Vacation cabins in Naechon Lake Village(내촌호수마을)

If you go beyond the city center, there's a beautiful lakeside village called Naechon-ri. There some vacation cabins, locally called 'pension'(펜션), are nested just steps away from crystal clear waters of Jinyang Lake.

Source

There are ten or so pensions in the village. Some of them share a large playground, so you can play with a ball as well. Also, since a cosmos festival is being held nearby these days (late September), I guess you can feel fall is finally in the air. In other words, now is the best time to take a picture with the flowers in the back. Like other vacation cabins you can see in your country, you can cook inside or have barbecue outside too.

The pensions have different sizes of rooms from a double room to a large room for a group of people. The prices differ depending on the rooms. I guess they are a bit expensive: a double room is around ￦80,000-100,000. So you need to check each house before booking. They don't usually provide English service on the websites or on the line, I think you better ask your Korean friend to make a reservation. The list of pensions are below.

Source

Reservation: 

솔하우스앤갤러리 www.solgallery.kr/

내촌호수마을 www.hosutown.com/

피노키오 www.ppen.kr/

로만티카 http://www.로만티카.kr/ 

언덕위에하얀집 www.hayanzip.net/

달강 www.dalgang.kr/

허브향펜션 www.herbchon.com/

해여울펜션 www.clhouse.kr/

가을동화 www.schoolfarm.co.kr/

Address: Naechon-ri, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

How to get there: It's a bit far away from the city center, so you need to drive there. If you don't have a car, you can take a taxi for less than 15,000 won. If you want to save money, the village bound bus(343) is also in operation four times a day.

How to learn Korean on your own

These days, many foreigners who speak Korean very fluently appear on multiple TV programs. Particularly, Tyler Rasch, who appears on 'Non-summit Talk(비정상회담)' as the representative of America, often surprises viewers for his Korean skills.

How can you become such a successful Korean learner as him? Maybe the only key is practice over and over. Here's some tips for learning Korean on your own.

1. Learn hangeul using fun applications for starters.
Hangeul is the Korean alphabet system. Sometimes people mix it with the language itself. But it's not. Hangeul is pretty easy to learn. Once you learn the basic consonants and vowels, you can read and write most of the Korean words. If you just decided to learn it, I recommend you the smartphone application PopPopping Korean. You can learn everything about hangeul from the creation principle of the consonants and vowels to the sound of each letter.

Download it here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.kr.co.eduhansol.poppingKorean

2. Use Korean learning websites or blogs

If you're not in Korea, the best way to learn Korean is to use lots of contents on the internet. For starters, Talk to me in Korean provides different types of free learning materials from grammar instructions to Korean news articles, and you name it. Because the team always tries to teach Korean in a fun and creative way, you will be able to learn a lot of things not taught in a textbook like everyday Korean expressions. And it's also good that they try to interact with the site users using lots of SNS instruments. 


King Sejong Institute is also a well-developed website to learn Korean online, which is operated by Korean government. It offers services in multiple languages such as Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Thai, Indonesian, Russian and French. And you can use or download many materials on the site for nothing. This site is especially good to learn not only Korean language but also Korean culture: Korean lifestyle, pop culture, etc. It recently started to post webtoons of Korean folk stories in different languages. 

If you are a big fan of Running Man, try Wiseinit. You can find many posts about words from the popular variety show. Not only that, it also has lots of posts about hanja (Chinese characters), which is very useful when learning advanced Korean words. The posts are all written in English.

- Talk to me in Korean  http://www.talktomeinkorean.com
- King Sejong Institute  http://www.sejonghakdang.org/sjcu/home/main.do

- Wiseinit http://wiseinit.com - KoreanClass101  http://www.koreanclass101.com

- Sogang University  http://korean.sogang.ac.kr
- K-Pop Korean  http://study.korean.net/servlet/action.app.KpopAction?p_menuCd=m201

3. Subscribe fun Youtube channels

If you like to watch videos on Youtube, subscribe these channels teaching Korean. Talk to me in Korean shares lots of video clips about Korea and Korean language, which are mostly recorded in English. And they make some podcasts spoken in Korean, too.

Another channel that I recommend is Korean Englishman (영국남자), which is immensely popular with young Koreans. The Youtuber is from London, and he's been making videos about his life in England and his love for Korea in fluent Korean. When I fist watched his video, I was really surprised at his fluent Korean since it was still uncommon for me to see non-Asians speak such good Korean. The topics he addresses in his videos are also really interesting, and show current trends of Korea very well. So I guess you can get the sense of many things about Korea from a foreigner's point of view in his videos.

