CCTV7 films special episodes of "Sightseeing Beautiful Chinese Countryside" in Korea

CCTV7, 한국서 향촌프로그램 촬영 When foreign tourists visit Korea, more often than not, their sightseeings are limited to Seoul and the surrounding areas. But Korea is a country where the modern and the traditional landscapes coexist. To introduce some of the less well-known attractions of Korea,... one of China's major TV networks visited the country to produce a travel show. Our Oh Jung-hee gives us a sneak peek at their experience of Korea. It's where Chinese people first settled in Korea when Incheon Port opened up in 1883. Incheon's Chinatown was the center of trade between the two countries,... and the flavors of China are still preserved by the descendents of those early immigrants. There to make a record of these Chinese features -- from cute accessories to Chinese restaurant signs -- is a crew from Chinese broadcaster CCTV7. They chose to cover Chinatown... as a symbol of the long, friendly relations shared by Korea and China. "Especially since we've come to Chinatown, we tried to find Chinese features alive and breathing here in Korea. While doing the interviews, I felt very close to Korean people; they knew quite a lot about China, like our food... and the three kingdoms story. I hope there are lots of opportunities for Korean students to visit China and get a feel for our country, and vice versa." The crew are staff from CCTV7's rural tourism program "Sightseeing Beautiful Chinese Countryside," and they visited Korea to film a special series. The program's basic aim is to show beautiful natural landscapes and unknown rural tourist sites in China,... and they hope to do the same for Korea. "Chinese tourists have usually visited Seoul or Korea's other large metropolitan cities. So our program hopes to shed light on some unknown, rural areas in Korea and the people living there. Covering places like farming villages and fish markets is therefore very important for us." The production team visits the home of an elderly couple who have been producing Hwamunseok -- that is, Ganghwa-do Island's traditional woven mats -- for the last 40 years. The reporter listens to a detailed explanation of the mat-making process,... from harvesting and drying the bulrush to weaving it together. She tries it out for herself. The key is to keep the bulrush layers straight... and delicately weave colors into them. Seeking out another long-standing rural tradition,... the crew meets a craftsman who makes Gochujang, or Korean red pepper paste. Found in almost all Korean foods,... the paste is made mainly with red pepper powder and soybean powder. But has different types depending on how it's used and which region it's from. The reporter joins the craftsman in mixing various ingredients together and then pouring the paste into a jar where it will ferment. After a complicated process,... she finally gets the chance to taste some freshly made Gochujang. "For our program, I try to be quite tourist-like,... meaning that I try things out as much as possible. I just tasted the Gochujang we made,... and I felt I had finally found the source of Korean flavor I wonder what my paste will taste like three months from now. It was also an honor that I could learn directly from a craftsman who has decades of experience and know-how." During their six-day trip to Korea,... the CCTV crew journeyed through farmers' markets, Korean-style Hanok houses, and the nation's new urban landscapes. The program will offer the Chinese viewers a guide to the hidden, less well-known attractions in its neighbor to the east. Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News. Visit ‘Arirang News’ Official Pages Facebook(NEWS): http://www.facebook.com/newsarirang Homepage: http://www.arirang.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/arirangtv Twitter: http://twitter.com/arirangworld Instagram: http://instagram.com/arirangworld