Friday, January 27, 2012

Daegu

Daegu (Korean: [tɛɡu]), formerly spelled Taegu, and officially known as the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country  with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the surrounding Gyeongsangbuk-do province, although it is not legally part of the province. The two areas combined are often referred to as Daegu-Gyeongbuk, with a total population of over 5 million.
Daegu is located in south-eastern Korea about 80 km from the seacoast, near the Geumho River and its mainstream, Nakdong River in Gyeongsang-do. The Daegu basin, where the city lies, is the central plain of the Yeongnam region, making the city the natural center of the region's politics, economy, and culture.
In ancient times, Daegu was part of the Silla Kingdom which was the first successful attempt to unify the Korean Peninsula. During the Joseon Dynasty period, the city was the capital of Gyeongsang-do which was one of eight provinces of the country. Daegu was an important motor during South Korea's rapid economic growth period (1960s–1980s) and is currently focused on becoming a leading center in Korea for the fashion and high-tech industries. Due to its status as a cultural center, popular nicknames for Daegu include "Apple City", "Beauty City", "Textile City", and "Fashion City".

 

 History

 Prehistory and early history

Dalseong Park is believed to have been the center of historic Daegu.
Archaeological investigations in the Greater Daegu area have revealed a large number of settlements and burials of the prehistoric Mumun Pottery Period (c. 1500-300 B.C.). In fact, some of the earliest evidence of Mumun settlement in Gyeongsangdo have been excavated from Siji-dong and Seobyeon-dong.Dongcheon-dong is one of the substantial Mumun agricultural villages that have been excavated. The Dongcheon-dong site dates to the Middle Mumun (c. 850-550 B.C.) and contains the remains of many prehistoric pit-houses and agricultural fields. Megalithic burials (dolmens) have also been found in large numbers in Daegu.
Ancient historical texts indicate that during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea period, Daegu was the site of a chiefdom or walled-town polity known in historical records as Dalgubeol. The first mention of Dalgubeol is dated to 261. Nothing is known of the earlier history of Dalgubeol, and little of what came later, except that it was absorbed into the kingdom of Silla no later than the fifth century. The vestiges of the wall at that time are seen, and then relics were excavated in the current Dalseong Park.

Silla

Silla defeated the other two kingdoms of the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the late 7th century, with assistance from Tang China. Shortly thereafter, in 689, Silla's King Sinmun considered moving the capital from Gyeongju to Daegu, but was unable to do so. This initiative is known only through a single line in the Samguk Sagi, but it is presumed that it indicates both an attempt by the Silla king to augment royal authority and the entrenched resistance of the Gyeongju political elites that was the likely cause of the move's failure.The city was given its current name in 757.
In the late 1990s archaeologists excavated a large scale fortified Silla site in Dongcheon-dong, Buk-gu.The site at Locality 2 consists of the remains of 39 raised-floor buildings enclosed by a formidable ditch-and-palisade system. The excavators hypothesize that the fortified site was a permanent military encampment or barracks. Archaeologists also uncovered a large Silla village dating to the 6th to 7th centuries AD at Siji-dong.

Later Three Kingdoms and Goryeo

During the Later Three Kingdoms period, 892–936, Daegu was initially aligned with Hubaekje. In 927, northern Daegu was the site of the Battle of Gong Mountain between the forces of Goryeo under Wang Geon and those of Hubaekje under Gyeon Hwon. In this battle, the forces of Goryeo were crushed and Wang Geon himself was saved only by the heroism of his general Shin Sung-gyeom. However, it appears that the conduct of the Hubaekje forces at this time changed local sympathies to favor Wang Geon, who later became the king of Goryeo.
Numerous place-names and local legends around Daegu still bear witness to the historic battle of 927. Among these are "Ansim", which literally means "peace of mind", said to be the first place where Wang Geon dared to stop after escaping the battle, and "Banwol", or half-moon, where he is said to have stopped and admired the moon before returning to Goryeo. A statue commemorating the battle now stands in northern Daegu, as does a memorial to Sin Sunggyeom.
In the Goryeo period, the first edition of the Tripitaka Koreana was stored in Daegu, at the temple of Buinsa. However, this edition was destroyed when the temple was sacked in 1254, during the Mongol invasions of Korea.

 Joseon

Daegu in the 18th century
Always an important transportation center, in the Joseon Dynasty Daegu lay on the Great Yeongnam Road which ran between Seoul and Busan. It lay at the junction of this arterial road and the roads to Gyeongju and Jinju.
In 1601, Daegu became the administrative capital of the Gyeongsang-do, which is current Daegu, Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do. At about that time, the city began to grow into the national major city. The status was continued for nearly three hundred years, then the city has been the capital of Gyeongsangbuk-do since Gyeongsang-do was divided into two provinces, Gyeongsangbuk-do (means the northern Gyeongsang-do) and Gyeongsangnam-do (southern) in 1896.
Daegu's first regular markets were established during the late Joseon period. The most famous of these is the Yangnyeongsi herbal medicine market. This became a center of herbal trade in Joseon, and even attracted buyers from neighboring countries. Traders from Japan, who were not permitted to leave the Nakdong River valley, hired messengers to visit the market on their behalf. Seomun Market which stood at the city's west gate at that time, was one of the top three markets in the Joseon period.

 Korean Empire and Colonial rule

Korea began to open to the world in the late 19th century. In 1895, Daegu became the site of one of the country's first modern post offices, as part of the reforms enforced after the murder of Empress Myeongseong.
Beginning in the late 1890s, many foreign merchants and workers came to Daegu, which further lay on the newly-constructed Gyeongbu Line railroad connecting Seoul and Busan.
In 1905, the old fortress wall was surreptitiously destroyed. The rest of the fortress wall is remembered only through the names such as the streets Dongseongno and Bukseongno, "east fortress street" and "north fortress street", which now run where the wall once stood.
The Korean independence movements were active in Daegu. These began as early as 1898, when a branch of the Independence Club was established in the city.As the demise of the Korean Empire approached in 1907, local citizens led by Seo Sang-don organized the National Debt Repayment Movement. This movement spread nationwide, although it was unsuccessful in its attempt to repay the country's debt through individual donations. Resistance activities continued after the 1910 annexation, notably during the March 1st movement of 1919. At that time, four major demonstrations took place in Daegu, involving an estimated 23,000 people.

