Korean Folk Village and Icheon Pottery full day tour

Highlights

• Learn all about the impressive ceramic traditions of Icheon
• Discover an in-depth look at traditional Korean Village life
• Attend a pottery lesson class
• Enjoy a traditional Korean lunch
• Ceramics museum visit
• English-speaking tour-guide
• Hotel transportation, traditional lunch and entrance fees included

All about the trip

Join us for a full day tour of Icheon to learn all about traditional Korean village life and the importance of its ceramics.

Our day begins with collection from your hotel, we then drive to the Icheon Pottery Village where we will learn all about Icheon's famous pottery. We will also enjoy a pottery class followed by a trip a museum before we stop for a traditional Korean lunch. In the afternoon we will visit a traditional Korean Folk Village to learn more about traditional Korean life.

Icheon itself is home to numerous ceramicists that continue to study and pass down the tradition of Gwangju’s pottery techniques. These dedicated ceramicists strive to recreate the ancient beauty of Goryeo celadon porcelain and Joseon white porcelain.

In the folk village itself, you will discover many depictions of the various lifestyles prevalent during the Joseon Dynasty.

Icheon Pottery Village produces traditional Korean ceramics. The village itself became the centre of traditional pottery during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) for about 500 years due to the easily obtainable materials available in the local area. Icheon Ceramics Village was also the centre of Joseon Baekja ceramics. Presently, about 80 pottery factories are located in the village, with about 300 pottery kilns still in use. The village has turned also has over 300 ceramic art studios, 40 of which still produce ceramics with wood-fired kilns.

The Artist Haegang, who was designated as Intangible Cultural Asset No.13, devoted his life to collecting ceramics and passing on the techniques of Koryeo celadon to future generations. Visitors can observe the pottery production process, and purchase them directly.

The Haegang Ceramics Museum is Korea’s first museum dedicated to ceramics. It displays ceramic crafted works, the very essence of Korean traditional art, including the celebrated celadon porcelain, as well as punch’ong ware, and white porcelain. The main building, which strikes harmony between the basic frameworks of Eastern and Western architecture, offers something to see in and of itself. The museum was founded by the late Yu Geun-hyeong (pen name Haegang) and his son Yu Gwang-yeol (pen name Haegang) in the spring of 1990; it fosters the inherited traditions of Korea’s ceramics culture and strives to develop it further.

(Please be advised that the museum is closed every Monday)

At lunchtime you will also be able to try a local favourite, the best quality Icheon rice cooked in a stone pot. This rice is then combined with a lot of different side dishes and presented in the traditional Korean way.

In the afternoon we will visit a Korean Folk Village. Set in a natural environment occupying approximately 243 acres, visitors can experience the natural atmosphere with over 260 traditional houses reminiscent of the late Joseon Dynasty, including various household goods from different regions. All these features have been relocated and restored to provide visitors with a broad understanding of Korean food, clothing, and housing style of the past. About twenty workshops, various handicrafts such as pottery, baskets, winnows, bamboo wares, wooden wares, paper, brass wares, knots, fans, musical instruments, iron wares and embroidery are practiced. In the Korean Folk Village, where the customs and lifestyles of the past generations have been carefully preserved, various lifestyles prevalent during the Joseon Dynasty can be seen. You can visit the Folk Museum as well as the Art Museum (scheduled to open) to see and learn about the essence of Korean culture and folk customs, which are not suitable for display and re-creating in the open-air setting.

The Korean Folk Village is also the filming location for the famous movie Scandal as well as the TV miniseries Daejanggeum.

So join us for an unforgettable day out at Icheon and learn all about Korea's fascinating past.

What is included in the price

• English-speaking tour-guide
• Hotel transportation
• Entrance fees
• Traditional Korean Lunch

What is not included in the price

• Additional refreshments or extra snacks
• Funds for souvenirs

Instructions

Please bring ID and your booking reservation

This activity is organised by VIP Travel, Mapodaero 109, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, 04146, South Korea, +82 2 739 3501, vip@vviptravel.com.