Gangwon: a teambuilding haven

Brought to you by Gangwon Provincial Office

Cultural appreciation

Jeongseon Arirang Center (Jeongseon)

Jeongseon may be host county to a huge number of tourist amusement and recreational facilities in Gangwon Province today, however, it was the Jeongseon Arirang – originally a poem pledging allegiance to the Goryeo Dynasty –  which elevated the destination’s prominence across the entire Korean peninsula. Now translated into a quintessential folk song, its mellow tune tells of bittersweet emotions, and resilience of the Korean people in times of adversities.

The Jeongseon Arirang Center was founded for the preservation, education and creative development of Jeongseon Arirang; which has been recognised by both UNESCO and Gangwon Province as an intangible cultural asset. Visitors will have the opportunity to feast their eyes on “Ari Arari”, a musical performance documenting the song’s illustrious history and unique melody. The provincial and county offices are also on hand to organise tailored programmes for incentive groups to learn the Jeongseon Arirang.

For a blast to the past, visit the nearby Jeongseon Arirang 5-day market, which opens on the 2^nd, 7^th, 12^th, 17^th, 22^nd, 27^th of every month. Groups will have the opportunity to experience the nostalgic feel and bustle of a traditional Korean market while shopping for local produce and mingling with the vendors. For an atmospheric experience, the acclaimed Arirang will also be performed at the market as an additional treat for visitors.

Ojukheon House / Ojuk Hanok Village (Gangneung)

Their portraits may be prominently featured on South Korean banknotes (50,000 KRW and 5,000 KRW, respectively), but just how acquainted are we with these historical figures?

The answer can be found at Ojukheon house, the family home of Shin Saimdang, widely hailed as an icon of feminine virtuosity; and her son, Yi I, a leading politician and neo-Confucian scholar. Built during the early Joseon Dynasty, it remains as one of the oldest wooden residential buildings in Korea. Corporate groups may soak out the experience by donning traditional costumes, as well as engaging in guided tours showcasing Korean history and lifestyles through the different eras.

Linking Ojukheon house is Ojuk Hanok Village, a one-stop facility that offers visitors further insights into the traditional Korean way of life.

In this 14,000m² space, are a multipurpose building capable of housing 40 people for conferences, lectures and seminars, cooking studio, futsal field, and 51 Korean-styled dwellings (hanok) that can accommodate up to a total of 240 guests– adding to its allure of attracting larger corporate retreat groups.

Onsite activities include hanbok wearing, calligraphy and cooking lessons, as well as traditional games and crafts showcases.

For the foodies

Jeonggangwon (Pyeongchang)

Love Korean food and want to learn more? One would imagine their arrival at Jeonggangwon (The Institute of Traditional Korean Cuisine), the country’s largest traditional food culture experience hall.

The facility offers plenty of hands-on experiences with an exhibition hall, cooking studio and a fermentation room, spanning a total area of about 33,000m². A popular corporate incentive idea is the preparation of a large Bibimbap, where participants find joy in mixing the variety of ingredients together as a teambuilding activity while learning about the intricacies of its unique food ingredients.

Also catering to smaller groups – starting with 6 participants – Jeonggangwon offers other experiential cooking activities, such as the preparation of classic dishes and liquor brewing, all in the name of elevating research efforts, preservation, distribution and publicising the values and merits of traditional Korean food culture to the world.

Farm to table

In the summer months of July and August, head to peach farms in Chuncheon and Wonju; with the latter renowned for producing the best peaches in all of Korea. As well, winter months from December to April bring about the harvesting season for strawberries – another popular export from South Korea – in cities such as Gangneung, Chuncheon and Sokcho.

For a rewarding team building event, consider going on a fruit picking experience in these farms, where friendly hosts provide harvesting guidance and participants get to go home with their delectable picks.

Team workout

Gangneung Curling Center (Gangneung)

With all the culinary expeditions, work up a good sweat with curling. Likened to a game of chess on ice, the sport gained traction when South Korea female curling team went viral in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Requiring dedicated teamwork, players must endeavour to slide their team’s stone to the epicentred target as close as possible to garner a higher score than other participating teams.

Gangneung Curling Center is popular with corporate groups who want to run curling competitions as a form of team bulding exercise, with instructors on hand to provide basic training sessions.