 Partition

After the liberation in 1945, Daegu was a hotbed of unrest. In October 1946, the Daegu uprising took place, one of the most serious incidents of unrest after the foundation of South Korea. where police attempts to control rioters on October 1 caused the death of three student demonstrators and injuries to many others, sparking a mass counter-attack killing 38 policemen. It was also the site of major demonstrations on February 28, 1960, prior to the fraudulent presidential election of that year.
Daegu and all of North Gyeongsang saw heavy guerrilla activity in the late 1940s, as thousands of refugees arrived from the fighting in Jeolla. In November 1948, a unit in Daegu joined the mutiny which had begun in Yeosu the previous month.
During the Korean War, much heavy fighting occurred nearby along the Nakdong River. Daegu sat inside the Pusan Perimeter, however, and therefore remained in South Korean hands throughout the war. As in many other areas during the Korean War, political killings of dissenters were widespread. A large series of engagements were fought around the city to prevent North Korean troops from crossing the Nakdong, the Battle of Taegu.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the city underwent explosive growth, and the population has increased more than tenfold since the end of the Korean War. The city was heavily politically favored during the long military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee, when it and the surrounding area served as his political base. Conservative political movements remain powerful in Daegu today. Daegu is a political base for Korea's ruling Grand National Party.
In the 1980s, Daegu separated from Gyeongsangbuk-do and became a separately administered provincial-level Directly Governed City (Jikhalsi), and was redesignated as a Metropolitan City (Gwangyeoksi) in 1995. Today, Daegu is the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Korea with respect to both population and commerce.

 Politics

Daegu City Hall
There are two local governments in the city, the Daegu Metropolitan Government in Jung-gu and Gyeongbuk Provincial Government in Buk-gu. The provincial government will be relocated to Andong in its proper province, Gyeongbuk. The mayor and heads of city's eight districts are directly elected by the citizens every four years. The city council has twenty nine members which consist of twenty six from the same number of electoral districts and three proportional representations. They are also directly elected every four years. Most of them are the members of the Grand National Party (Hannara-dang), the main conservative political party in South Korea. Daegu is the home to the party and has produced many Presidents of the Republic of Korea. As the capital of the Korean conservatives, the city has strong political power.

 Administrative divisions

The 7 districts and 1 county of Daegu.
Daegu is divided into 7 districts (Gu) and 1 county (Gun)
  • Jung-gu (중구, 中區) – means the central district.
  • Dong-gu (동구, 東區) – means the east district.
  • Seo-gu (서구, 西區) – means the west district.
  • Nam-gu (남구, 南區) – means the south district.
  • Buk-gu (북구, 北區) – means the north district.
  • Suseong-gu (수성구, 壽城區)
  • Dalseo-gu (달서구, 達西區)
  • Dalseong-gun (달성군, 達城郡)

 Geography

 Topography

Daegu sits in a basin surrounded by low mountains. Palgongsan to the north, Biseulsan to the south, Waryongsan to the west, and a series of smaller hills in the east. The Geumho River flows along the northern and eastern edges of the city, emptying in the Nakdong River west of the city.

 Climate

Daegu has a humid subtropical climate. The mountains that comprise the basin trap hot and humid air. Similarly, in winter, cold air lies in the basin. The area receives little precipitation except during the rainy season of summer, and is sunny throughout much of the year. Data gathered since 1961 indicates that the mean temperature for January, the coldest month in Daegu, is 0.6 °C (33 °F) and that for August, the warmest month, is 26.4 °C (80 °F). The City's lowest record temperature was −20.2 °C (−4 °F), and the City's highest record temperature was 40.0 °C (104 °F).
Climate data for Daegu (1981−2010)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average high °C (°F)5.5
(41.9)
8.3
(46.9)
13.5
(56.3)
20.6
(69.1)
25.3
(77.5)
28.3
(82.9)
30.3
(86.5)
31.0
(87.8)
26.7
(80.1)
21.9
(71.4)
14.7
(58.5)
8.2
(46.8)
19.5
(67.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)0.6
(33.1)
2.9
(37.2)
7.8
(46.0)
14.3
(57.7)
19.1
(66.4)
22.8
(73.0)
25.8
(78.4)
26.4
(79.5)
21.7
(71.1)
15.9
(60.6)
9.0
(48.2)
2.9
(37.2)
14.1
(57.4)
Average low °C (°F)−3.6
(25.5)
−1.6
(29.1)
2.8
(37.0)
8.4
(47.1)
13.5
(56.3)
18.2
(64.8)
22.3
(72.1)
22.8
(73.0)
17.6
(63.7)
10.8
(51.4)
4.2
(39.6)
−1.5
(29.3)
9.5
(49.1)
Precipitation mm (inches)20.6
(0.811)
28.2
(1.11)
47.1
(1.854)
62.9
(2.476)
80.0
(3.15)
142.6
(5.614)
224.0
(8.819)
235.9
(9.287)
143.5
(5.65)
33.8
(1.331)
30.5
(1.201)
15.3
(0.602)
1,064.4
(41.906)
% humidity54.453.654.153.258.765.573.872.971.364.560.356.861.6
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)4.55.27.37.88.69.514.412.89.65.15.04.394.1
Sunshine hours193.5185.2202.9220.4229.7183.8151.3165.3161.1203.2180.0189.72,266.0
Source: Korea Meteorological Administration

