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Jeollanam-do Province is full of beautiful places that maintain a tranquil ambience. There are many famous mountains, such as the Jirisan, Wolchulsan, and Mudeungsan Mountains, with natural sceneries so outstanding that you will never want to go back down. The coastal areas likewise impress with the islands of Dadohae and the wide tidal flats. One can even say that each step taken in Jeollanam-do brings you closer to cultural heritage, and delicious, sumptuous Namdo cuisine adds a gourmand’s joy to your Namdo trip. Damyang, the city of bamboo, is full of luscious green colors.
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Sinan is a region with 1,004 islands embroidered above open seas. Another sight that must not be missed is the massive tidal flats, the largest in Korea, and the salterns that produce 70% of the sea salt produced in Korea. Goheung is considered a “space city” thanks to the presence of the Naro Space Center and the Goheung Space and Astronomy Museum. Citrus and pomegranate, grown in clean nature, are Goheung’s specialty. In November, you will find a beautiful view of citrus fields awash in a vibrant yellow and refreshing scent. Boseong is the oldest green tea farm in Korea. Don’t forget the silver sands and pine trees of Yulpo Beach and Beolgyo’s plump cockles harvested from endless tidal flats. There is even a hanok (traditional Korean house) village full of tranquil beauty, so you will find no shortage of places for healing. Haenam, located at the southernmost point of the Korean Peninsula, is a region of fertile earth, abundant water, and ancient historical sites.
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Don’t miss Gwangyang’s white plum blossoms and yellow mustard flowers blooming along the winding curves of the Seomjingang River in the spring; Suncheon, famous for Suncheonman Wetland, one of the five greatest coastal wetlands in the world; and Gangjin, home to the thousand-year color of celadon and Namdo-style Korean table d’hote. Finally, head to Yeosu, considered to be one of the most beautiful ports in Korea. A must-visit site in Yeosu is the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car, which takes you atop the blue seas and along the beautiful sights.
Damyang has a warm climate and plenty of rainfall, making it a great place for bamboo to grow. Because of that, it is home to the largest bamboo habitat in Korea, making up nearly 35% of the total Korean bamboo habitat. Bamboo grows straight and tall at a fast rate—over 50cm per day—and is so versatile that from root to leaf, nothing goes to waste.
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KISOONDO BAMBOO SALT
This bamboo salt is made by filling thick and robust Damyang bamboo of the highest quality with sea salt sourced from Sinan’s Taepyung Salt Farm, then roasting it over 3 to 4 days. It is a bamboo salt used in all traditional sauces made by master artisans, such as soybean paste and red chili paste, so you can trust that it does not contain any chemical additives or artificial flavors. Kisoondo Bamboo Salt is less salty than standard salt and has a savory flavor imbued by bamboo sap.
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BAMBOO COREA 7 BAMBOO STICK
The “7 Bamboo Stick” is a durable bent massage stick made of bamboo. Use the stick to massage the areas where fatigue builds up and causes discomfort, such as the neck, shoulder, or head.
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BAMBOO COREA BAMBOO HANDICRAFT
From rulers that can be made to order to trays with variable sizes and storage boxes that can be placed on desks for desk organization, there are many crafts that can be made with bamboo.
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Q We’ve heard that there was a special instance that brought you into the world of bamboo salt. Since the 1980s, my husband has researched bamboo salt, so I ended up using bamboo salt rather than conventional salt in all the sauces and food dishes I make. Sinan sea salt from Taepyung Salt Farm is filled into a three-year-old bamboo stalk and fired two times. The sweetness of bamboo adds savory flavors, and the bamboo salt enhances the flavor of the food in turn.
Q Is there a specific characteristic that distinguishes your bamboo salt? We cut premium bamboo from Damyang, joint by joint, and fill them with Korean sea salt that has been drained of all bittern. The filled joints are stacked on top of each other in kilns made with fire-resistant blocks and clay and then fired for more than three days at high temperatures. Ultimately, the bamboo is burnt away, leaving only the white bamboo salt pillars behind. They are processed and packaged into fine powders for our customers’ convenience. Kisoondo Bamboo Salt, created with Korean sea salt and Damyang bamboo at high temperatures, can be used for a wide range of purposes, from kimchi-making and saucemaking to grilling and brushing one’s teeth.
Sinan is home to clean seas and wide tidal flats. The region’s abundant sun and sea breeze in tidal flats create mineral-rich premium sea salt that is relatively low in sodium content. Sinan’s tidal flats are rich in minerals and enzymes, so they are ideal habitats for glasswort, also known as “ginseng of the sea.” The easiest way to enjoy Sinan glasswort is through glasswort salt.
