Shedding light on Chungbuk’s local tourism resources based on the philosophies of Hyanggyo and Seowon, which served as communication hubs for Joseon Dynasty intellectuals

Chungbuk Province and the Chungbuk Cultural Foundation (CEO Kim Kyung-sik) announced a successful Familiarization (Fam) tour held in Cheongju and Goesan for "Traveler," the Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) university student SNS reporter group.

Conducted for 1 night and 2 days from October 30 (Friday) to October 31 (Saturday), the Fam tour was designed to introduce new travel content in Chungbuk—combining Confucian culture with coffee omakase and trekking—to the 2030 generation, who favor trips reflecting their personal tastes, and to amplify reach through their social media influence.

On the first day of the Fam tour, participants took part in "Yueonb-eer (Beer), Geureong-gabae (Coffee)," a program to discover their personal coffee and travel tastes. Amid custom-curated coffee beans by a barista and desserts made from local specialties such as Yeongdong dried persimmons and Boeun jujubes, the program offered a special journey to share travel preferences and learn more about coffee.

This was followed by guided tours of key historical and cultural heritage sites in Cheongju’s old downtown area, including the Iron Flagpole of Yongdusa Temple Site, Mangseonru Pavilion, Seowon Hyangyak Monument, and Cheongnyeonggak Pavilion. In the evening, participants explored the hidden charms of Cheongju’s local alleys through independent reporting assignments in the Seongang-gil area.

On the second day, the group moved to Hwayang Seowon in Goesan-gun. Along with a historical commentary explaining the significance of the Seowon, participants made their own traditional gat (horsehair hat) strings, wore the finished gat themselves, and enjoyed the autumn foliage while walking along Hwayanggugok Valley.

A student reporter who participated in the Fam tour shared their thoughts, saying, "Confucian culture, which previously felt distant and difficult, turned into an enjoyable experience where we could drink coffee, go trekking, and understand the philosophy of our ancestors. Once I return, I will create SNS content based on this experience to actively promote travel to Chungbuk."

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