 Economy

Daegu is a manufacturing industry city. The major industries are textiles, metals and machinery. The quality of the apples grown around the city is renowned around Korea. Many companies such as Daegu Bank, Korea Delphi, Hwasung corp., and TaeguTec are situated in this city, and Samsung and Kolon were founded here. Numerous factories are located in the industrial complexes situated in the west and north sides of the city including the Seongseo Industrial Complex, West Daegu Industrial Complex and the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex.
The city is the economic and industrial core of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, one of the major industrial areas in Korea. It accounted for as much as 94 percent of Korea's trade surplus in 2006.[22] The electronics industries in Gumi and the steel industries in Pohang provided great services to that surplus. World-leading manufacturing facilities for Anycall (Samsung Mobile) and POSCO's main factories are located near the city. Daegu and its neighbouring cities were designated for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone by the central government in 2008. It is specialized in knowledge-based service and manufacturing industries.
Historically, Daegu has been the commercial center of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula with Seoul in the center and Pyongyang in the north (currently North Korea), because of its advantageous location. Some of the large, traditional markets like Seomun Market are still flourishing in the city.
Additionally, Daegu was considered the third major economic city in Korea, after Seoul and Busan. However, due to the decline of the textile industry, which is the heart of Daegu's economy, the overall economic growth of the city has also fallen.
Also, the city is the warmest region in South Korea due to the humid subtropical climate. This climate condition provides the region with high quality apples and oriental melons. The fruit industry is a crucial support for the local economy. However, because of the Korean Peninsula’s change in climate due to global warming, the sweetness and popularity of Daegu’s fruits has declined.[SOURCE?]
Due to the stagnant economy, Daegu’s population began to decrease after 2003. Recently, the local government has begun focusing on working towards economic revival and concentrating on improving the city’s fashion industry.

Fashion industry

Beginning in the late 1990s, Daegu has been actively making efforts to promote its fashion industry based on its textile and clothing manufacturing industries under the 'Daegu: Fashion City'. The city opens many exhibitions related to the fashion and textile industries including the Daegu Fashion Fair and Preview in Daegu annually or semi-annually, and invites national institutes. A large new town specializing in the textile-fashion industries is currently under construction in Bongmu-dong, northeastern Daegu. The district, officially named Esiapolis, takes aim at the fashion hub of East Asia. Textile complexes, textile-fashion institutions, an international school, fashion malls as well as residential areas plan to be developed in the district.

 Culture and sightseeing

Generally, Daegu is known as a conservative city. As well as being the largest inland city in the country beside Seoul it has become one of the major metropolitan areas in the nation. Traditionally, Buddhism was strong; today there are still many temples. Confucianism was popular in Daegu, with a large academy based in the city. Neon cross-topped spires of Christian churches can also be seen in the city.
Sights
The most well-known sight of the city is the stone Buddha called Gatbawi on the top of Gwanbong, Palgongsan. It is famous for its stone gat (Korean traditional hat). People from all over the country visit the place, because they believe that the Buddha will grant one's single desire. Administratively, the site itself is located in the neighboring city, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk.
Scenery of Donghwasa
On the outskirts of the city, mountains keep many traditional and renowned temples such as Donghwasa, Pagyesa, and Buinsa ("-sa" means temple). Donghwasa itself dates from the Silla period, and many artifacts of the period are found around the temple in northern Daegu. Some lecture halls or memorial halls such as Dodong-seowon (도동서원, 道東書院) and Nokdong-seowon (녹동서원, 鹿洞書院) are also located in the suburbs. Those places have served as resting places for the citizens mentally and physically. The old villages such as the Otgol village (Gyeongju Choi clan's original residence area) and the Inheung village (Nampyeong Mun's) rarely remain.
In the urban area, the Joseon Dynasty's administrative or educational buildings including Gyeongsang-gamyeong (경상감영, 慶尙監營) and Daegu-hyanggyo (대구향교, 大邱鄕校) remain. The main gateway of the city in that period called Yeongnam-jeilmun (영남제일문, 嶺南第一門, means the first gateway in Yeongnam) is restored in Mangudang Park, east of Daegu.
Western style modern architectures like Gyesan Cathedral and the old building of Jeil Church are preserved in many places of the urban area. Gyesan Cathedral is the third oldest gothic church building in Korea and the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu which is one of three archdioceses in South Korea. Several buildings, in the present Keisung Academy and the KNU middle/high school, are famous too.
Yangnyeongsi (약령시, 藥令市) in Namseongno (often called Yakjeon-golmok) is the oldest market for Korean medicinal herbs in the country with a history of 350 years. Bongsan-dong which has some art galleries and studios is being developed as the artistic center of the city since the 1990s.
Nearby tourist attractions include Haeinsa—a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana (a woodblock edition of the Tripitaka and one of the world's oldest extant complete collections of the Buddhist scriptures)—. Haeinsa is located in Gayasan National Park of Hapcheon, Gyeongnam. The historic city of Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla is located east of Daegu.

 Mountains and parks

Dalgubeol-daejong, a city bell at the Gukchae Bosang Park
Palgongsan, Biseulsan, and Apsan are the representative mountains in Daegu ("-san" means mountain). Apsan, just in the southern part of the city, is the closest mountain from the urban area among them. It has many trails, Buddhist temples, a Korean War museum, and a gondola ride to the peak. Additionally, Waryongsan, Hamjisan, and Yongjibong are located in the city. These serve as neighborhood parks to the citizens.
In the urban area, several small mountains and hills play the same role. Dalseong Park, sits inside a 1500-year-old earth fortress, is a historic place of the city. It contains the city's only zoo and some monuments as well as the wall. Duryu Park or Duryusan is a large forest in the middle of the urban area. It has Daegu Tower, Woobang Land, Kolon Bandstand, Duryu Stadium, and many sports facilities. Daegu Tower, also called Woobang Tower or Duryu Tower, is the tallest contemporary structure (202 m) and the symbol of today Daegu. Its observatory commands good views of the city. Woobang Land is the largest amusement park out of the capital area. Many small gardens in the heart of the city such as the National Debt Repayment Movement Memorial Park (Gukchae Bosang Park) and 2·28 Park, are loved by people. The former park includes Dalgubeol-daejong (달구벌대종, 達句伐大鐘, means the Dalgubeol grand bell), a symbolic bell of the city. The bell is struck every week and year.