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6 BROTHERS SALT FIELD GLASSWORT SALT
This is made by 6 Brothers Salt Field, the first in Korea selected as a “Certified Sea Saltern of Excellence.” Glasswort salt, made by mixing glasswort powder into sea salt produced off the shores of Sinuido Island, has a gently sweet note with low sodium content. Another popular product is “Topan Roasted Glasswort Salt,” made by placing Topan salt, a premium sea salt, and glasswort in a clay vessel and firing it at 800℃ for 12 h in a kiln. This salt is not salty nor bitter but fills the food with exquisite flavors.
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GLASSWORT MINERAL BALANCE SALT
Jeungdo Island in Sinan is said to have one of the greatest tidal flats in the world, thanks to the significant tidal range and relative lack of sand. This product combines naturally derived sea salt from Taepyung Salt Farm with dried organic glasswort. Its salty flavor, tingled with sweetness, adds a refreshing note to soups and clean flavors to salads.
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Yeosu has a warm oceanic climate where temperatures rarely drop below freezing even in the middle of winter, alkaline soil, and sea breezes from the southern coast, making it an ideal place to grow Dolsan leaf mustard. Unlike other leaf mustard, leaf mustard from Dolsan has no hair in the leaves and stalk, and its wide and tender leaf makes it ideal for kimchimaking. It has a tangy, spicy, and savory flavor that will keep you coming back for more.
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HWANGJE DOLSAN GAT KIMCHI DOLSAN LEAF MUSTARD KIMCHI
This kimchi, made with Dolsan leaf mustard grown with sea breeze, combines the unique flavor and fragrance of Dolsan leaf mustard with salted anchovies made with anchovies from the sea of Yeosu, fresh shrimp, and seafood soup. All ingredients used to make this kimchi are sourced from Korean producers according to stringent standards. Fresh leaf mustard kimchi has a crunchy and tangy flavor, while aging reduces the sharp flavor and adds richness.
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KIM’S GOD KIMCHI LEAF MUSTARD PICKLES
Kim’s God Kimchi offers “God Pickle,” made with Yeosu Dolsan leaf mustard, freshly harvested on the same day, and pickled in soy sauce and fresh lemon sauce. The pickle goes excellently with everything, from Korean dishes to steak and pasta. It comes in cans for easy transportation and storage.
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Goheung produces 70% of the citrus produced in Korea, so it is famous as a region awash in the fragrance of citrus. The climate is ideal for growing citrus, The climate is ideal for growing citrus, which produces very sour citrus. Goheung citrus is generally processed rather than eaten as is. The most beloved citrus product is citrus tea, a 1:1 mixture of sugar and citrus. Citrus has nearly three times the Vitamin C content of tangerines.
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EDEN FOOD FARMING ASSOCIATION GOHEUNG CITRUS TEA
Eden Food Farming Association’s citrus tea is made by washing citrus, grown without insecticides in an eco-friendly way, three times with underground water, slicing it, and mixing it with organic sugar at a 50:50 ratio. There are no additives other than the two. The mixture then heads straight to cold storage at -18℃. It takes about a month to completely freeze, and even if it doesn’t go through a separate aging period, it will still age to its optimal flavor as it freezes.
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Boseong is blessed with warm temperatures and many foggy days, which provide plenty of moisture and shade during the growing season for the tea plants and help maintain the tea’s flavor. Boseong green tea’s gentle fragrance can be enjoyed both as is or in cooking. Jangheung is famous for Cheongtaejeon tea, a fragrant tea traditionally fermented and made into round discs.
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BOHYANG TEA COMPANY MISTY TEA
This premium tea is made according to traditional methods passed down for five generations by hand, using the green tea harvested earliest in the spring, right after the dew recedes. Its quality and taste have been recognized through a blind tasting session involving 12 tea sommeliers and experts. The Bohyang Tea Company offers a variety of tea products, from rich and fresh green tea to the gentle, savory flavors of yellow tea, fruity and flowery black tea, and sweet-andsour fermented tea.
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CHEONGRYONG DAWON GISAN TEA
This pure green tea is grown on pristine green tea farms by the 28th Organic Master Farmer of Jeollanam-do Province. Only the smallest, youngest leaves, freshly sprouted in the spring, are used, which imbue this tea with a mild and gentle flavor. It is also notable as the first green tea product in Korea to pass the US FDA’s inspection.
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JANGHEUNG DAYEWON CHEONGTAEJEON TEA
Wild green tea leaves growing in the mountains are pulverized with a mortar and pestle to shape them into round discs, threaded with large skewers in groups of 10, naturally dried indoors for about 20 days, then fermented in a pot for more than a year. Cheongtaejeon discs are then roasted over Quartz porphyry over a low fire. During the fermentation process, the astringency of green tea naturally disappears, leaving only a mild flavor and nutty aroma that makes it uniquely appealing to drink.
