From a temple to tea-tasting, ‘Seomjin-River Stay Signature Tourism-product Promotion Project’ offers chance to recharge

International students pose for a photo in Gurye County, South Jeolla, while attending the “Seomjin-River Stay Signature Tourism-product Promotion Project” trip on Dec. 2. [PARK SANG-MOON]

 
The Hadong Wild Tea Museum in Hadong County, South Gyeongsang, welcomed 60 international students on Dec. 2, where they learned about traditional tea ceremonies, from greeting with both hands to serving guests.
 
The students were greeted with a 13-piece set, including a teapot, cups, a kettle and a strainer. Following the instructor’s guidance, they carefully brewed tea.
 
A student named Sheila, a junior at Yonsei University from the United States, said, “learning how to politely drink and serve tea made me realize how deep Korean history and culture are.”
 
The experience was part of a tour program organized by the South Jeolla Tourism Organization, the “Seomjin-River Stay Signature Tourism-product Promotion Project,” which hosted international students from 26 countries currently attending school or preparing for employment after graduation in Korea.
 

International students have a discussion with Venerable Dukje at Hwaeom Temple in Gurye County, South Jeolla, on Dec. 2. [PARK SANG-MOON]

 
The first stop of the two-day, one-night program took the group to Hwaeom Temple in Gurye County, South Jeolla. There, the students learned about the history of the thousand-year-old temple, tried traditional temple cuisine and engaged in a conversation about wild tea with one of the temple’s monks, Venerable Dukje.
 
The students found the conversation about tea to be the most enjoyable experience. When Venerable Dukje asked the group if they had anything on their minds, hands went up as the students took turns sharing their personal worries.
 
Phan Thi My Linh, a Yonsei graduate student from Vietnam, asked for advice, saying she struggles to calm herself when she feels upset or stressed. Venerable Dukje replied that in moments of stress, she should remind herself why she is here.
 
After the session, Linh said the monk’s words made her reflect, adding that she used to dwell on the past too much, but she decided after the session to focus on her future.
 

International students enjoy traditional Korean desserts at Ssangsanjae in Gurye County, South Jeolla, on Dec. 2. [PARK SANG-MOON]

 
After the talk over tea, the students joined a traditional dessert tasting passed down by the generations of a family spanning 250 years, reinvented with a beautiful presentation. They then took part in a flower-pressing workshop and spent the night in a hanok (traditional Korean house) complex called Ssangsanjae, where the students could enjoy the harmony of the traditional architecture and the surrounding forest, a soothing experience far removed from the hurry and hassle of Seoul.
 
A student from Kazakhstan named Typobamalika, who graduated from Ewha Womans University this year, said that lying in a room warmed by ondol (traditional floor heating) made her feel like her body was gently melting, adding that she enjoyed the floor heating so much that she wants to remove the bed in her dorm.
 
The Seomjin River experience, she said, even made her want to find a job in the tranquil region.
 
After the tour, the students said the trip had been a healing experience and helped forget the stress of studying and job-hunting. Sara Kang Jinjjarova, a graduate student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies from the Czech Republic, said that getting away from the hustle and bustle of the capital and experiencing traditional Korean culture in the culturally rich region recharged her. She was already planning to return with a friend, she added.
 
An official from the South Jeolla Tourism Organization said, “Koreans usually just listen during tea talks with monks, but the foreign students actively participated without hesitation, which was surprising,” adding, “We plan to continue developing various Seomjin River stay–type tourism campaigns and launching new and next-level travel experiences.”
 
This article was sponsored by the South Jeolla Tourism Organization.

BY JANG HAYOON [[email protected]]