Boeun - The Armpit of Korea

This post is specifically a picture postcard to Ross, reminding him of the beautiful Shangri-La known as.....Boeun. The first time I had the pleasure of seeing this town, was in the company of Ross, and it was clear that it held a special place in his heart.

Last weekend, Lynne and I revisited Beopjusa (the temple with the huge Buddha, remember?), and hiked in Songnisan National Park. To get to this temple, you must travel through Boeun, which is an added bonus. Perusing the Boeun section of my Moon Handbook of South Korea, an embarrassment of riches were revealed , including....

"...known for its production of full-flavoured jujubes.....",
"...one of the nation's satellite communications earth stations is located east of town....", and,
"...the gateway to Songnisan National Park..."

Not a lot to shout about then, but has this book REALLY scraped beneath the surface of this picturesque community?

(As you approach Boeun, you can see one of the most affluent suburbs almost reflected in the murky pool created by the sewage outlet. The water park will be completed in 2012)

(Boeun Intercity Bus Terminal. In order to park in this station the bus driver must skilfully execute a 10 point turn. The station has an empty vending machine, a picture of a Twix, boarded up windows, and a young boy playing a banjo on the front steps.)

(The construction so prevalent in Boeun illustrates it's status as an ever expanding and ambitious town, with a keen focus on solidifying it's reputation as a popular holiday resort. This building, the new county dog-fighting arena, should secure more visitors in the coming years)

(Downtown Boeun. In the foreground you can see a shop that makes metal doors, the main export of Boeun. After full-flavoured jujubes.)

(A typical Boeun apartment block. The adventure playground out in front comes complete with broken soju bottles, a stack of concrete slabs, and assorted old tires containing festering pools of hepatitis C.)

If any teachers actually didn't research their job locations, and ended up stuck in Boeun for a year, I think I would die from laughing. I bet it's happened!