 Downtown and shopping

Dongseongno (동성로, 東城路) is the downtown of Daegu lying from the Daegu Station to Jungang pachulso (central police station) near the Banwoldang subway station in the center of the city Jung-gu. It has the Jungangno subway station as the nearest station from its heart. Like its name meaning the street in the east fortress, the eastern part of Daegu-eupseong (대구읍성, 大邱邑城, means the Daegu-Principality Fortress) was situated along this street. The fortress, however, had been demolished in the early 20th century. Although Daegu is the nation's third or fourth largest city, the Dongseongno area form the largest and the broadest downtown area in the whole country except the capital city, Seoul. In most cases, famous brands open their branch shop first here out of the Greater Seoul area.
The sign of the Seomun Market
Sub-downtowns in the city have its own commercial powers and colors. The area around the Seongseo Industrial Complex subway station in Dalseo-gu is a concentration of many amusement spots, and young people easily can be seen around Kyungpook National University in Buk-gu. Deuran-gil (means the street inside the field) in Suseong-gu is known for many restaurants.
The city has a number of department stores. Many of these belong to national or multinational chains, but the local Daegu Department Store also operates two branches, while another local chain, Donga Department Store operates four in the city proper. The six department stores among them gather at the downtown. The traditional markets such as Seomun Market and Chilseong Market sell all sorts of goods.

Festivals

Many traditional ceremonies and festivals in agrarian society disappeared in the process of modernization. A Confucian ritual ceremony called Seokjeondaeje is held at Daegu-hyanggyo every spring and autumn. The Yangnyeongsi herb medical festival and Otgol village festival are the contemporary festivals about traditional culture.
Daegu Musical Awards in DIMF 2009
Lately in the city, enthusiasm about performing arts is growing and the local government is trying to meet its demand. Daegu International Opera Festival (DIOF), Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), and Daegu International Bodypainting Festival (DIBF) are three of the most famous festivals on each field in Korea, although those have short histories.
Various festivals in various themes like the Colorful Daegu Festival, Dongseongno festival, Palgongsan maple festival, Biseulsan azalea festival, Korea in Motion Daegu, and so on, are held by the city, each ward, or the specific groups, all through the year.
On August 25 through August 31, 2008, Daegu hosted the first ever Asian Bodypainting Festival, a sister event of the World Bodypainting Festival in Seeboden, Austria.

 Museums

 Theaters

 Sports

The official emblem of the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
On March 27, 2007, the city was selected to host the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. Daegu competed with cities such as Moscow, Russia and Brisbane, Australia to earn the votes of the IAAF Council. This event will be the fourth IAAF World Championships in Athletics to be held outside Europe, and the first games in mainland Asia. It will be also the third worldwide sports event held in Korea after the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan. Daegu also hosted three matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the 2003 Summer Universiade. The city hosts the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting every year since 2005.
A home game of the Samsung Lions, one of the most popular sports teams in the city
Daegu Stadium is the second largest sports complex in South Korea as a seating capacity of 66,422. Daegu simin undongjang hosted some soccer matches at the Seoul Olympics. Now the city is planning a new baseball stadium.

 Sports teams

ClubSportLeagueVenueEstablished
Samsung LionsBaseballKBODaegu simin undongjang yagujang1982
Daegu FCFootballK-LeagueDaegu Stadium2003

 Media

There are three terrestrial TV broadcasting stations in the city: KBS Daegu Broadcast Station, Daegu MBC, and TBC. These are affiliated companies of central broadcasting stations in Seoul just like other local broadcasting companies in South Korea. TBC (Taegu Broadcasting Corporation) depends on SBS. They cover to Gyeongsangbuk-do out of the city. Each television broadcasting company has its own radio station as well.

 International Daegu

Daegu is largely a homogeneous community that includes few non-Koreans. However, a number of immigrants from South and Southeast Asia work in automotive-parts factories on the city's west side. In addition, there is a small group of English-speaking Westerners working in English schools and university programs. The American military bases are also home to several thousand Americans. Recently Chinese students have begun studying Korean at universities in Daegu, and there is an increasing number of graduate and post-graduate students from other Asian countries. As elsewhere in Korea, Korean food overwhelmingly dominates; Chinese, Japanese and Western food forms the bulk of non-Korean food but recently Indian and Russian foods have become available.
Daegu hosts three American military bases, Camp Henry, which house Daegu American School, Camp George and Camp Walker. Camp Walker houses Daegu American School for high school children, while Camp George hold the school for elementary and middle school (both of which are primarily for children of military personnel). Camp George also houses most of the [Enlisted]ranked soldiers. Camp Henry serves as the primary place of work for all the military personnel. Camp Walker services as the home to Officer ranked soldiers Major and up. Although non-military families can enroll their children at the school, most either home-school their children or send them to a small Christian private school which teaches about 25 children near the central business district of Daegu.

 Education

As of 2009, Daegu has 215 elementary schools, 123 middle schools including the Dong-Pyeong Middle School, and 91 high schools. There are two specialized public high schools which are Daegu Science High School and Taegu Foreign Language High School, and some other high schools such as Keisung Academy, Gyeongsin High School and Daeryun High School have good grades for university admission. Most of well-known high schools are located in Suseong-gu. Because its educational grade and zeal are high standard in the country.
File:Spring Keisung.jpg
Keisung Academy(also called Keisung High School, Henderson Hall(main building)
Also, Daegu has 4 independent private high schools like Keisung Academy(also called Keisung High School), Gyeongsin High School, Gyeong-il Girl's High School, Daegun Catholic High School.

