Holiday Journal

• Start
•  
• Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale Gwngju
•  
• Sagimakgol Ceramics Village
•  
• Icheon Naratnim Icheon Rice
•  
• Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale Icheon
•  
• Gyeonggi International Cermics Biennale Yeoju
•  
• Sun Valley Hotel
•  
• Bobaene
•  
• Yeoju Sinreuk Temple
•  
• Yeong Tomb
•  
• Gwangju Jincheon Yukmyeon
•  
• Namhan Fortress
•  
• Finish

Icheon 'Sagimakgol Ceramics Village'

Now in Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju, Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale 2015 is held until May 31st. At Cerapia, Gonjiam Doja Park, and Dojasesang in each cities, there are many ceramics experience places and markets. Most artists here are current artists working in this ceramics village. They gathered together and formed villages. One of them is the Sagimakgol Ceramics Village in Icheon. You can appreciate wonderful works with good sense and enjoy walking through pretty alleys. I strongly recommend you to visit. In particularly, it's the must-go course for women.

Since when Icheon became famous for ceramics? According to references, it traces back to 16th century. It's introduced that Icheon's specialty is cramics in . Many excavated ceramic artifacts trace back to the Period of the Three Kingdoms. It seems Icheon has over thousand years of ceramic history.

On the way down to the village, a lot of ceramic shops that usually sell potteries line the street. This village has not only shops but also ateliers of ceramic artisan. Now, it's the biggest ceramics village in the country with over 700 potters and 300 ateliers.

There are many small products such bowls, dishes, and cups that are not that expensive. You would ponder if you should buy them or not. Many ateliers give tourists opportunities to make ceramics in person. Many people might visit here because they can experience various activities in person.

A coffee cup on the wall proves this building is a cafe. There are several pretty cafes where you can take a rest with a cup of tea after walking around alleys. Small ateliers are in a row under the cafe.

Colors of the village became clear due to spring rain. You will find yourself happy when you watch the ateliers decorated by witty potters, although you don't spend money.

This is a workshop that make and sell what women must love. I want to go into the workshop, but it seems a potter might have gone to Cerapia for the Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale. Colorful or special patterned dishes make me stick to the window.

Lampshades lighting a showcase seem uncommon and how can this pot be pretty like this! I'm a man but I feel burst of girlish emotion in my heart. ^^*

There are many places that attract people in the village. It might be because this village was decorated by artists. An owl over the window seems to say “Come on~” and I even feel like they are waiting for me from the narrow small window where no one pays attention. A small bird on the roof is adorable.

Making works like babies and selling them, then make new ones in the narrow workshop of 5 or 6 pyeong… It's the shabby and hard life of artist but the workshop is full of ceaseless laughter.

It seems artists and we live in very different world. They work their magic with objects that people carelessly throw out. Their wonderful works nail us to the spot. Why many ceramic artisans gathered around Icheon? Is it because they love soil that grows rice as Icheon is famous for rice? Many artisans in the Sagimakgol Ceramics Village in Icheon raise rice. Raising rice and ceramics like their own baby should have something in common.

+ Address : 545-1, Saeum-dong, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+ Holiday : Fourth Monday of Every Month
+ Parking Fee : Free

• Start
•  
• Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale Gwngju
•  
• Sagimakgol Ceramics Village
•  
• Icheon Naratnim Icheon Rice
•  
• Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale Icheon
•  
• Gyeonggi International Cermics Biennale Yeoju
•  
• Sun Valley Hotel
•  
• Bobaene
•  
• Yeoju Sinreuk Temple
•  
• Yeong Tomb
•  
• Gwangju Jincheon Yukmyeon
•  
• Namhan Fortress
•  
• Finish

Various food on one table, Icheon 'Naratnim(King)' Icheon Rice
Icheon has been famous for producing the best rice in Korea since early times. Its taste is so good that it used to be served to the kings of Korea. Icheon rice is still famous. Its reputation lasted until now. For example, Icheon Rice Cultural Festival is held every October. They have promulgated the proud of their rice throughout the country. Let's go into the Icheon Rice restaurant, 'Naratnim' since I'm traveling Icheon.

