Have you ever heard of Yangju, Korea?
Yangju is a city located in northern Gyeonggi-do with a 600 year history and a growing hub city in the northeastern part of the metropolitan area.
Today we're going on an art-filled one day tour of Yangju!
Hesse's Garden
헤세의 정원
Address: 경기 양주시 장흥면 호국로550번길 111
111 Hoguk-ro 550beon-gil, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours:
Cafe Hyvaa 10:30-21:30
Grill Hyvaa 11:00-21:30
Nature Dog 11:00-19:00
Closed Mondays
Website: Link
Hesse's Garden is located at the entrance of Bukhansan National Park and is a beautiful cultural and artistic space in all four seasons. In the garden, there are customized spaces, facilities, and stores for various purposes.
The foundational principals here are Health, Healing, and Design, which can be seen in the abundant trees and flowers that have been carefully nurtured for over 40 years, the modern architecture that was designed with great care to not damage even a single tree, the romantic spaces that flow harmoniously with nature, and the delicious and healthy food.
There is also a cafe where you can enjoy healthy drinks and desserts made with Finnish fruit sugar rather than your regular processed white sugar, and at the restaurant you can enjoy food made with house-grown produce.
And for those with dogs, there is Nature Dog, where your fur babies can run and play.
Grill Hyvaa
그릴 휘바
Address: 경기도 양주시 장흥면 호국로 550번길 107
107 Hoguk-ro 550beon-gil, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 11:00-21:30
Last Order 20:30
Grill Hyvaa is a farm-to-table restaurant in Hesse's Garden. Isn't it amazing that they cook with fresh veggies grown right there in the garden?
In addition, their foods are all created under the philosophy of using less sugar, less sodium and less fat, so they are very healthy and you can feel good about what you're eating.
There are also indoor and outdoor spaces that can accommodate special events such as first birthday parties.
The best thing about this place, is that you can eat pizza, pasta, and fusion barbecue while looking out at the peaceful garden and forest.
This is the Finnish Homemade Potato Dish (핀란드 가정식 감자요리) and it includes this side salad. The soupy potato dish was hearty and delicious, really quite special.
There is also even a menu for dogs so you can comfortable enjoy your meal with your four-legged companion.
Chang Ucchin Museum of Art
장욱진미술관
Address: 경기 양주시 장흥면 권율로 193
193 Gwonnyul-ro, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 10:00-18:00
Last Entry 17:00
Closed Mondays
Website: Link
The Chang Ucchin Museum of Art opened with the aim of exhibiting, researching, and collecting works of art and other artifacts that contributed to the development of Korean contemporary art.
It was named in honor of a painter who is considered to be one of the representative figures in modern Korean art for his innovative uses of both western and eastern styles.
The main exhibition facilities are the first and second floors, where various exhibits relating to Chang Ucchin and also emerging artists are held.
There is also an art gift shop at the entrance, so you can pick up some souvenirs while you're here.
You can see a variety of modern sculptures at the outdoor exhibition area. The site is relatively large and there are many works, so you can enjoy a very pleasant 20 to 30 minute stroll around the grounds.
Roastingvisor
로스팅바이저
Address: 경기 양주시 장흥면 권율로 193 양주시립장욱진미술관 1층
Chang Ucchin Museum of Art 1F, 193 Gwonnyul-ro, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 10:00-18:00
Closed Mondays
Website: Link
Roastingvisor is a cafe on the first floor of Chang Ucchin Museum of Art. The windows are so large, it almost feels like there's a large doorway or opening in the wall to the outside.
This cafe is quaint and quiet, a perfect place to take a break after touring the art exhibitions. If you look at the wall by the entrance, you can see the museum sign telling visitors what exhibits are ongoing. 
The combination of tiramisu made with cacao cream and an iced Americano made with their special bean blend was a perfect treat.
They also make green tea ice cream at the cafe, so don't miss that if you're a fan of green tea flavored sweets.