Koreal Story is about Korean culture and the experiences of the foreigners who live in Jinju, Korea. Culture is a very important factor in learning a new language, so the videos of Koreal Story will help you understand Korean culture from the point of view of foreigners.

- Talk to me in Korean https://www.youtube.com/user/talktomeinkorean

- Korean Englishman (영국남자) https://www.youtube.com/user/koreanenglishman

- Koreal Story https://www.youtube.com/user/korealstory

4. Use Korean learning infographic
Learning a new language steadily is not easy. But why don't you break down things into small pieces like infographics? When you don't have time and energy to open your book or laptop, just scroll down your smartphone. 

Dom&Hyo is a blog about a Korean and American couple's relationship and their life in Korea. Thankfully, they give away a ton of interesting infographics, and if you want, you can buy them in a form of poster. Since they draw webtoons, their materials are all cute.

Another site I recommend is Korea Times, which is a Korean English newspaper. It also provides a daily infographic every day. I guess their expressions are quite difficult for beginners. But they are all very useful and everyday expressions, so why not learn them as well?

- Dom&Hyo  http://domandhyo.com/
- Korea Times (Easy Korean)  www.ktimes.com/EasyKorean

5. Watch Korean shows

Korean shows are the best source in learning Korean, I think. They're easy to find, and they're very fun to study with. When I was in Australia, I used to attend a language exchange. I still remember an Aussie guy learning Korean watching Korean dramas. I thought our drama is a bit different from Western culture's, but he really liked it. So my first recommendation is his favorite back then, Secret Garden(시크릿 가든).

Other hit dramas that I recommend you

- Full House (풀하우스, 2004)

- Dream High (드림하이, 2011)
- My Love From the Star (별에서 온 그대, 2013)

- Misaeng (미생/an incomplete life, 2014)
- She Was Pretty (그녀는 예뻤다, 2015)
- Reply 1997, 1994, 1988 (응답하라 1997, 1994, 1988)
- Cheese in the Trap (치즈인더트랩, 2016)

If you go into the site below, you can learn some useful expressions intensively, watching video clips from Korean hit dramas.

- Pit-a-pat Koren

Drama Fever provides free streaming services of Korean dramas, but unfortunately you cannot watch the videos in Korea.

- Drama Fever http://www.dramafever.com

If you'd like to learn a lot of slangs or everyday expressions, variety shows are more useful than dramas because actors in dramas tend to try to speak only exact expressions and pronunciations, which is what people don't usually do.

Current variety shows that I recommend you

- Running Man (런닝맨)

- Infinite Challenge (무한도전)

- Nonsummit Talk (비정상회담)
- Please Take Care of  My Refrigerator (냉장고를 부탁해)
- My Little Television (마이리틀텔레비전)

6. Join language exchange groups

Getting a Korean friend is also a great way to learn Korean. If you want to meet a native speaker of Korean, how about locating a language exchange group around you first. If you live in Jinju, there are a couple of meetings that take place every week.

- Further information

The Jinju's best places to see fall colors

The air is cooling and the sky is so clear these days. It's a bit early to post this, but the trees around us will turn red soon. Jinju's fall is especially beautiful, and lots of festivals take place in this season. Here are the best places to see the leaves change colors this fall.

1. Gyeoongnam Arboretum (경남 수목원)

Located in the outskirts of Jinju, Gyeongnam Arboretum is locally called as Banseong Arboretum (반성수목원). It is the place where Jinjuities like to go to spend their weekend with their significant others on and off. Since it is a little far away from the city center, people think all the way to the place is also good to drive.

The arboretum is quite huge. It has various exhibition facilities, gardens, and forest museum. The small zoo halfway through the arboretum is also very popular for kids. My favorite spot is the metasequoia-lined road in the picture. Walking along the road is quite romantic, so I strongly recommend you to visit there, especially if you're dating someone.

>>Source

• When: late October
• Where: Yibanseon-myeon (30 mins from the city center)
• How to get there: The best way is to drive. If you take a bus (280,281,283,283,380), you have to transfer at the Banseong terminal to the shuttle bus.

2. Jinju Castle 

Jinju Castle is good to visit every season, but my favorite is definitely fall, when the leaves of trees turn yellow and red. I like to chill out sitting on the benches or the grass there while feeling the cool air. If you go up the hill in there, you can also look down the river flowing along the castle.

3. University campuses
Jinju is sometimes called an educational city since there are relatively many schools considering the size of the city. There are a few places where I like to pay a visit in fall.

