Bucheon, the Cultural City brims over with the imaginativeness

Western part of Gyeonggi Province, hub of East Asia and locomotive of the ‘West Coast’ era!

Established as Bucheon-gun in 1914 and eventually upgraded to Bucheon City in 1973, Bucheon has, over the last twenty years, become a self-sufficient city whose downtown area forms a nice harmony with newly built towns such as Jung-dong and Sang-dong. The City has also played a leading role in the culture, economy, transportation, and logistics of the Greater Seoul Area over the last forty years thanks to its abundant human resources and convenient transportation network.

Industrial robots, animations, water, archery, and pottery

Diverse museums dedicated to culture and the arts

◇ Aiins World is a miniature theme park in which 109 miniature replicas of world-famous structures from 25 countries are displayed. People speak highly of Aiins World as a new concept of theme park that combines fun and education. ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

Bucheon is often referred to as a city of museums. In fact, there are eleven major museums in the city, namely, Bucheon Robo Park, the Korean Comic Museum, the Bucheon Bow Museum, the Bucheon Suseok Museum, the Bucheon Europe Porcelain Museum, the Bucheon Water Museum, the Bucheon Museum of Education, the Bucheon Natural Ecology Museum, the Bucheon Pottery Museum, Bucheon Botanical Garden, and the Pearl S. Buck Memorial Hall. The city is also planning to build a museum dedicated to the exhibition of prehistoric relics in the near future.

Bucheon Robo Park, which is located within the Bucheon Techno Park, is a permanent robot exhibition space, and the first of its kind in the world. The park is closely associated with Bucheon City’s efforts to develop the industry of intelligent robots as a future growth engine. It also serves as a technology venue where children can enjoy a hands-on experience of robotics technologies. In addition to its function as a permanent exhibition space, the park runs diverse robot-related educational programs.

At the Korea Manhwa (Comics) Museum visitors can explore the history of Korean comics over the past 100 years. The museum comprises a room that introduces the works of major cartoonists, a digital (4D/3D) theater, and a comic reading room. Bucheon City also opened the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency in 2009 to develop the country’s comics industry and to enhance its competitiveness through the exploration of overseas markets, as well as reinforcing the basis for mutual cooperation through such events as the BICOF (Bucheon International Comics Festival).◇ At the Bucheon Pottery Museum, you can explore how pottery has developed in Korea over the centuries. ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

The Gakgung (Horn Bow) is a traditional representative culture of Bucheon. In 2004, the Bucheon Bow Museum was opened according to the wishes of the late Messrs. Kim Jang-hwan and Kim Bak-yeong (master craftsman specializing in the production of arrows, jointly designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 47) to display archery materials and relics and to introduce arrow-making skills. Other objects used in the defense and guard of the country are also on display.◇ Bucheon City opened the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency in 2009 as part of an effort to leads others in the development of the country’s comics industry. ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

Recently, renewed attention has been focused on the wisdom embodied in the country’s onggi (traditional ceramic receptacles) amid the new light being shed on well-being in general. Bucheon City opened the Bucheon Pottery Museum at a pottery kiln site located in Yeowol-dong, Ojeong-gu. The kiln was in operation from the late Joseon Period to as recently as the 1980s. The museum shows how earthenware and pottery developed over thousands of years on the Korean Peninsula and displays diverse kinds of ceramic wares.◇ At the Bucheon Water Museum visitors can see how water is generated and lost, and explore its history and importance. ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

Bucheon is unlike other cities with regard to the sheer number of museums it has. The Bucheon Suseok Museum displays about 2,200 suseok (natural decorative stones) items, while the Bucheon European Porcelain Museum offers visitors the pleasure of marveling at a broad collection of European porcelain, crystal wares, and antique furniture ranging from the 18th century to the early modern period. At the Bucheon Water Museum, you can explore how water is created or lost, along with its history and importance, through diverse films and exhibits. At the Bucheon Museum of Education, visitors can find out how the country’s school education has changed over the years through more than 4,700 exhibits, including textbooks, reference books, prize certificates, stationery, and ancient books. The city also boasts the Bucheon Natural Ecology Museum, Bucheon Botanical Garden, and the Pearl S. Buck Memorial Hall.

Visitors find a trip to Bucheon a delightful experience!

Yainsidae Campsite
This campsite is ideal for overnight stays in the great outdoors. (There are spaces for 90 tents on a 20-acre site.) It is located in an open area near Gilju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon City. It is also used for film screenings, diverse performances, and exhibitions for families.
(Fee: KRW 15,000 per tent for campers who bring their own tents; KRW 30,000 with tent rental included) (For reservations, please visit: www.bccamppark.kr.)

Bucheon Dulle-gil (Hikers’ Path)
The Bucheon Hikers’ Path (42.195km, i.e., the standard length of a marathon) traverses Jankdongsan, Wonmisan, and Seongjusan mountains and various parks, streams, and open fields. You can choose from five themes’ courses which pass via local historic sites and forests; a forest aromatic bath; a streamside walk; an open field, and Nuri-gil.

Aiins World
Aiins World displays 34 miniature replicas of UNESCO cultural heritage sites scattered throughout the world, six of the ‘Seven Modern Wonders of the World’, and 109 world-famous structures. At night, it exudes a fantastic atmosphere illuminated by a four-way lighting system. Aiins World is regarded as a new concept of theme park that fulfills a dual purpose by combining fun and education. It was designated as a recommended destination for onsite education by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in 2004.

Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan)
The PiFan is one of the leading, representative events of Bucheon, a city with a dynamic cultural heritage and the Mecca of films. This international event has already secured a worldwide reputation as a dynamic film festival filled with a new sense of mission and energy. Visitors speak highly of it as an opportunity to see diverse genres of films screened under creative and entrepreneurial programs. The PiFan 2012 was held for eleven days between July 19 and 29. In May 2012, actress Park Ha-sun was selected as the PiFan Lady, the event’s PR ambassador.

A hands-on experience of kimchi-making under the guidance of Master Kim Sun-ja.
Many people all over the world appear to have developed a new-found interest in hansik (Korean traditional food), including kimchi, as health foods. The Hanok Stay Experience Village in the Bucheon Visual Culture Complex runs a hands-on kimchi-making experience program under the guidance of ‘Kimchi Master’ Kim Sun-ja. Anyone wishing to take part in the program should make a reservation for one of the daily sessions held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. No reservation is necessary for the session held on Sundays. Each participant is presented with 1.5kg of kimchi.
(Participation fee: KRW 30,000 for adults, KRW 10,000 for students / To make a reservation, please visit blog.naver.com/kimchik1 or call 070-4251-1212.

◇ Yainsidae (The Age of Wanderer) Campsite ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

◇ Bucheon Dulle-gil (Hikers’ Path) ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team

◇ Aiins World ⓒ G-LIFE Editing Team
 
Bucheon Art Valley
In March 2011, Bucheon City began operating Bucheon Art Valley in an effort to popularize the arts, which many ordinary people may regard as activities reserved exclusively for the elite. Under this project, qualified local artists are appointed as part-time lecturers to schools as part of the city’s efforts to help students nurture their creativity and their personality as well-educated individuals.

The project has been adopted by a total of 97 schools so far (i.e. 94 elementary and middle schools, one high school, and two special schools). In the last year, the project ran 73 programs at 65 schools, scoring an average satisfaction rate of 95.5%.

The areas covered by the project include choral, instrumental music, gugak (traditional Korean music), samul nori, animation, drama, dance, fine arts, dance sport, and so on. The programs are provided in consideration of each individual school’s characteristics. Bucheon City plans to extend the project to all the schools in the city and even to adults by 2014.

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