Gangjin county's most famous product has a festival each year---the Gangjin Celadon Culture Festival (강진청자문화축제) with 2010's being from August 7th through the 15th.
White people looking at lanterns in Gangjin. From Newsis.
The fesival received small mention in the Korea Herald earlier, in a piece called "Promoting Korea everyone's responsibility," a tiresome focus on branding to a global audience an interesting but nonetheless small corner of the country.
A lot could be said about Gangjin, all good of course, but one important feature that is missing is a brand that will propel the city into the hearts and minds of locals and international tourists alike.
Sure Gangjin is famous for its celadon, sure they make great tea, sure they have beaches, delicious seafood and interesting museums, but that one branding image for the area is missing.
Without going overboard, though, and without having to look too hard through the archives here, it's possible to find a number of things to do to make a weekend in Gangjin county worthwhile:
+ Visit Maryang-myeon, the scenic coastal township at the southern tip of the county.
+ Stop at two unique temples: Nammireuksa, with the biggest Buddha in Korea; and Omcheonsa, which has thousands of loose-stone pagodas.
+ See what carries the awkward English name "Byeongyeong Sacred Site," or Byeongyeong Fortress, the barracks---and now museum---where Dutch explorer Hendrick Hamel was held captive for years in the 17th century.
+ Hike Mandeoksan between Baekryeonsa---one of the better-known temples in the county---and Dasan Chodang, a site made famous when yet another outsider was exiled to Gangjin.
+ Get the best view of the county seat atop Boeunsan, a fairly short hike from the bus terminal in Gangjin-eup.
+ Just spend time wandering around rural South Korea, likely a truly foreign experience for many expatriates and Koreans.
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