- Gyeongnam Science and Technology University (경남과기대)












Located in Chiramdong area, GNTech University has a very nice park in the campus. The most beautiful place, I think, is the metasequoia-lined road. Some couples visit for wedding photoshoot.

- Gyeongsang National University (경상대학교)
The largest university in Jinju has a beautiful campus with lots of different trees and buildings. After a walk there, the front gate area is also good to hang out with your friends.

4.Daepyeong cosmos festival

Driving around Jinyang Lake, which is the best driving course in Jinju, you will finally get to the large field with cosmos in full bloom. The blue sky and different colors of the flower will become a perfect background for your pictures.

Daepyeong Cosmos Festival (Jinyang Lake)  >>Source

• When: From late September through the beginning of October
• Where: Naechon-ri, Daepyeong-myeon

5. Jinju Chrysanthemum Festival 

Along with cosmos, the representative flower of fall is chrysanthemum. In November, Jinju Stadium starts to give out the strong fragrance of chrysanthemum due to the annual chrysanthemum display. It is held with Jinju International Agriculture and Food Expo every year, so there will be a ton of things to see.

>>Source

• When: the beginning of November
• Where: Jinju Stadium

Shopping in Jinju

I'm not much a fan of shopping, so I don't know many shops in Jinju. But here's brief information about shopping in Jinju. 

1. Galleria (Department store)

First off, people usually go downtown to get some clothes and stuff. Around Daean-dong, many clothes and shoes shops are lined up along streets. I personally prefer to go to Galleria because I don't like to move around different places in the sun. 

>>Image credit

Address: 195 Pyeongan-dong Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do

Operating Hours: 10:30-20:00

2. Rodeo street (Pedestrianized street 차없는 거리)

If you like unbranded stuff, there are many shops in Rodeo Street or the main roads. I guess you will encounter more brand shops than unbranded ones, but it's quite interesting to stroll around to find a local shop selling cute clothing. Frankly speaking, however, Jinju's Rodeo street is not that distinctive. But occasionally you will also be able to see some groups of people perform there, or conduct a campaign. 

Shops on Rodeo Streets

- Uni Qlo, Nike, New Balance, Top 10, etc

- ABC mart, Les More

- other general clothing and shoe stores

3. MODA Outlet

Last year, a large shopping complex opened in a suburban area called Jeongchon-myeon. MODA is the biggest one with more than 150 brand shops, and on the huge shopping complex are also some other outlet shops like Orange Factory or LF Fashion. So I think if you have a car, MODA is the best place to buy clothes for less at the moment (a bigger outlet is under construction in Innovation City). The price ranges are average I guess. And it has larger collection of last season clothes than any other places in the downtown area, so chances are you can get the sizes you want.

Address: 1276-1 Yeha-ri Jeongchon-myeon Jinju-si

Operating Hours: 11:00-21:00 (weekdays), 10:30-21:30(weekends)

Inquiries: 055-923-1100

Directions: Bus 123, 126, 134 (5 min walk from the Jeongchon-myeon Office stop), 

Bus 133, 150 (10 min walk from the Hoiwon-maeul stop)

4출] 모다아울렛 진주점 위치|작성자

 모다아울렛 진주점

>>Image credit

4. Jinju Joong-ang Market

>>Image credit

If you fancy shopping in a traditional market, visit to Jinju Joong-ang Market in downtown. Most clothes shops are usually for older people, but a few shops like Seoul Apparel(서울의류) have clothes for younger people too. In addition to clothes, there are lots of interesting things to see like a food street, creative handmade lanterns and so on.

Address: 8-1 Jinyangho-ro 547-gil Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do

Operating Hours: 04:00-19:00ish

Inquiries: 055-741-2151

Homepage: http://yudeungmarket.com

5. Underground shopping mall

In downtown, there's an  underground shopping center. Unfortunately, all the shops are closed now for renovation, which is expected to begin soon. 

Under construction

6. Home Plus Jinju Branch

Home plus Jinju branch is technically a supermarket, but it has outlet-like clothes shops on its first and second floors. I guess it's good to look around briefly when you go grocery shopping there. On the 8th floor there is also a public bath and a gym.

Address: 304 Daesin-ro Jinju-si Gyeongsangnam-do

Operating Hours: 09:00-24:00

Inquiries: 055-771-8000


7. Lotte Mall

A big shopping mall opened recently in Inno City. ... (updating w/ pics soon)

8th Golmokgil Art Festival (제8회 골목길아트페스티발)

Details>> https://www.facebook.com/Golmoggil

8th Golmokgil Art Festival is just around the corner. I remember the festival used to be held in late August, but this year it has held off a little bit. I guess the weather will be much better to look around the festival than before.