 Universities and colleges

Kyungpook National University, School of Medicine
Yeungnam University, central library (at Gyeongsan)
Keimyung University, main building
Daegu and its satellite towns are one of the areas which have the most large private higher educational institutions in Korea. Many of their main campuses are located in the nearby Gyeongsan city which serves the Daegu region as a college town. Kyungpook National University (KNU) is one of the most highly ranked and well organized national universities in Korea. It holds first place in and around the city in almost all of the fields. Daegu has two of the most prestigious private universities outside Seoul, Keimyung University and Yeungnam University. There are some smaller private universities such as Catholic University of Daegu and Daegu University. Daegu National University of Education offers elementary education training.
The other universities and colleges include Daegu Arts University, Daegu Cyber University, Daegu Haany University, Daegu Health College, Daegu Mirae College, Daegu Polytechnic College, Daegu Technical College, Daegu University of Foreign Studies, Daeshin University, Keimyung College University, Kyongbuk Science University, Kyongbuk University of Foreign Studies, Kyungil University, Taekyeung College, Yeungjin College, Yeungnam College of Science and Technology, and Youngnam Theological College and Seminary.

 Medical institutions

Some large university hospitals make the city the medical hub of south-eastern Korea. The Kyungpook National University Hospital, founded as Daegu-dongin-uiwon in 1907, is the well-known hospital in the city. The Dongsan Hospital (attached to Keimyung University), founded as Jejungwon in 1899, is one of the oldest western style medical clinics in Korea. The Yeungnam University Medical Center has the largest beds in the city. The yearly treatment amount of these tertiary hospitals is the second largest in South Korea after that of Seoul.[28] The Daegu Catholic University Medical Center is also included in them.

Transportation

Rail

Daegu is the hub of the Korean inland railroad traffic. The main railroad of the country, Gyeongbu Line passes through the city. The largest railroad station in the city, Dongdaegu Station has the second largest passenger traffic in Korea after Seoul Station, and the largest train traffic. The station re-opened in 2004 after extensive renovations serves the KTX highspeed train, Saemaul and Mugunghwa trains. All kinds of trains except KTX depart from Daegu Station, an all-new building with cinemas, restaurants and a department store, located near the city centre. It has the tenth largest passenger traffic in Korea.Daegu Line branches off from Gacheon Station of Gyeongbu Line.

 Metro

Map of the rapid transit of Daegu. The red line is line 1, and the green is line 2.
The city also has a subway system, consisting of two heavy rail lines. Line 1 crosses the city from northeast to southwest, while Line 2 crosses from west to east. Line 3 from northwest to southeast is under construction as an elevated monorail. All the lines are and will be operated by the Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation (DTRO). Another line will operate in a few years as a heavy rail system using the Gumi–Daegu–Gyeongsan section of Gyeongbu Line. Line 4 is a long-range plan and will be a circle line. Fare is 1100 won on distance and 950 won with a prepaid card. There is a free interchange scheme between the metro and bus within an hour of first use for the prepaid card users.

 Road

There are two types of buses which are local and limited express. Limited express buses have more seats, but often passengers are required to stand. As of 2008, Local bus fare costs around 1100 won, Limited express bus fare would set you back around 1500 won. Discounted fare is available with a prepaid card.
Bus route numbers are made up with 3 digits, each number indicates the area that bus serves. For example, number 407 bus runs from zone four, to zone zero, and then to zone seven. Other routes, usually circular, are named for the districts they serve and numbered 1 through 3.
Traffic is sometimes heavy, however, the major thoroughfares handle fairly high volumes of traffic without too much trouble.

 Air

Daegu is served by Daegu Airport (international/domestic) located in northeastern Daegu.

 Notable people

Leaders
Industrialists
Religious
Writers/composers
  • Hyeon Jin-geon – novelist
  • Yi Sang-hwa – poet
  • Hyeon Je-myeong – composer
  • Jaegwon Kim – philosopher
Actors
Sports
Beauties
Idols
 

Thursday, January 26, 2012

K-pop

K-pop (Korean: 가요, Gayo) (an abbreviation of Korean pop or Korean popular music) is a musical genre consisting of Pop, dance, electropop, hip hop, rock, R&B and electronic music originating in South Korea. In addition to music, K-pop has grown into a popular subculture among teenagers and young adults around the world, resulting in widespread interest in the fashion and style of Korean idol groups and singers.
Through the presence of Facebook fan pages, availability on iTunes, Twitter profiles, and music videos on YouTube, the ability of K-pop to reach a previously inaccessible audience via the Internet is driving a paradigm shift in the exposure and popularity of the genre South Korean popular culture is today serving as a major driver of youth culture all across the Pacific Rim, with special reference to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The genre is currently moving towards a position in the region, similar to that of American music in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s.
1920s-1950s: Birth of Trot and Introduction of Western Music
In the mid-1920s, Masao Gouga, a Korean-Japanese composer, mixed traditional Korean music with Gospel music that American Evangelists brought with and have taught since the 1870s. This type of music became known as Enka in Japan, and later in Korea as Trot (Korean: "트로트").
In 1932, a controversial plagarism was caught and condemned by an article in the Japanese magazine "New Young Adult", Gouga's "Sakewa Namitaka Tameikika" was blamed for copying off the work of Korean composer Su-Lin Jeon, which his version was named "The Calm Jang-Ahn". This event triggered a wave of Korean musicians to flourish with talented composers such as Nan-Pa Hong, Gyo-Sung Kim, Yong-Hwan Kim, Joon-Young Kim, Ho-Wol Moon, Mok-In Son, Shi-Choon Park , and Jae Ho Lee becoming the very foundation of Trot music in its early stage.
Trot has been transformed over the years using a variety of instruments and mixing different styles of music to become the dominant genre in the Korean music scene until the late 80's. To this day, Trot music still remains as a popular genre for many; mostly with its very sad melody and heart-touching lyrics.
As Korea was liberated from Japanese annexation in 1945, Western culture was introduced to a small crowd with the few Western style bars and clubs playing Western Music.
After the Korean War, which started on June 25, 1950 and lasted for 3 years, the country was separated into two nations; North Korea and South Korea. U.S. troops remained in South Korea for protection. With the staying of U.S. troops, American culture and the cultures of the world began to flush in. During this time, Western music became more accepted to a wider crowd of young adults.
For decades, songwriters have focused on getting their work covered by British and American artists. The three biggest music markets in the world have traditionally been the US, Japan and the UK (last year the UK was overtaken by Germany), and while British and American artists have traditionally had a hard time breaking Japan, they can usually count on selling in the rest of the world once they break their home territories. But for the past few years, major songwriters and producers such as Will.I.Am and Sean Garrett have been shuttling back and forth to South Korea – and it's all because of the K-Pop phenomenon.

