Daytime is getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler than before. Summer has passed and autumn has come. There are many mountain climbers out to see the fall foliage. In the November addition, therefore, CBT reporters are going to introduce Namsan which is the best place to go in the fall. Namsan is one of the most famous tourism areas in Korea. Unlike other mountains, you should climb the stairs to get to the top of Namsan Mountain where you can have a delicious meal and enjoy things. Many couples come to Namsan since there are nice restaurants with a good view. CBT reporters hope that you get to know a new tourist attraction in the city center.

[Namsan Cable Car]

  It is not difficult to find the way to the top of the Namsan Mountain; there are lots of people climbing and there are signs to show the way. However, because it is all stairwells, there are some people who have personal reasons not to climb the stairs such as the elderly or under aged children. Furthermore, some people would not like to over exert themselves even if they have no physical problems. The Namsan Cable Car is ready to whisk these people up the mountain.
  Anyone can board the cable car if they buy tickets at the ticket box. The operating time is from 10a.m. to 11p.m. every day; and it could extend service on Fridays, Saturdays and Holidays depending on the situation. For adults, the fare is 9,500 won for a round-trip and 7,000 won one-way. If visiting by car, you can use the parking lot in front of the ticket box. Since there is little difference between the round-trip and one-way fare, you could see a long waiting line to board the descending cable cars.
Another advantage of the cable car is that you can look down on Seoul from the air. Though it is good to appreciate the view of Seoul in the middle of the mountain, the cable car will give you a better view and also a unique experience. Since the parking lots near Namsan are often crowded, CBT reporters recommend you to visit by public transportation.



[Namsan Love Lock]

  Namsan Love Lock is one of the first things that come to mind when you think of Namsan. Love Lock is a padlock that lovers attach to the barriers at the top of Namsan Mountain in the Heart Lock Zone. The act of locking a padlock together symbolizes their hope that their love will not be changed. The zone was originally only for love locks but now you could also see things to immortalize the lovers’ memories such as smart phone cases. If you look carefully, you can find small letters on almost every lock. People write something special or romantic on their locks and affix it to the barrier as a souvenir. This makes the locks unique and different even though they  are originally of the same design. Even though there are large designated zones, space is lacking, and you can see locks are hung onto other locks row after row. In addition, the number of the locks is so large that they are discarded at regular intervals.
  It is more inexpensive to buy the lock at stationery stores, but don’t be disappointed even though you forgot to buy one; you can buy the locks at the store located in the Heart Lock Zone or at the souvenir shop. CBT reporters recommend you to compare prices before purchasing because the contents and the prices are sometimes different. There are lots of people taking photos not only in the Heart Lock Zone but in the Luminous Lock Zone. How about creating an interesting experience and special memories by taking photos with friends or your loved one?

[Mongmyeoksan Beacon Hill Site]

  The Beacon Hill site, in Mongmyeoksan, was the site of all the beacon fires in the Joseon Dynasty. The beacon system of Joseon was a form of long distance communication. By lighting fires at night or emitting smoke during daytime the local people could be warned of an enemy raid and the military defense could be alerted. There are 5 beacon stations, and this Beacon Hill site, in front of the Namsan Tower, is a restoration of one of them. At this site, the torch ceremony is regularly held; people wearing clothes of the Joseon Dynasty show patrolling, defending and signaling fire like officers of the era. However, the ceremony which was held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is scaled down because of the COVID-19 and people are also blocked to go into the beacon station. Though you could not see the ceremony, it would be a good experience to see the cultural properties, and to read the explanations written in English, Chinese and Japanese.
 


[Korean Local 360° VR Tour]

  There are some interesting attractions on the fourth floor of Namsan Tower; Ryan Cheeseball Adventure, Game Plaza, Korean Local 360° VR Tour etc. Among them, CBT reporters are going to introduce the Korean Local 360° VR Tour. It is literally a facility where we can experience virtual reality. The distinctive feature of this tour is that is a Korean Local Tour. In other words, the video on screen is about each local government; in case of Namsan, the topic is Geoje Island. Bike, automobile, motorcycle, parachute, drone and horseback riding are the themes and only people who weigh less than 70 kg are allowed to ride the parachute. There were also walking and hiking themes but they were out of service due to equipment failure. The running time is less than 3 minutes and the explanation about the local places are provided by audio. According to the staff, the explanation offered during the video is also provided in English, Chinese and Japanese for foreigners.
  Another feature of the VR tour is that it is free of charge. You can register by entering the user information in the screen next to the entrance and watch it for free, but it is limited to once per person. There is a weight limit for using the equipment so you should check if the notice next to the screen is applicable to you. Since you will enter as a group, you cannot use the same themes as your friends. This is a way to shorten the waiting time and to provide many people the opportunity, therefore cooperation is needed even if you want to ride the same equipment with your friends. The automobile and motorcycle were popular but the most popular theme was the parachute. Although it was hard to get a thrill during the tour because it is available for all ages, it would be a good experience to enjoy VR tour for free.

[Souvenir]

  There is a souvenir shop in front of Namsan Tower. Namsan is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Korea, but there are more Koreans than foreigners. As such, there are many Koreans who want to buy Namsan-related souvenirs. The souvenir shop was also selling accessories such as desk clocks with pictures of Namsan Tower, mugs, tumblers, key holders, T-shirts, eco-bags, cell phone cases, postcards, earrings or necklaces, as well as locks and chocolates of love. The miniature Namsan Tower, which you can see as soon as you enter the store, also boasts high quality. Most of the souvenirs were designed under the theme of Seoul or Namsan, but famous brand T-shirts and accessories unrelated to Namsan are also for sale. Even if you don't want to buy it, you can see a variety of interesting products, so CBT reporters recommend you look around the souvenir shop.

[Namsan’s Pork Cutlet]

  The last thing CBT reporters would like to recommend is Namsan’s famous restaurant. The representative food that comes to mind when you go to Namsan Mountain is pork cutlet. Namsan is famous for its pork cutlet dishes. Even at the top of Namsan Mountain, there are pork cutlet restaurants, and when you come down, you can see a line of pork cutlet restaurants nearby. Reporters visited a pork cutlet shop which is famous for its old traditions. The store had king pork cutlet, spicy king pork cutlet, and cheese king pork cutlet. Reporters were looking forward to how big it would be because it was called king pork cutlet, but it boasted a much larger size than reporters had expected. The cheese pork cutlet has a lot of cheese in it, so reporters had to be careful because the cheese would run out if it was cut wrong. For those who want to eat spicy pork cutlet but are worried about it being too spicy, they were selling spicy sauce separately for 500 won. In fact, couples came to order a regular pork cutlet and added spicy sauce to enjoy two kinds of meals. Most restaurants have parking lots, but the parking space is small, so when you visit by car, you have to park first, and you have to hand over the car keys to the parking attendants. It is to solve the situation in which you have to remove your car during a meal, so don’t panic, leave your key in the car and just enjoy the pork cutlet. Even if you don’t go up Namsan Mountain, CBT reporters recommend that you visit there at least once.

By Park Ji-min l jm41@cbnu.ac.kr
By Kwon Ji-ye l whodrk@cbnu.ac.kr