Fall is already coming. Trees are turning red and yellow everywhere. There are a lot of famous places for autumn scenes. One of the best is located in Hadong near Jiri-mountain. The scenery of Ssanggye Temple in Hadong is very famous. In this issue, let's go to Hadong! -ED

  Hadong and 'The Land'(Toji)

  There is a book that has never been left out from recommended reading lists. That is "The Land" written by Park Gyeong-ri. This novel is about the ruin and comeback of Choi's family from the late Chosun Dynasty to Korean modern history. The Hadong local government built a village based on the story. Visitors can see characters' houses. In addition, there is a tour assistant who wears a Hanbok acting as Choi Cham-pan. People can take pictures with him and be treated to green tea. This makes people more easily feel the late times of the Chosun Dynasty that are the background of this story. The Toji Literature Festival is annually held in October, and there are a lot of programs.

  Scene of Hadong

  One of the most famous traditional markets is the Hwagae Marketplace. Most Korean people have heard the song "Hwaggaejangteo" sung by  Cho Young-nam. As the lyrics of that song describe, Hwagae Market is open in Hadong Hwagae where Somjin River flows.

  In olden times, Hwagae Market was a place where people who came from Gyeongsang-do and Jeolla-do exchanged their items. As one of the five biggest markets until the middle of the 1900s, many people crowded in Hwagae Market. These days, many tourists visit Hwagae Market because of its fame and a longing for a traditional market. Actually, when people go there today, the atmosphere is not the same as in the past, especially the smaller crowds. However, people still can feel the warm hearts of the country people.

  Delicious Hadong

  The best-known product of Hadong is green tea. Hadong is a place where people first started to grow green tea in Korea. In the Shilla dynasty, at the king's order, people started to plant seeds of tea near Ssanggye Temple, and there is a monument to remember this fact.

  Hwagae is a moist place and there is a lot of mist because it is located near Somjin River. In addition to this, in the harvest season, the temperature difference between day and night is huge. These factors are crucial for tea cultivation and making Hadong the best place for tea production.

  There are a lot of attractions related to tea. The oldest tea tree is growing near Ssanggye Temple, and Tea Culture Center is located in Hadong. Tea Culture Center provides information about the culture and history of Hadong tea and a chance of experiencing traditional tea etiquette. The Hadong Wild Tea Culture Festival is held annually in October, and there are a lot of programs for people.

  When you plan to visit Hadong without your own car, you have to check the bus schedules because there are only a few buses. It is convenient to drive your own car. Every year, Hadong hosts 12 festivals. This means of course there are lots of attractions. How about traveling to Hadong?