• [Muju, Kirin Motel] A Hidden Experience

        • 06/04/2019

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  • Korea Travel Qrator

    Travis Saito

    : United States

    Muju –
    A Hidden
    Experience

    March 8, 2019

    #KoreaTourism #Muju #Kirinmotel #Winecave #Mujuwinecave #Mujutaekwondo



    * Korea Travel Qrator : A travel expert who explores Korea Quality-certified facilities and conveys the feeling of travel through vivid experience contents.

    01
    Hyangsansa Temple,
    Namdaecheon stream

    This was my second time visiting the calm countryside town of Muju. After visiting Muju during the winter at Deogyusan Ski Resort, I was curious as to what else I was able to explore in Muju during the spring. There were a few things that I wanted to experience within Muju. Luckily, since Muju is a small town, culture experiences and temples are easily accessible on foot.

    Hyangsansa Temple

    As for one of the top places on my mind to visit, it was the Muju Meoru Wine Cave. Wine in South Korea? Yes! From the start of my adventure in Muju, after leaving the Kirin Motel, I decided to walk five minutes to Hyangsansa Temple. Hyangsansa Temple is a small but peaceful temple. It was created a hundred years ago in 1918 by a protester from Korea’s liberation movement, Sang Gyu Baek.

    Admiring the reflection of Muju and surrounding mountains

    Walking along Namdaecheon stream

    After walking around this temple, it was time to walk along the Namdaecheon Stream. It took 10 minutes to walk there, and it was a very well maintained path. What was most breathtaking was the reflection in the stream of the mountains. The water really showed a perfectly mirrored reflection, so it was a majestic scene to walk beside on a warm spring day. It really completed the simple and quiet atmosphere of Muju. When finishing my walk along the Namdaecheon Stream, next to Muju Bus Terminal, I found a visitor center with very friendly English-speaking staff. Here, I was able to get more information about the Muju Meoru Wine Cave and the Bandigol Traditional Culture and Craft Village I was planning to go to.

    02
    Muju Meoru Wine Cave,
    Bandigol Traditional Culture
    and Craft Village

    Muju Meoru Wine Cave Shop

    I decided that it was best to go to the Muju Meoru Wine Cave first. I took a local taxi for 12,000won, and once I arrived I found out the Wine Cave itself was not open until April 2019 due to renovations. Although it was not exactly what I expected to happen, inconveniences can happen. Thankfully, the Wine Shop was open from 10:00 - 17:30, so I was still able to have a nice time.

    A variety of local wines from the province of Muju

    The Wine Cave and shop are surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape. They had a wide variety of wines to choose from. They even provided free wine tasting at this site. I was really surprised by the quality of wine they were able to produce compared to my wine tasting experiences in California, Australia, and Europe. I would never have guessed that Korea was also able to create such a fine selection of wines aside from the popular soju!

    After an enjoyable time at the Meoru Wine shop, it was time to take a taxi back to the bus terminal. From there, I took a five-minute walk to Bandigol Traditional Culture and Craft Village.

    A taste test of local wines

    A variety of colors and clothing to dress and experience the Korean past

    Korean traditional utensils

    This place was really a fun and unique place to learn about Korean culture. I was able see what utensils were used for food preparation in ancient Korea, along with seeing what the daily life of a Korean scholar looked like. They also had a showcase of the 2017 Muju Taekwondo World Champions displayed, with an assortment of souvenirs, dolls, and other medals. It was really interesting, as I never knew how many museums there were, and what a rich Korean culture Muju has to offer. Lastly, there was a whole room used for trying on hanbok, which is traditional Korean clothing that you are able to try on for free. Overall, for such a calm town, there were many activities to do when traveling within Muju. Until next time, I will be thinking of the cultural experiences I had in Muju.

    03
    Traveler's Room :
    Kirin Motel. A calm welcome

    I had a peaceful time at the Kirin Motel located in Muju. It was a convenient 15-minute walk from Muju Bus Terminal. There are convenience stores, a few small restaurants, and a bakery nearby on the main road near Kirin Motel. It was very easy to walk to and find the large, bright sign of Kirin Motel, so I couldn’t possibly miss it. At this motel, the lobby was very clean and well maintained. It also had informative maps about the surrounding area of Muju and special places to visit, such as Muju Meoru Wine Cave and Bandigol Traditional Culture and Craft Village. I had no problem finding places to travel while I was visiting Muju.

    Kirin Motel

    A comfortable bed for your stay

    When booking this motel, calling is the best way to make the reservation. The staff was courteous, though their English speaking ability was limited while checking in and giving directions to my room. When asked about places to eat, the staff recommended a few places to eat, such as a raw fish bibimbap place, or a franchise gimbap shop. When entering the room, I noticed that it was spacious, yet clean and modern. It had easily accessible Wi-Fi, a very comfortable bed, and toiletries. The room also included a TV, a hair dryer and a refrigerator. As the price of this room was 40,000 won, I felt this room was very acceptable with regards to the quality of the room and the location here in Muju. The Kirin Motel was a calm place for the beginning of my adventure.

    A modern bathroom

    Hotel Information
    Hotel Information - Hotel name, Address, Price, Tel, Check in/out
    Hotel name Kirin Motel
    Address 74, Dancheon-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
    Price 40,000 won
    Tel (+82) 10-4120-5562
    Check in/out 3 PM / 11 AM
    Korea Travel Qrator's Tip

    Hyangsansa Temple and the Namdaecheon Stream are very accessible from the Kirin Hotel; it’s an easy five-minute walk. There is also a small bakery nearby for some tasty breakfast bread. Also, it’s very convenient to get to Muju Bus Terminal for more exploring and returning back to Seoul.

    1. This column was last updated in March 2019, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.

    2. This travelogue is written by Travis Saito.All contents are opinions based on my own experiences.