-sponsored DPRK invasion across the 38th parallel, and ended in 1953 after international intervention pushed the front of the war back to near the 38th parallel. In the Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953, the DMZ was created as each side agreed to move their troops back 2,000 m (2,200 yards) from the front line, creating a buffer zone 4 km (2.5 mi) wide. The Military Demarcation Line (MDL) goes down the center of the DMZ and indicates exactly where the front was when the agreement was signed.

Owing to this theoretical stalemate, and genuine hostility between the North and the South, large numbers of troops are still stationed along both sides of the line, each side guarding against potential aggression from the other side. The armistice agreement explains exactly how many military personnel and what kind of weapons are allowed in the DMZ. Soldiers from both sides may patrol inside the DMZ, but they may not cross the MDL. Sporadic outbreaks of violence due to North Korean hostilities killed over 500 South Korean soldiers and 50 U.S. soldiers along the DMZ between 1953 and 1999.

Tae Sung Dong and Kijong-dong were the only villages allowed by the armistice committee to remain within the boundaries of the DMZ. Residents of Tae Sung Dong are governed and protected by the United Nations Command and are generally required to spend at least 240 nights per year in the village to maintain their residency. In 2008, the village had a population of 218 people. The villagers of Tae Sung Dong are direct descendants of people who owned the land before the 1950-53 Korean War.

Turtle Design Double Cabinet

Sent by kiwicarol who is moving to New Zealand from South Korea. Thanks kiwicarol :)

Salon de Red

Sent by Arnie from Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Seoul Station

The second of the two postcards sent by Kyu-Hyun from Seoul. It shows an old Seoul Station in Seoul.

This is from Wikipedia : Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.

South Korea - Changdeokgung Palace Complex

This is the first of the two postcards sent by Kyu-Hyun from South Korea. It shows a Changdeockgung Naeuiwon, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Korea.

Changdeokgung Palace had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture, garden and landscape planning, and related arts, for many centuries. It reflects sophisticated architectural values, harmonized with beautiful surroundings. The palace compound is an outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design, exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting, adapting to the topography and retaining indigenous tree cover.

In the early years of the Joseon dynasty in Korea, the capital moved many times between Gaeseong and Hanyang (present-day Seoul). In 1405 the King Taejong (1400-18), moved the capital back to Hanyang. Considering the existing Gyeongbokgung Palace to be inauspicious, he ordered a new palace to be built, which he named Changdeokgung (Palace of Illustrious Virtue). This palace occupies an irregular rectangle of 57.9 ha, north of Seoul at the foot of Mount Eungbongsan, the main geomantic guardian mountain.

A Bureau of Palace Construction was set up to create the complex, consisting of a number of official and residential buildings, carried out to traditional design principles. These included the palace in front, the market behind, three gates and three courts (administrative court, royal residence court and official audience court). The compound was divided into two parts: the main palace buildings and the Biwon (royal secret garden). The main buildings (throne hall, hall of government affairs, and royal residences) were completed in 1405, and other major elements were added in the succeeding seven years.

The compound was extended to the north-west in 1462. In 1592, during the Japanese invasion of Korea, the palace was burned down, along with many of the important structures in Hanyang. The ruler, Seonjo, began reconstruction in 1607, and this work was completed in 1610, when it again became the seat of government and the royal residence, a role that it was to play for 258 years. It underwent some vicissitudes during that period, but reconstruction was always faithful to the original design.

The main gate (Donhwamun) is a two-storey structure, built in 1406 and reconstructed in 1607 after destruction by fire. The first of the three functional sectors of the palace (administrative court) is entered through the impressive single-storey Injeongmun gate, in the same style as Donhwamun. It gives access to a courtyard whose dominant feature is the majestic throne hall (Injeongjeon). It was destroyed twice by fire, in 1592 and 1803. Set on a double terrace, it is a two-storey structure supported on four huge columns. The elaborate throne in the main hall is placed on a dais beneath a carved ceiling screen. The roof ridge is decorated with carvings of guardian animals, such as eagles and dragons. The main stairway leading to the hall is ornamented with statues of mythical guardian animals. To the east of the Injeongjeon Hall is the simple blue-tiled Seonjeongjeon Hall, used by the king for everyday business. Next to it is the Huigyeongdang Hall, another modest building, which contained the king's bedchamber and sleeping quarters for his staff.

The Daejojeon Hall nearby was for the use of the queen. The garden was landscaped with a series of terraces planted with lawns, flowering trees, flowers, a lotus pool, and pavilions set against a wooded background. There are over 26,000 specimens of 100 indigenous trees in the garden. To these should be added 23,000 planted specimens of 15 imported species, including yew, stone pine, white pine, gingko and Chinese junipers. (Source)