Museum-hopping on Jeju Island

MANILA, Philippines - Tourism is the main industry of Jeju Island in South Korea. In fact, the tourist attractions are so close together that instead of island hopping, you can go museum-hopping. The volcanic island has everything from the cute Teddy Bear Museum and the fan-filled K-pop museum, traditional green tea museums to the quirky Glass Castle, and everything in between. A visit to Jeju will not only give you a glimpse of local culture and environment; it also lets visitors learn and explore different worlds.

Tea time

At the O’sulloc Green Tea Museum, the museum part of the tour is a small walk-through hall with antique instruments and cups used for brewing and enjoying green tea. There are also tea ceremonies where visitors can get a taste of Korea’s tea culture.

The larger part of the museum houses a shop with as many variations of green tea as you can think of. There are the traditional teas with different flavor infusions; green tea chocolates and milk chocolate with green tea filling; there is even a green tea spread for those who are big fans of matcha flavored things. There are tumblers and teapots, infusers and spoons, everything you might need to enjoy a nice cup of green tea at home. The museum’s cafe likewise offers different ways of enjoying green tea, from drinks to refreshing ice cream.

Another building on the premises has an Inisfree store, one of Korea’s favorite cosmetics stores. Here you can find both green tea infused soaps and creams, as well as masks, creams and lotions with volcanic rocks available only in Inisfree Jeju. The store also has a section where you can make your own soap with different scents and molds.

Finally, the green tea museum has a vast plantation where guests can see the growing process and really appreciate the origins of the drink.

K-pop Nation

Play K-pop is a mecca for fans of Big Bang, 2NE1, Sistar and other K-pop groups. G-Dragon’s image that welcomes guests at the entrance is more than enough to get fans in a frenzy. The museum’s creative and interactive exhibits will entertain even those who don’t know the least bit about K-pop. Visitors literally get to play with their favorite Korean singers. There are pods where some of the most popular K-pop stars come and take a selfie with you. There is a section where you can K-pop-ify yourself with a virtual makeover and wardrobe change.

At one exhibit, the computer places your face on the body of K-pop singers. There are dance-alongs and sing-alongs – enough to thoroughly immerse yourself in the K-pop world. The museum’s exhibits really show why K-pop has swept not only the region but the whole world.

For real fans, don’t miss stopping by Bomnal Cafe, Monsant de Aewol that is reportedly owned by G-Dragon. Fans are known to hang out there, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Big Bang member. Even if he’s not in Jeju, the cafe situated on a hill offers a wonderful view of the ocean below and the cakes and coffee are quite delicious, too.

Bear hunting

Teddy bear museums can be found all over South Korea. But there are unique exhibits in each, so it’s still worth a visit even if you have already been to the museum in Gyeongju, Seorak, Yeosu or Chendu.

Jeju’s Teddy Bear Museum features historical events told through the eyes of Marty, an adventurous time-traveling bear. Expect tableaux of the moon landing, tearing down the Berlin (Bear-lin?) Wall, and more. You will also run into the teddy bear versions of popular personalities like Charlie Chaplin, Elvis, Einstein and Marilyn Monroe.

The second level of the museum features masterpieces recreated with teddy bears – Van Gough’s self portrait, the Mona Lisa, Rodin’s The Thinker and more. Also featured is the 125-karat teddy bear – trimmed with diamonds, sapphires and gold fibers totaling 125 karats. The bear was produced in commemoration of the teddy bear’s 125th anniversary and there are only 125 in existence worldwide.

Another teddy bear that you can only see in Jeju is the Louis Vuitton Bear, the most expensive bear in the world. It fetched a record-breaking $190,000 at a charity auction in Monaco and is decked from head to toe in LV, with a matching teddy bear sized bag, of course!

Another feature of the Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju is its extensive outdoor area, Teddy’s Forest, where visitors can see even more bears while enjoying the fresh, cool air. Right outside the museum towers a huge marionette-like teddy bear – the largest in the world at almost nine meters. Found throughout the forest are picnicking teddy bears, a fountain with bathing polar bear figures and a teddy bear wedding at the love fountain. Visitors both young and old are guaranteed to have a bear-y good time.

Out of this world

The Jeju Aerospace Museum offers a hands-on learning experience with state-of-the art exhibits and high-tech multimedia displays. The size of the facility itself is impressive. Many local schools and families visit the museum on field trips, so most of the displays and information are written in Korean. However, foreign visitors will still be able to enjoy games like flight simulators and virtual drone flying – which is more difficult than it seems.

From aviation, visitors can explore even farther into the universe at the space hall. There is the 5D Theater where viewers follow the adventures of a group of aliens, complete with 3D images, lights and smoke. Another theater gives audiences a glimpse of the cosmos from an astronaut’s point of view, with reclining chairs so you can lie back and watch the stars go by.

Enchanted forest

Jeju’s Glass Castle offers somewhat disparate exhibits from trees and flowers to fairy tales, from musical instruments to clowns, a huge mine glass at the entrance and a giant beanstalk in the main lobby  – all made of glass. A walk though the mostly outdoor museum is a glass fantasy with mirrors and mosaics, statues and vases.

Venturing into the property’s forest is like entering into an enchanted world. There are huge glass insects and a shimmering spider’s web, there are multi-colored pumpkins that are surely the variety that turn into magic coaches. Colorful glass fruits and leaves hang from the trees.

The Glass Castle is at times confounding because of the wide range of things to see, but it surely is very interesting – a feast for the eyes, where there are different things to see at every turn.

These are only a few of the choices in the sea of museums that Jeju island has to offer. Other interesting options include the Jeju National Museum, Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, Hello Kitty World, Jeju Museum of War and Peace, Greek Mythology Museum, Chocolate Land, the popular Loveland Theme Park (for adults only), and many, many more. It is probably impossible to see all of them in only one trip, but there is surely something for everyone to enjoy.

This trip was made possible by the Korea Tourism Organization, Jeju Tourism Organization, Rakso Travel and Philippine Airlines. Photos by IDA ANITA Q. DEL MUNDO