Walking Face-to-Face with Taebaeksan | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Taebaeksan is a sacred mountain of the nation located at the center of Baekdudaegan and is the root mountain that forms the headwaters of the Han River, Nakdong River, and Samcheok's Osipcheon, serving as the lifeline of the southern Korean Peninsula. Taebaeksan consists of peaks such as Yeongbong (1,560m) with the Cheonjedan altar at its center, Janggunbong (1,567m) to the north, Munsubong (1,517m) to the east, and Buseobong (1,546m) between Yeongbong and Munsubong, with the highest peak being Hambaksan (1,572m). Including Hambaksan, there are 13 scenic spots featuring mountain peaks, strange rocks, and stones. A total of 2,637 wild species inhabit the area, including 22 endangered species such as foxes, martens, and gaebyeongpung, as well as 10 natural monuments (such as the Korean trout and red-bellied falcon). The park also includes three designated cultural heritages, including the national folk cultural heritage site Taebaeksan Cheonjedan, making it an area of very high ecological, scenic, historical, and cultural value. The summit of Taebaeksan is home to many alpine plants and is especially famous as Korea’s representative yew tree community. In spring, alpine azaleas and royal azaleas greet hikers in clusters; in summer, dense trees and cool, clean valley waters provide relief from midsummer heat; in autumn, vibrant colored foliage decorates the landscape; and in winter, the snow-covered yew tree clusters offer majestic and embracing scenery, forming a dignified and grand mountainous terrain.

Located at the gateway to Taebaeksan National Park, Taebaek Experience Park utilizes the former Hamtetan Coal Mine's actual coal mine office building and was created as an experiential facility highlighting the regional characteristic of a closed mine area. It consists of a field learning center, coal miner's housing village, and experiential mine tunnel, offering a space where visitors can experience the daily life of coal miners. The field learning center exhibits realistic models and vivid audio of miners' actual working conditions, and visitors can also try on miner's work clothes and helmets. Through the coal miner's housing village, one can learn about the appearance of housing by era. In summer, various cultural performances are held inside the cool mine tunnel, making it a healing space for tourists and citizens.

As the source of the Nakdong River, it is located in the city center, where the water springing from this pond flows majestically through the vast Yeongnam Plain. The pond is divided into Sangji, Jungji, and Haji, with a circumference of 100m, and about 5,000 tons of water emerge daily, which has also been used as a source for tap water. According to legend, the land where the Hwang family once lived turned into the pond after they gave manure to an old monk requesting alms instead of money, causing the earth to shake. This place is also one of Korea's top 100 famous waters.

Taebaek Sangjang-dong Mural Village is a resident-led mural village that began in 2011 as part of Taebaek City's New Village Movement. In the face of decline due to the fading coal industry, local residents voluntarily participated in creating murals and improving the environment, transforming the area into a new village. The murals realistically depict the hard lives of miners, the sorrows of their families, and the daily life and legends of the mining village. Flowers and murals blend among small fences, houses, and narrow alleys, creating a unique atmosphere. Completed by residents and volunteers, this village won the grand prize at the 2012 Korea Land Grand Festival.