The city of filial piety: Suwon's historical sites and top places to visit

Food & Travel

Published: 21 Mar. 2024, 08:10

The city of filial piety: Suwon's historical sites and top places to visit

Korea is witnessing a surge in foreign tourists, but the crowds are heavily focused in its capital metropolis, Seoul. Despite great landscapes, gourmet delicacies and grand festivals, rural areas across the peninsula are having a hard time attracting tourists. With the goal of welcoming 20 million foreign travelers to Korea by the end of this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism introduced a two-year project, Local 100, in October 2023. The culture minister will personally visit each of the 100 selected areas throughout 2024 and 2025 to introduce Korea’s hidden gems and find out what the central government can do to help spread the tourism wealth. The Korea JoongAng Daily will be accompanying the minister on his journeys.

Hwaseong Haenggung in Suwon, Gyeonggi [NEWS1]

Suwon, GYEONGGI — Suwon is just a 30-minute drive from Seoul, but isn't necessarily a go-to location for many tourists, largely because not many know about it. Once they visit, however, they may soon realize they are more familiar with the city than they thought, especially if they are K-drama fans.

Due to its picturesque scenery and rich cultural heritage, Suwon is a popular filming site for many local productions — most notably the historical series "Jewel in the Palace" (2003), otherwise known as “Dae Jang Geum” — and more recent shows like “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022), “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” (2022) and “Our Beloved Summer” (2021).

People queue to eat gimbap (Korean seaweed rolls) at an eatery that was showcased in the hit Korean series "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" in the summer of 2022. [NEWS1]

“Suwon is a rich city that holds great historical significance for Korea,” Culture Minister Yu In-chon told the press during his half-day visit to Suwon in February, as part of the ministry’s Local 100 tourism campaign. “It also carries charms and energy that can’t be found in other cities in the country. I hope more people will discover Suwon in the future.”

Motgol Market

Fried whole chickens, a staple food in Suwon, at Motgol Market [LEE JIAN]

One of the most authentic ways to experience any city is through its traditional markets, and Suwon has nine: all in a single area within walking distance of each other.

Yu paid a visit to the Motgol Market in the city’s Paldal District. Dating back to 1975, it has over 140 shops selling street food and Korean traditional snacks, as well as raw seafood and meat cuts. Visitors can also find scores of Suwon’s staple fried whole chicken here.

“Motgol Market is more than just a market: It is a symbol of the city’s connection, communication and harmony,” Yu said during a live radio broadcast at Suwon Nammun Market Broadcasting Center inside the Motgol Market in February. It played through the speakers of all the markets in the area.

Various banchan (side dishes) for sale at Motgol Market [LEE JIAN]

Yu has a special tie with the market, as he spearheaded the market’s rebranding 15 years ago in a bid to revitalize traditional markets by enriching the culture of the vendors. One of the outcomes was the community-run radio. The host is a merchant at the market, and he usually invites other merchants or Suwon locals to star as guests in the program.

“It is great to see how much the market has grown since then,” Yu told the press after his Suwon visit. “It’s a small market, but it has become a benchmark for all other traditional markets in Korea.”

Culture Minister Yu In-chon, right, speaks on a local radio run by local merchants of Suwon's traditional markets, last month. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Italian chef Fabrizio Ferrari, who accompanied Yu on his Suwon visit, told the press that he experienced kindness and vibrancy permeating the market.

“I strongly believe that visiting a traditional market in Korea is a unique, must-do tourist activity,” he said. “And as a chef, it was a refreshing and enriching gastronomic experience.”

Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)’s international social media reporter for Japanese coverage Ayane Oomomo said that she appreciated the “bona fide atmosphere” in the markets in Suwon.

“It was great to see many actual locals buying things from this market, instead of just tourists wondering around like what you see sometimes in Seoul,” she said.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon visits Motgol Market in Suwon last month. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Hwaseong Haenggung

A performance is put on portraying ancient Korea's soldiers, at Hwaseong Haenggung last month. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Hwaseong Haenggung, also in Paldal District, is an ancient royal palace that is a Unesco World Heritage Site today, with lush hills and scenic views. It has recently become popular among young locals seeking a quiet picnic spot alternative to the teeming Han River banks of Seoul.

The palace served as a defensive fortress in the late 18th century, as well as a tomb for King Jeongjo’s father. Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800) is said to have frequented the palace to see his father, and for this, Suwon is also known as the city of filial piety.

An image of Hwaseong Haenggung during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) [JOONGANG PHOTOS]

Much of the stone wall, some 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) long, is still intact, and anyone wanting a full tour around the palace can take a small electric train that goes around the entire fortress. Walking the whole distance takes well over two hours, according to palace employees.

At the Yeonmudae Post inside the palace, visitors can try their hand at archery amid the open fortress fields and, if the time is right, see one of the traditional performances. The post was historically a training ground for military troops.

At the Yeonmudae Post inside the palace, visitors can try their hand at archery in the open fields. The post used to be a training ground for military troops. The culture minister, fourth from left, gives a go at archery at the military post during his visit to Suwon last month. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

For a more digitally immersive experience, the Suwon government last year launched a virtual bus tour called Extended Reality (XR) Bus to the Year of 1795 Experience. It drives around the outer fortress while playing clips about King Jeongjo's royal procession on its screens and windows. Translation devices are available on the bus.

“It felt historical and futuristic at the same time,” KTO’s social media reporter Elisa Marie Celine Beaugeard, from France, said. “It was like time travel.”

For a more digitally immersive experience of the fortress, the Suwon government last year launched a virtual bus tour called Extended Reality (XR) Bus to the Year of 1795 Experience. It travels around the outer fortress while playing a clip about King Jeongjo's royal procession on its screens and windows. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Yu said he hopes the high-tech bus will provide an immersive learning experience for tourists.

“King Jeongjo, considered the second greatest leader of Korea after King Sejong, showcased great love for his people and filial piety, and Suwon still encompasses these values today within its modern communities,” Yu said.

The city annually holds the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival to celebrate the spirit of King Jeongjo, re-enacting the procession and holding a slew of cultural events around the city.

“Hwaseong Haenggung holds great historical importance of Korea’s ancient Joseon Dynasty [1392–1910], and we hope more people can learn about it in different and interesting ways.”

Culture Minister Yu In-chon speaks to the press about Suwon during his half-day trip to the city last month. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]