The festival is organized by Golmokgil People (골목길 사람들), which is mostly composed of many local artists. It's not been that long since it started, so I'm really afraid that not many people are aware of its existence. I myself participated in the 6th festival as part of a group guitar performance. Back then, I also didn't know much about the festival except that something happens during the time of the year. However, this festival is actually what makes Jinju a real "cultural and artistic city", which I grew up hearing so often although I didn't understand why Jinju is so.

As indicated in the name, the main venue is the Golmokgil, or an alley, stretching from the Jinju Post Office to Jinju Educational Office. There the main performances are supposed to be held on Wed. 9th and 12th September. Not only that, a variety of events are held throughout the city. (Please check details below.)

What I recommend you is the finale performances which is held on the 12th night. Looking back on the festival I took part in two years ago, I was very impressed by the fact that a small side street could become a nice concert hall. My favorite (except for my team) was the parade in the beginning. Luckily, it seems that the parade is going to open the night again.

Also, Uslung Market, a flea market which is held every second and fourth Saturday in downtown, will be temporarily open on the 9th at 4 PM, in addition to its regular opening on the 12th.


And I bet kids will go crazy when they see the dreamy bubbles a Japanese ajeossi makes at the finale.

Anyway, I hope you won't miss the exciting festival. :)

■ PROGRAMS
(I just translated the information on the poster into English on my own. So there could be misunderstanding in the translation and I didn't put a few of them here because they were a little tricky to translate. Please understand that.)


◆ Main Program 1 (시민 광장 프로그램 1) (9/9, Wed. / Jinju Educational Office)
- 마당극(itinerant folk entertainers)<남남북녀 혼례판굿> / 큰들문화예술센터 / 7:30 PM
- <꿈꾸는 아이들의 전시회> / 꿈꾸는 미술학원 아이들
- Uslung Market (어슬렁 마켓, a flea market) / 4-8PM





◆ Main Program 2 (시민 광장 프로그램 2) (Sat. 9/12, 6PM / Jinju Post Office)
- Golmokgil Parade / Saenori (새노리)
- 사겨딴스 / dance / Im Mi-kyeong, Lee Ji-hye, Hwang Eun-hee
- 징기자끼 / group acoustic guitar performance / 시민통기타연주단
- Comic Mime Show / Ko Jae-gyeong
- <ENDAND> / acoustic performance / 서미이샘, S.N.B.
- <Bubble Bubble> / bubble Mime / 오꾸다 미시시 (a Japanese mimer)
- Golmokgil Art Market

◆ Exhibitions

-  <노닐다> / Kim Hye-young / Fine art / Sep. 7-13 / Witches (brunch cafe), Gajwa-dong(가좌동)
- <낭만> / Kim Dae-yeol / Photography / Sep. 7-20 / 더 공감 (cafe), Gajwa-dong(가좌동)

- <풍경에 스며든 색> / Lee Han-woo / Oil painting / Sep. 7-13 / 진주 아이클생협 자연드림 카페 (cafe), Pyeonggeo-dong(평거동)
-  <눈빛발사> / Seo Hye-jeong / Fine art / Sep. 1-30 / 안카페 (cafe), Chiram-dong(칠암동)
-  <김연우 개인전> /  Kim Yeon-woo / Fine art / Sep. 7-30 / 커피포트, Manggyeong-dong(망경동)
- <Art Book Collection> / Lee Mi-kyeong / Book art / Sep. 7-13 / E su Dcrart, JungAn-dong(중안동)
- <플레이링> / Sep. 7-13 / 까사오띠모, JungAn-dong(중안동)
- <풀냄새> / Kim Soo-yeong / Illustration /  Sep. 7-13 / 목요일오후네시, JungAn-dong(중안동)
- <습작-해바라기> / Shin Yong-gi / Illustration / Sep. 7-13 / Recycle Diary, JungAn-dong(중안동)
- <프리지베드> / Lee Hyeon-seo / 플라워영구보존 / Sep. 7-13 / Flower Island(플라워아일랜드), Yihyeon-dong(이현동)

◆ Performances
- <그녀에게> / Libera ensemble / Thu. Sep. 10, 8PM / Witches (brunch cafe), Gajwa-dong(가좌동)
- <Pop jazz pario> / Lee Seo-yoen / <Saxophone> / Jang Joo-hak / Sep. 11, 8PM / 커피포트, Manggyeong-dong(망경동) 

