About 70% of Korea’s land area is covered by mountains. Mountains are a vital element of experiencing nature in Korea. Sobaeksan Mountain, a national park, is part of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range, also known as the “Spine of the Korean Peninsula.”

Every Friday at 08:30, tour participants meet in front of Gate 1 at Busan Station. Here, ARMY and their families from around the world, including Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, the United States, and France, gather. An English-speaking guide will lead you to a minibus. Listen to BTS songs playing inside the bus; regardless of nationality or age, everyone harmoniously sings BTS songs.

On the second day, you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the intriguing world of Korean culture through a ginseng cooking class and a traditional cultural experience program. The two-day program allows you to experience Korea’s nature, cuisine, and culture with your five senses with new friends from all over the world, leaving you with unforgettable memories.

Sobaeksan National Park Global Friends Program (GFP) is a two-day program. On the first day, you can bask in the scenic beauty of Korea’s mountains by hiking in Sobaeksan National Park. A ranger will accompany you to ensure an enjoyable, safe, and worry-free hike without concerns about hiking information and courses you may not know. This is one of the advantages of GFP.

Hiking to the summit of Sobaeksan Mountain requires considerable physical strength, but the breathtaking and exquisite scenery seen from Birobong Peak, 1,439 meters above sea level, can make you forget the tiredness from hiking.

Korea has four distinct seasons, allowing visitors to witness varying landscapes depending on the time of their visit. Sobaeksan Mountain is a large mountain between Danyang-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do and Yeongju-si in Gyeongsangbuk-do, so many hiking courses are available.

1. Samga Information Center - Dalbatgol Village – Birobong Peak – Eouigok Three-way Intersection – Birobong Peak - Dalbatgol Village - Samga Information Center
2. Sobaeksan Observatory - Yeonhwabong Peak – 1st Yeonhwabong Peak – Birobong Peak – 1st Yeonhwabong Peak – Yeonhwabong Peak – Sobaeksan Observatory
3. Cheondong Information Center - Cheondong Rest Area - Cheondong Three-way Intersection – Dalbatgol Village - Samga Information Center
Depending on the situation, the course may be replaced by another course instead of three.

On the second day, you can delve into Korean cuisine and traditional cultural experiences. You will cook with ginseng, a renowned specialty of Punggi-gun, Yeongju-si, where Sobaeksan Mountain is located. Korean ginseng is a world-famous well-being food, and Punggi was the first region in Korea to cultivate ginseng.

You will also have the chance to explore the Sosuseowon Confucian Academy, a private school from the Joseon dynasty, which is also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the first Royal-chartered Confucian Academy established by a famous Joseon dynasty scholar, Yi Hwang (pen name: Toegye), with the king’s patronage. It can be comparable with the current first state-supported private university.

At Sunbee World, a Korean cultural theme park, you can experience various Korean traditional cultures all in one place. Immerse yourself in the unique culture of Korea, from crafting hanji (traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees) to wearing hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), which are both hard to come by in this modern world.

* This column was written in September 2023. Please check the information before the trip, as it is subject to change.