Gana Art Park
가나 아트 파크
Address: 경기 양주시 장흥면 권율로 117
117 Gwonnyul-ro, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30-18:00
Sat-Sun & Holidays 10:00-18:00
Closed Mondays
Website: Link
Gana Art Park, which opened in 1984, was the first private art museum in Korea and is the predecessor to Pyeongchang's Total Museum of Contemporary Art (토탈미술관).
Here you'll find contemporary works of all categories and classes, including children's.
There is a playground built around experiences such as Ball Pool Island and Block Factory, so this is a popular tourist destination for families with children because of all the interactive, hands-on elements.
The Gana Art Park collection, which consists of world-class artists such as Andy Warhol and Picasso, can also be seen in the permanent exhibit area, and you can take a light walk while appreciating various sculptures outside the museum.
Cafe By Museum
박물관 옆 카페
Address: 경기도 양주시 장흥면 권율로 83
83 Gwonnyul-ro, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 9:00-21:00
Website: Link
Cafe By Museum, located next to Cheongam Folk Museum (청암민속박물관), has delicious coffee and various handmade organic teas.
The signature menu item here is the chimney cake, made in the traditional Czech way. It's so popular it sells out quickly, and if you visit at 4:00 in the afternoon like us, you will be sadly disappointed if you had your heart set on this dessert.
Even so we enjoyed the warm atmosphere of the cafe with its charming, European-inspired interior.
The berry lemon tea and hand made milk pudding were delicious and helped to melt the cold of winter.
Nari Park
나리공원
Address: 경기 양주시 광사동 814
814 Gwangsa-dong, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 09:00-18:00
Closed October 20, 2021
Nari Park, also called Yangju Experience Tourism Farm, is famous for having the largest globe amaranth flower field in Korea.
In addition to the amaranths, there are more than 50 kinds of flowers planted, including roses, canna lily, cock's comb, cosmos, and pink muhly.
Every September, the Cheonmansongi Cheonilhong Chukje (천만송이 천일홍 축제), meaning "ten million globe amaranth festival", is held and various cultural events take place as well as marketplaces.
Admission without a reservation is 2,000 won, but if you make a reservation three hours in advance you can enter free of charge!
Butterwood
버터우드
Address: 경기 양주시 부흥로 1373-41
1373-41 Buheung-ro, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours: 10:30-19:00
Hours vary between summer and winter
Website: Link
Butterwood is the largest bakery cafe in Korea, with an area of 5,000 pyeong, or approximately 16,500 square meters!
It's a famous place for what Koreans would call "zoning out while watching the forest" (숲멍), an alternative take on "zoning out while watching the fire" (불멍).
There are many different kinds of baked goods and Butterwood uses AOP-certified cultured butter.
The coffee is also said to be the first in Korea to be carefully selected by baristas.
Butter Coffee, Buttermallow, and Peanut Butter Shake are signature drinks you can only find here at Butterwood.
Loshua Coffee
로슈아커피
Address: 경기 양주시 광사로 145
145 Gwangsa-ro, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Hours:
Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00 (last order 19:30)
Sat-Sun 12:00-21:00 (last order 20:30)
Website: Link
The last place on our tour is Loshua Coffee, which earned a place on our list because of the way in which they have cultivated a space where you can go to escape the chaos of modern society and quietly listen to your own thoughts.
The second floor, the signature space, is an interpretation of the ancient Hebrew word "midbar", meaning desert or wilderness. The wilderness is seen as a quiet and barren space where you can hear the the voice of God and your own inner voice.
Macarons, milk tea, and all other desserts are made at the shop with Loshua's unique style.
They also sell their version of the croffle, a dessert which has seen much popularity in Korea this year.
That brings us to the conclusion of our tour of the artistic city of Yangju in Gyeonggi-do.
Was it enough to pique your curiosity?
If you come to the Seoul area, why not take a say trip to Yangju and experience a different vibe?