- Acoustic performance / Seo Chan-woo, Son Song-yi / Sep. 8, 2PM / 진주 아이클생협 자연드림 카페 (cafe), Pyeonggeo-dong(평거동)
- <벌레> / Lee San / Mime / Sep. 11, 8PM / Da Won (다원), Dongseong-dong(동성동)
- 가족극<책책책> / 극단 현장 / Sep. 13, 7PM / Hyeongjang Art Hall (현장아트홀), Dongseong-dong(동성동)

◆ Workshop
- Making a country clock / Sep. 9-10, 11AM-2:00PM / 팜, JungAn-dong
- Hand-made chocolate / Sep. 7-10, 10:30AM-12-30PM & 7-9PM / CHOCO SUP, JungAn-dong

[source]

Pic.2, 5 http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002018573

Pic. 3 http://m.idomin.com/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=456800

Pic. 6 http://hanisaje.tistory.com/m/post/8

Night View Spots in Jinju (진주 야경)

To be honest, Jinju is kind of a dark city at night unless it's the festival period. So it is hard to say that there's a stunning and wow night view here. But there are a few places local people (usually couples) visit to see the night view.

1. Mangjinsan(Mt.) Bongsudae(Beacon)

Shinan-dong area from the Mangjinsan(Mt.) Bongsudae(Beacon)

This place is in Manggyeong-dong area. If you're new to Jinju or just a visitor, it is a little hard to get there without a car. But you may be able to spot a tower-looking object lighted up on a mountain quite easily from everywhere in the downtown area. It's the lookout point of Mangjinsan Bongsudae. Though a few trees may obstruct your view, the place is pretty good to chill out with your significant others.  By the way, please don't judge the view by this picture. My terrible photography ruined the view actually. ^^;

• How to get there: The best way to get there is to drive or take a taxi. Some people ride a bike up to the top. If you dare to walk from around the Cheonsugyo(Brdg.), it will take you at least 30 minutes.

2. Seonhaksan(Mt.) 

The sunset from the top of Seonhaksan(Mt.)

The top of Sunhaksan was recently renovated, so now you can catch a bird's eye view of the city very clearly. From the lookout spot, you can see the most parts of the city, and when the weather is good, you can even see the Mt. Jiri, which is the highest mountain in South Korea.

• How to get there: For this place, you have to hike a little bit. The shortest course to get there is to start from near Dong Bang Hotel. There you can find a sign guiding you to the top of the mountain.

3. Sky lounge of GNTech University

Chiram-dong area from Sky Lounge of GNTECH University  >>Source

Except a number of apartments across the city, there are not many tall buildings which have a sky lounge. But if you go up to the highest floor of the Centennial Memorial Building of Gyeongnam Science and Technology (GNTech) University, you will encounter a restaurant on the one side and a cafe on the other side. The views from either side are great, but I prefer the cafe side because the houses and the lights along the river create a magnificent atmosphere at night. The food and coffee there? The food there is not recommended, and the coffee is so so I think.

• How to get there: If you drive, parking is not a problem. If you take a bus, you will get off right in front of the building, which is located by the main road.

Jinju Castle - Must-go Place in Jinju (진주성)

You can't say that you've been to Jinju unless you went to Jinju Castle(진주성). It is translated into a castle, but it is a fortress actually.

>>Source

The best part of the fortress is Chokseongnu Pavilion, arguably one of the most beautiful ‘nugaks’ (multi-storied building without walls) in Gyeongsang-do Region. It was once used as a stronghold in the times of Jinju Daecheop(a great battle between Korea and Japan in the period of Joseon Dynasity).

As the building is now open to everyone, so you can go up to the second floor. If you get into the pavillion, you can catch the view of the river that runs under the building, and the surrounding area. What I like most about the place is the cool air that grazes my skin when I got up there. Amazingly, no matter how hot the outside is, the old building is always cool.

>>Source

Getting out of the pavilion, you will see a broad park. And along the walls, you will see many historical relics. If you're not much a history explorer, you can just take a stroll talking to your company.

Walking along the walls, you will get to Jinju National Museum. It is based on Imjin Waeran (Japanese Invasion in 1594) so there are a lot of relics about the war at the museum.

The best season to visit the castle is "fall", I think. The colors of the trees are really amazing, and it is when the lantern festival is held! So you will see the castle filled with lots of beautiful lanterns.

And the fortress covered with white snow displays a different view as well. When it snows (though it rarely does), many photographers don't miss the opportunity to contain the extraordinary scenery of the white Chokseongnu in the camera lenses.