K-Pop is a genre that sounds a bit like the Black Eyed Peas – only in Korean. A few English words are added to create meaningless song titles: Chocolate Love or Hurricane Venus, for example. Sometimes they even make up their own words, like Mirotic. Chances are you've never heard of BoA, Girls' Generation and TVXQ, yet they've outsold many major-label acts in the UK and US.

Universal Music Publishing's European A&R executive, Pelle Lidell, started working with SM Entertainment (SME), one of the larger Korean indie labels, three years ago. He says pretty much every song he's delivered to the company – usually one or two a month – has become a hit. Lidell, who supervised the rise of Swedish pop factory Merlin in the 90s and early-00s, and has masterminded hits for Britney Spears, J-Lo and Jessica Simpson, says SME has taken the pop-factory concept to a whole new level. The company has buses travelling the country scouting for talent. Young teenagers who are deemed gifted and attractive enough are admitted to SME's talent academy, where they get regular education as well as singing and dancing lessons, and are trained in how to be an artist.

After a couple of years, some of them form groups and are launched into superstardom with the help of songs that are often written by Lidell's roster of British and Scandinavian writers. Every group represents one particular demographic. Girl bands rarely have only three or four members. SME's Girls' Generation have nine, Super Junior 12 – each with his or her own fan club. Minutes after Girls' Generation released their single Hoot, it was No 1 on all the country's downloading sites. Meanwhile, the video clocked up 2m hits on YouTube within 24 hours (it now has over 11m hits).

SME's biggest artist, BoA, has sold over 24m albums so far. She often sings in English, as seen here in her video I'll Eat You Up (written by Scandinavians Remee and Thomas Troelsen) and has even toured the US.

"They're in a Lady Gaga class of artists," says Lidell. "Meanwhile, artists like Gaga can't compete over there; they've got no relevance. I went to Seoul's Olympic stadium watching an SM Entertainment extravaganza – seven hours of their hit acts. The place was packed. It was like the Beatles, with young girls screaming consistently. The show itself was of the standard you see when Justin Timberlake or Madonna play live, when it came to the production. They even flew over the crowd from the top of the stadium on to the stage."

Part of the reason acts such as BoA and Girls' Generation, unlike most western artists, have managed to break the Japanese market is that they learned the language before going there. They often release a Japanese version of their singles, with new videos too. They also work hard. When Girls' Generation launched in Japan they did three shows in one day at a 12,000-capacity venue – 2pm, 5pm and 8pm – and all sold out.

Last year, Lidell organised an SME writing camp in Sweden called Camp Fantasia, which housed six studios and included some of Universal's best writers. One of SME's most senior bosses and the head of A&R joined the writers for a week, going into the studios and making suggestions like "skip the pre-chorus", says Lidell.

Though having a hit with a K-Pop act may not rate as high in the cred-department as getting a cut with, say, Rihanna, the royalty payments more than make up for it. Chinese royalties are terrible, due to rampant piracy and bad collection, but Japan still pays 25% more in mechanical royalties (for sales) than the UK. In Korea it's 20% less, as the PPD price for records is lower. "But if you add it all up you're usually on a 103-104% mechanical royalty, compared to Europe," says Lidell.

British songwriter Alex James, who has had successes with Jason Derülo and Alexandra Burke, among others, has had mega-hits in Korea, including Hoot and Run Devil Run (which sounds a lot like his Burke hit Bad Boys). The latter has had 21m hits on YouTube. Lidell's Norwegian writing team DSign make hundreds of thousands of pounds from K-Pop each year. "Even streaming pays in Korea" he adds.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=doXnuStEf2I

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Went Through Paradise

Itaewon which has various culture in Korea.

Korea war is the second biggest issue in korea history. After war we were divided from North and South. And it destroyed all in Korea. After war, US Army has settled in itaewon for protecting South Korea against North Korea. After settlement of US Army, it has started openning shops for them around Itaewon.





Itaewon is located in norther part from the Han gang(한강). Han gang means that river of Han. Itaewon had poor transportation. However, after opening to subway line 6, we can be reached here very easily. In this stop, there is a tour information center. Because many tourists and forerigner visit here.

Getting out subway, you can see many shops beside the street and people walk along. On saturday and sunday, it is very crowdy. Let me show you some shops behind Hamilton hotel. There are many cafes, pub and restuarants.

Popular pub, They are standing and talking with beer out of pub.

popular grilled and hand made Hamberger store. People are waiting their turn.


And here is only one mosque in Korea. That is why you can see many people who are wearing a hijab and a turban.

I strongly recommend you here. You can feel like you are in your countries. Dont' forget subway line No. 6. Itaewon station. Have fun.


Sunday, June 5, 2011


Pyeonghwanuri park(평화누리 공원) in paju city Gyeongi do.

Pyeonghwanuri park was built for the peace between South Korea and North Korea in 2005.
There is outdoor concert hall. Sometimes music concerts or musical performances are hold here.





Around park, There is huge grass field makes you or your group happy and comfortable. You can bring your own beer or snack and have fun with them here.


This is baramui undouk(바람의 언덕) above. That means a hill for wind. There are thousands of pinwheel.
This is a popular photo zone. You also have to take pictures here, if you visit here. One tip for your lovely  photo at this point, you have to use slow shutter speed of your camera with a tripod for describing  pinwheels are spinning. 



And there is a rail road and a train here in pyeonghwanuri park(평화누리 공원). This rail was to the somewhere in North Korea. But now it was divided. Besides, a train above had stopped running since 1950 Korea war. I hope that I see someday soon this train run to the North Korea. 

