Nami Island immersed in another ‘Winter Sonata’
(Published December 21, 2011)

– A pair of lovers enjoy a walk through fallen leaves shimmering in the sunlight / Photo from Nami Island Inc.

A renowned tourist site in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, Nami Island is a place for romance and memories this winter.

After the first airing of the drama Winter Sonata in January of 2001, Nami Island became a crucible of Hallyu. Many Korean and overseas visitors are flocking to this island again today.
– Life-size statues of Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo, the main characters of Winter Sonata (left). Chinese tourists traveling around Nami Island on bicycles (right). / Photo from Nami Island Inc.

As people purchase ‘VISA’ tickets at the ‘immigration department’ (dock ticket office) and board the boat to Nami Island, an announcement greets them, saying, ‘Welcome to the Naminara Republic.’ The Nami Island introduction is also provided in Chinese and Japanese.

There are many Chinese tourists, and Japanese tourists are evident as well.– Boat Islena with a maximum capacity of 250 passengers enters Nami Island with Korean flag and tourists. / Photo from Nami Island Inc.

Korea Ceramic Foundation President Kang Woo-hyon – the general director of the 2011 Gyeonggi International CereMix Biennale, a successful event that closed on November 22^nd – transformed a trash-covered Nami Island of 10 years ago into a global ecological and cultural tourist site.
– Glass decorations using discarded bottles and waste glass cover the bridge. Nami Island is renowned for recycled art, which transforms assorted garbage into beautiful artwork. /Photo by Nami Island Inc.– Soseul Gate, the gate to the ‘Naminara Republic,’ greets those who enter Nami Naru (left). A new road opened to Nami Island in 2010. Nami Island as seen from the top of an 80m zip-wire installed at the Gapyeong County dock (right). / Photo by Nami Island Inc.

Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province are collaborating on many projects including PyeongChang 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games support, tour product development, and social overhead capital (SOC) enhancement.

The proud camping site of Jara Island, Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, and Nami Island of Chuncheon City, Gangwon Province, was connected by zip-wire in 2010; a chair traveling the ‘Haneul-gil’ (sky road) via cable.

Although Nami Island is part of Gangwon Province, visitors can reach this global tourist site through the skies and water of Gyeonggi Province. This is a symbolic space of the mutually beneficial collaboration between Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province.– Liuseum World Ethnic Musical Instrument Exhibition Hall, located in the underground level of the Singing Museum, provides a rest area and cultural experience venue for tourists (left). Chinese tourists enjoy the warmth of a traditional fireplace and iron pot (right). / Photo by Nami Island Inc.

Source: Gyeonggi Province Policy Newsletter G-Life