Every year, there is a place heated up with bullfighting. That is Cheongdo. Cheongdo is famous not only for the Bullfighting Festival but also as the cradle of unrelenting Hwarang spirit and the Saemaeul Movement. In this issue, let's travel to Cheongdo, a city with a powerful energy and exciting matches. -ED
Bullfighting Festival
Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival is held every March. The festival has been staged since the 1990s to celebrate the March 1st Independence Movement Day. Now, it has grown into the biggest bullfighting event in Korea. Originally, bullfighting was started as a simple sport for ranchers after agriculture became established in Korea. The scale became larger and it led to contests to show off power between villages. It was an important event because winning in a game was regarded as an honor for the winner's town.
You may think that bullfighting is too rough and it is difficult to watch without knowledge of the rules of the game. However, soon, you will realize that's not true. If you only learn that a bull is the loser when he bends his knees, falls down or moves backwards, you can enjoy the game easily. In addition to this, there is a commentator who explains matches in detail with good humor. Therefore, sometimes, crowds are set in a roar due to the commentator's interesting expressions. In fact, there is little bloodshed in the game, but rather the dynamic movements of the bulls make spectators excited. The names of the bulls are also interesting. For example, some of the impressive names are Bin Laden and Cobra.
There were a lot of spectacles at the 2010 festival. An art contest which dealt with bulls was held. On display, there were a variety of paintings, sculptures and agricultural implements. Furthermore, there was a traditional inn and a folk game to play. On the permanent stage, lots of performances took place continually.
Wine Tunnel
The drama named 'Terroir' was broadcast in 2009. It attracted a lot of attention. The location for that drama was located in Cheongdo. In addition to that location, the Wine Tunnel draws many sightseers. In fact, that tunnel was built as a railway tunnel in 1904 and was used during the Japanese Colonial Rule. Namseong-hyeon Station was opened in 1937, and the tunnel, now called the Wine Tunnel, was rendered obsolete. After that, it was decided it would be used by Cheongdo Gam Wine Co. Ltd. in 2006. Since repairing the interior, it has been used as a wine cafe and wine storage. The tunnel inside is composed of red brick, so the Wine Tunnel is famous as one of the most beautiful tunnels in Korea. Some people visit there to drink wine in an unusual atmosphere.
You can enjoy a variety of services in the tunnel. For instance, there are wine tasting events, wine storing services which can make a delivery in time for customers' anniversaries, and a service for printing custom wine labels. Most of all, you can pay 18,000 won for wine, a price you can afford without burden.
Seokbinggo
In Cheongdo, there is Seokbinggo, which was used for ice storage in the past. People stored ice in winter and used it in summer. Cheongdo Seokbinggo was built in 1713. It is the oldest and second largest in Korea. You probably expect it to be a pile of stones, but, in fact, it has an arch shape. Near Seokbinggo, there are many cultural assets like Cheongdo Eup-sung and Anti-Compromise, both within 5 minutes on foot, so you can enjoy them together with Seokbinggo easily.