Plus, ther are many historical places about Korea war around this park such as DMZ. For more information, visit this website. it will help you get you want. 

Pyeonhwanuri park website     http://peace.ethankyou.co.kr/main.jsp
Gyeongi tourism organization   http://www.ggtour.or.kr/ 
Korea tourism organization      http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/intro.html
  

Tuesday, May 31, 2011


Olympic park in seoul.


In 1988, We held 24th summer olympic game. 159 countries and 13,304 persons were joined. It had been continued for 15days from 17th of september. In this olympic game, korea ranked 4th. it is best rank of korea since first olympic game. 1st USSR, 2nd East german, 3rd USA, 4th Korea, 5th West german and so on.


Have a look at left picture. Korea mascot is Hodori(호돌이) which is combined with Ho(호) and Dori(돌이). Ho means a tiger and dori means ending of a word for dearness. He is wearing a hat with long ribbon. it is called 'Sang mo'(상모). It is a kind of props for 'Nong ak dae'(농악대) which means farmer's band.







The Oympic park started being made in 1984 and completed in april 1986. This park is divided into 3 parts. One is for jogging and inline skating, second is for historic place such as museum and national gallery. And the other is game stadium area such as fensing and swimming, cycling and weightlifting.









This park is located in the middle of city center so everyone can come easily by walk or subway and take a relax. 2 subway line go through this park. you get off at olympic park station 5 line or mongchontosung 8 line.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Boryeong Mud Festival

Boryeong City has abundant resources and beautiful scenery with mountains and beaches. It is a blessed place that has been called world in Boryeong cause the citizens have lived in splendor from generation to generation at the place of the great scenic beauty.

We have invented seven kinds of cosmetics including Mudpack after we processed the qualified and quantified beach mud gathered from the pure plain near the Daecheon swimming beach on July 1996. It was proved by prominent research institutions such as Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science, Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Taepyungyang Technology Institution, Dr. Kim, Jae-baek and the team workers in Wonkwang Univ. etc. that Boryeong Mud cosmetics have much far-infrared factors good for the human body and also have higher Germanium, Mineral and Bentonite contents compared to imported products.

And also, we receive ISO 9002 Certification in 2001. Accordingly, we wanted to make the public aware of the superiority of Boryeong Mud, the good product, Boryeong Mud Cosmetic and also to advertise the sightseeing place including Daecheon swimming beach. So, we held the mud festival in July 1998 for the first time and now we are to bring up this festival into a global event.

Boryeong Mud Festival has been held at Daecheon swimming beach, there is a unique shell-powered sandy beach only found in Eastern countries. So, you may swim and massage with a mudpack at the same time. Furthermore, there are Mud massage programs (Self massage at the Beach, Ultramodern mud massage) and Mud Experiential Land program using mud powder made through the processing procedure, that is, we gather mud from pure plain and remove all impurities.

There are many events such as mud wrestling, mud king contest, mud fireworks fantasy and mud sliding. There will also be a photo competition in which past members have come in first place. This is a high profile event. There is a gorgeous beach there as well, which will come in handy as you won’t have any choice but to get muddy. You will be put into a prison until you get some mud on your body.

You will have the chance to join the adventurous silt extreme training experience. This will be a various marine-type extreme training course on silt such as silt basic training, games, cavalry battles and human pyramid. The mud itself is very good for your skin and health, so you can save money on a facemask and come along with us. At night, you can relax or experience some games and watch fireworks with friends at the gorgeous night beach. The beach itself is very beautiful and a great place to go swimming, and this is one of the biggest festivals in Korea, so please don’t miss out on this great day! Be sure to specify which day you would like to go.

In addition, there are 78 big and small islands including a fantastic one like God kneaded and 36 precious cultural heritages like Woiyeon-do, Muchangpo sea road famous for Mosaic Miracle, Cold pool even you feel chilly in summer, coal Museum, national Treasure, Namhyehwasang Baekwol Bogwang Monument and etc., so visitors can sightsee and enjoy all those things. Hence, we are to let people know Cultural sightseeing in Boryeong as a related activity and also advertise Boryeong Mud Cosmetic broadly to home and abroad.









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XcD8L-2kOA&noredirect=1The Boryeong Mud Festival is an annual festival which takes place during the summer in Boryeong, a town around 200 km south of Seoul, South Korea. The first Mud Festival was staged in 1998 and, by 2007, the festival attracted 2.2 million visitors to Boryeong.
The mud is taken from the Boryeong mud flats, and trucked to the Daecheon beach area, where it is used as the centrepiece of the 'Mud Experience Land'. The mud is considered rich in minerals and used to manufacture cosmetics. The festival was originally conceived as a marketing vehicle for Boryeong mud cosmetics.
Although the festival takes place over a period of around two weeks, it is most famous for its final weekend, which is popular with Korea's western population. The final weekend of the festival usually falls on the second weekend in July.
History of the Festival
In 1996 a range of cosmetics was produced using mud from the Boryeong mud flats. The cosmetics were said to be full of minerals, bentonites, and germaniums, all of which occur naturally in the mud from the area.
In order to promote these cosmetics, the Boryeong Mud Festival was conceived. Through this festival, it was hoped people would learn more about the mud and the cosmetics. The festival has become popular with both Koreans and western tourists, as well as American Military personnel stationed in the country, and foreign English teachers working in Korea.
The festival attracted some controversy in 2009 when a group of school children attending the festival developed skin rashes after contact with the mud.
Attractions
For the period of the festival several large attractions are erected in the seafront area of Daecheon. These include a mud pool, mud slides, mud prison and mud skiing competitions. Colored mud is also produced for body painting. A large stage is erected on the beach, which is used for live music, competitions and various other visual attractions.
A small market runs along the seafront selling cosmetics made using the mud from Boryeong. Various health and beauty clinics offer massages, acupuncture and other treatments utilising the medicinal qualities of the mud.
The festival is closed with a large firework display.