Big and small Korean restaurants stand in rows on both sides around the three-way intersection of Saeum-dong, Icheon. Most attractive one with its grand scale among them is 'Naratnim'. I like a stylish Hanok(Korean Traditional House) as much as its scale. Let's go have a Korean meal. I'm curious how tasty food would be.

It seemed like a two-story building from outside, but it's one story high with a high roof. The high roof was decorated like a Hanok. I feel like I was dined in an old Daecheong(Main floored room) of rich aristocrat's house.

At Nartanim, there is Ganjang Gejang Set that Ganjang Gejang(Soy sauce marinated Crab) is added to the basic set menu, Icheon Rice Set(12,000 won). There is also Naratnim Set(19,000 won) that Tteokgalbi(Grilled short rib patties), stir-fired webfoot octopuses, and rice with acorn jelly in coldbroth are added. I chose one Naratnim Set that includes plentiful different types of food. It's bit expensive as well.

Food does not come out step by step like a course. There are all food on a special wide wooden plate and it was inserted into the table. It's good to satisfy my hunger soon since the generous table is set very fast.

Looking at the table, there are 5 main menus; Tteokgalbi(Grilled short rib patties), stir-fried webfoot octopuses, grilled dried pollack, etc as well as Icheon Rice cooked in a hot pot and 14 side dishes, such as Japchae, Yangnyeom Gejang(Spicy marinated crab), vegetable pancake, etc. These generous dishes are set for only two people. I feel like I'm already full.

Overall, side dishes taste like common side dishes that you can eat at home. It's good that vegetable pancake is crispy but it's disappointing that it's not warm enough. Yangnyeom Gejang with spicy sweet seasoning is small but is full of meat. I want to reorder it but I don't, because there are many side dishes that I haven't tried yet.

It's a roast among Hwangtae Gui(Grilled dried pollack), Samgyeopsal Gui(Grilled pork belly), and Jogi Gui(Grilled yellow croaker). It's not that tasty, but it doesn't mean it's bad. One of the main reasons that it's not that tasty is dishes tend not to be fresh. They went cold and don't have much water. As you know, hot freshly roasted fish and meat are most delicious. They are well-seasoned and made with good ingredients but not warm as like they had been cooked. They are dry and have congealed. If they were hot, I would be fully satisfied with this meal.

This is rice with acorn jelly in coldbroth. It's made of some acorn jelly in cold broth, various sliced vegetables, and sour and sweet seasonings. It is cool and tasty.

This is large and thick grilled short rib patties. They are well-seasoned and not salty. They were sincerely made with beef but they don't have much juice and are dry and crumbling. They taste good but… I don't know why all of them went cold… Oh

It's worthy of praise. This is spicy stir-fried webfoot octopus. This restaurant has overall tasty seasonings. It has spicy and sweet aftertaste with delicate charcoal fragrance. It also went cold but tastes good.

This is today's main character, Icheon rice. It's the newly-cooked rice in a small hot pot. It's the only hot food among what I ordered today! I was disappointed with the tastes of side dish but for rice, definitely Icheon rice is the best. Properly cooked rice tastes sticky, shiny and savory.

You can make scorched rice when you pour hot water into the hot pot after scooping rice into a bowl. The quality of rice is good then the scorched rice taste good too. I completely empty the bowl with Jogi Gui.

I finished my meal very well with tasty rice. Well-cooked rice is good even with only Gimchi and pickled vegetables. This restaurant has various menu and generous well-seasoned food, but the food is not warm. The texture of food is not soft. The point of Korean Table d'hote is 'Warmhearted Table', but I don't feel satisfied with the food of this restaurant. Big and small Korean restaurants formed a long line around this Naratnim. Hope you make a good choice and have a good meal with Icheon rice.

+ Address : 629-10, Saeum-dong, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
+ Telephone : 031-636-9900