Right next door to Yeomiji Botanical Garden in Jungmun lays the Challa Meditation Gallery. The brainchild of Korean artist Chung Gong, Challa is both an art gallery as well as a café. It offers organic foods and Italian coffee on a scenic local overlooking the valley just beyond Cheonjiyeon Falls. It’s an oasis of calm amidst the unrelenting tackiness and excess of Jungmun.
Challa is a celebration of the possibilities of meditation and respect for nature. Past galleries have focused on farmers and organic farming along with works of modern …

When Gecko’s opened late last year, it was a revelation. It was like being lost in the desert and God pouring manna down from heaven. It was one of the first (another being LaVie) restaurant on the island to offer a menu of genuine Western food in a great, home-style atmosphere. For years, other establishments on Jeju had offered what they claimed was Western or Italian food, but never seemed to get it right. When friends told me about a new place on the island with actual American and …

To the Wolof, music is a thing of intense power and meaning. In the past, only wandering musicians known as griots were allowed to perform it. Through their songs they recounted historical events, told stories, transmitted oral traditions and recited poetry. That music was driven by the powerful beat of African drums, which in Wolof culture were played to do everything from casting spells, communicating with other villages and even healing the insane. Though the times have changed, there’s one thing that hasn’t: this music still has the power …

The world golf spotlight shone briefly on Korea’s largest island in March as the European Tour arrived in Jeju. The biggest tournament in Korea and the fourth largest in Asia, the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club was sanctioned by the European, Asian and Korean Tours. The Championship was celebrated by the blending of an extremely rare 40 year old Ballantine’s Scotch whiskey. Only eight bottles of the ‘Championship Blend’ exist, with one bottle being sold for $12,888 during a silent auction at the opening ceremony. After presenting …