Korea Festival - Boryeong Mud Festival | www.WorkNPlay.co.kr

Haeundae-gu

Haeundae Beach
Korean name
Hangul해운대구
Hanja海雲臺區
Revised RomanizationHae-undae-gu
McCune–ReischauerHaeundae-gu
Statistics
Area51.44 km2 (19.9 sq mi)
Population (2007)423,167
Population density8,226/km2 (21,305.2/sq mi)
Administrative divisions18 administrative dong
Haeundae-gu is a gu in eastern Busan, South Korea. It has an area of 51.44 km², and a population of about 423,000. This represents about 11.6% of the population in Busan. It became a division of Busan in 1976 and attained the status of gu in 1980.
Haeundae-gu can be reached easily on the subway, Busan Subway Line 2, or by train on the Donghae Nambu railway line from outside of Busan. Both Haeundae subway and train stations are built adjacent to each other.




Haeundae is now an affluent, beach front community that attracts tens of thousands of Korean tourists and foreigners to what many consider to be Korea's best beach. It has been subject to considerable commercial development. It was recently featured in a movie of the same name, (Haeundae) which happened to be South Korea's first disaster movie.Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장) is probably the most famous beach in the country. "Haeundae" was so named by scholar Choi Chi-Won (857~?) of the Silla Dynasty (BC 57~AD 935). When he was walking past Dongbaekdo Island, he was fascinated by it and left the carved words "Hae Un Dae" on a stone wall on the island. Haeundae is 1.5 km long, 30~50m wide, and spans an area of 58,400㎡. The white sand is rough and sticks easily to your skin. The sand of this beach is composed of sand that comes from Chuncheon Stream and shells that have been naturally eroded by the wind over time. Haeundae Beach is also famous for the various cultural events and festivals held throughout the year. At Haeundae Beach there is a Folk Square where you can enjoy traditional games such as neoldduigi (seesaw jumping), Korean wrestling, tuho(arrow throwing), tug-of-war and yutnori. There is also the Beach Culture Center and the Beach Library. Numerous people visit every year from June to August.

 

 History

Haeundae takes its name from the ninth century Silla scholar and poet Choi Chi-won (literary name Haeun, or "Sea and Clouds"), who, according to a historical account, admired the view from the beach and built a pavilion nearby. A piece of Choi's calligraphy, which he engraved on a rock at Haeundae, still exists.
Haeundae used to be isolated from the large communities in Busan and Busanjin. It remained undeveloped, as did its beach, until the late 1970s and early 1980s. A small number of luxury hotels were constructed when new emphasis was placed on development of the area around the beach after the 1988 Seoul Olympics. More hotels and other tourist facilities have been constructed on the beach-front area since the mid-1990s, and shopping malls and movie theatre complexes have been built in the 'centre' of Haeundae: an area between Haeundae Station and the beach. The area's reputation and prosperity have continued to grow, except during the economic slump which occurred after what is known as the I.M.F. (International Monetary Fund) period in South Korea, from 1998-1999.
Haeundae's geographical assets, along with its tourist facilities, have led to a regular role as one of the host venues for the annual Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), and Haeundae's Dongbaek Island was the location for the 2005 APEC Conference.
Haeundae New Town (해운대 신시가지-Haeundae Sinsigaji), a major commercial and residential redevelopment project begun in 1990, is located in the Jwa-dong area. This area lies in the southern shadow of Mt. Jang, one of the tallest peaks in Haeundae gu, to the north, and is bounded in the south by Haeundae Station on the Dalmaji Gogae line of the Korean National Railroad. Another development project, Centum City, has been ongoing since early 2000 and is now a major feature of Busan. Its BEXCO (Busan Exhibition and Convention Center) has become a popular venue for international conventions and exhibitions. Marine City, located nearby, is constructed on land reclaimed from the sea, and has several huge, high-rise apartment blocks. Additional apartment blocks, the most modern in Busan, are under construction, with water resorts and related facilities, for use by the public, also planned for Marine City.

 Haeundae Beach

Haeundae Beach in Haeundae-gu is located at the southeast end of the city of Busan. Haeundae beach is only 40 minutes away from Busan's main railroad station (in the Downtown area), and less than one hour from Gimhae International Airport. Along the 12 km of coastline is Busan's most popular beach, and with Seogwipo's, it is one of the most famous beaches in South Korea. Because of its easy access from downtown Busan and the famous beach atmosphere, the beach is busy year round with several kinds of beach festivals and visitors from in and out from the country. Dongbaekseom (Dongbaek Island), located at the south end of the beach, offers a view of the sea by car and its coastline is famous for fishing. Oryukdo (Oryuk Islets), a symbol of Busan to many Koreans, can be seen in the distance from Dongbaek Island. During the hot summer months (late July to early August when most Koreans take their summer vacation), Haeundae beach becomes heavily crowded into a virtual human wall with thousands of people and parasols packed into a mile of sand. Visitors to the beach come from all over South Korea as well as outside of Korea. Haeundae is home to majority of expatriates currently residing in Busan.
There are many beach-related cultural events in Haeundae. Along with Geumjeongsan and Dalmaji (Greeting of the Moon) Gogae, Haeundae is one of the most popular spots in Busan to view the first sunrise of the year on January 1, with around a thousand gathering before dawn. Also, a famous beach event occurs in the first week of January when the temperature is around 0°C, the "Polar Bear Club." This event has occurred annually at the Choseon Beach Hotel since 1988. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup match between South Korea and Togo over 50,000 spectators filled the beach to cheer for the Korean team on a giant projector screen.[4] The Nurimaru, pure Korean meaning for Nuri (World) and Maru (Peak or top) was developed in preparation for the 17th APEC(Asia pacific Economic Cooperation) summit on Nov 18-19 in 2005, as the conference hall for APEC. The building is three-stories high and is located on the tip of Dongbaek Island. The ceiling of the Nurimaru is modeled after Seokguram, the famous Buddhist temple in Gyeongju.