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Haenam is Korea’s premier sweet potato producer. In particular, it has excellent soil conditions for sweet potato farming, making Haenam sweet potatoes clearer in color and sweeter. Savory, fluffy chestnut sweet potatoes and sweet, moist pumpkin sweet potatoes can be enjoyed as-is or be made into products like dried sweet potatoes and sweet potato buns.
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HAENAM SWEET POTATO BREAD FINANCIER PURPLE SWEET POTATO BUN
This financier uses powdered Korean purple sweet potatoes to bring the purple color alive, while Haenam organic rice powder and sweet potatoes are used to make the chewy dough and savory filling. The center of the bun is chewy and moist, while the corners are crispy like baguettes.
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GREEN TTEOK SARANG SWEET POTATO AND RICE BUN
This sweet potato and rice bun is made with organic Hongguk rice dough, which is similar in color to sweet potatoes. The bun itself is a spitting image of a sweet potato, with a chewy, soft texture giving way to the rich sweetness of Haenam sweet potatoes.
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Gang jin’s warm climate and high-quality clay have established the region as the origin of Goryeo celadon culture. Goryeo celadon is characterized by the sanggam (inlaying) technique, which involves carving out patterns and filling them with white and black clay, and iron-rich glaze that creates a beautiful jade color. Gangjin has been making Goryeo celadon for nearly 500 years.
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YOUR SIDE CELADON VASE
Your Side’s celadon vases come in a variety of sizes and forms, making them excellent ornaments even without flowers. The brilliant color is not an artificial one, just realized by the earth, and works well with colorful flowers. It makes for a meaningful souvenir that captures the beauty of traditional Korean craft.
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YOUR SIDE CELADON MASSAGE TOOL
This massage tool can help loosen tight muscles and relieve pain. It has a unique form and color resembling that of a celadon vase, showcasing the unique charms of Gangjin celadon.
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YOUR SIDE CELADON MUG
This large mug cup is practical and versatile. It is graceful and elegant, equally at ease holding water or beverages. Its inlay patterns are inspired by leaves, flowers, and other facets of nature.
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Gwangyang and Suncheon have become the largest plum producers in Korea because of their optimal climate conditions, abundant water sources from Seomjingang River, and the most abundant sunshine in Korea. Green plums grown in these regions flower earlier than others and ripen in optimal temperature conditions, making them juicy and flavorful.
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CHEONGMAESIL FARM GREEN PLUM PRESERVES
Green plum preserves take on a delightfully sour flavor through fermentation, making them versatile as bases for beverages or flavorings to be used instead of sugar.
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SUNCHEON BREWING COMPANY HANEULDAM GREEN PLUM LIQUOR
This liquor is made with green plums grown in Suncheon, mineral-rich water that elevates the liquor's flavor, and Korean rice. Fermented via traditional methods, it balances the sweet and tangy green plums with the soft fragrance of grain liquor.
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One of the five most famous coastal wetlands in the world and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Natural Sites list since 2021, Suncheonman Bay is famous for its expansive reed bed surrounded by the Goheungbando and Yeosubando Peninsulas.
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UIK STORE REED BROOM
UIK Store’s reed brooms are made with care; their reed flowers are harvested by hand and they are dried alternatively in shade and light and further dried in a paulownia box.
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HWAWOLDANG BALL CASTELLA
Hwawoldang is a bakery that has stood for nearly 90 years in Nambu Market, Suncheon. Its most popular product is Ball Castella, which is a moist and tender castella cake filled with red bean paste.
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HOODED CRANE OCARINA
Hooded cranes adorn the skies above Suncheon every winter. This ocarina is inspired by their graceful wings. It is fired at over 1,250℃ to increase its value as a ceramic product, whereas traditional ocarinas are fired at less than 1,000℃. The beak, head, and body are glazed differently to give it a more natural look, like a crane.
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Camellias begin to bloom in winter and reach full bloom in March and April. Odongdo Island in Yeosu has such a large camellia habitat that the entire island is dyed red in full bloom. Camellia flowers in Odongdo Island are famous for being smaller and denser than elsewhere.
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REAL DEW CAMELLIA OIL
This is a pure camellia oil that can be used on one’s face, body, and hair. Because it is a natural oil, it is not sticky and absorbs quickly. It can be used alone, or one or two drops of camellia oil can be added to your skincare regime to further enhance the effect.
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REAL DEW CAMELLIA MOISTURIZING CREAM
This moisturizing cream contains at least 10% natural camellia oil. It delivers a large amount of moisture deep into the skin and is absorbed quickly without irritation to keep the skin moisturized.
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