So far, our “More than Seoul” series has taken us north to Heyri Art Valley and east to Nami Island. This time we’ll go south to Suwon, a city that’s famous for its delicious galbi beef ribs and for its UNESCO-recognized Hwaseong Fortress. Before heading down there, however, we’ll start things off at the Cheonggyecheon (Stream), to view a huge mural that depicts a centuries-old journey from Seoul to Suwon… on horseback! What connects each of these destinations? The remarkable King Jeongjo is the Joseon Dynasty’s 22nd monarch and one of the nation’s greatest kings. Each place we visit on this course shows the king’s love and respect for his family; a Confucian legacy that still holds influence in Korean society.

Course Overview

We’ll start our tour along the lovely Cheonggyecheon (Stream) where we’ll look at thousands of painted tiles that depict a 200-year-old journey by King Jeongjo and his court from Seoul to Hwaseong Fortress. From there, (instead of walking!) we’ll take a short train ride and visit the fortress itself! In Suwon we’ll visit the tomb sites of the King and his parents, before riding the bus up to Hwaseong Fortress’s stately Paldalmun Gate. After visiting many of the fortress’s impressive sights, we’ll wrap things up with a quick visit to the Suwon Hyanggyo, an ancient Confucian school. Afterwards, I’m sure we’ll have worked up quite an appetite, so we’ll indulge in Suwon’s most famous food, the delicious marinated short rib dish called galbi!

So, there you go, a trek honoring one of Korea’s greatest kings and sons, King Jeongjo.