A person who dreamt about becoming a farmer turned a wild abandoned area into herb fields full of fragrance. Lee Ho-soon is the president of Herbnara located in the deep valleys of Pyeongchang. Lee says he learned a precious lesson while growing herbs – living with nature is the secret to one’s happiness. Today he grows herbs to live closer to nature and share happiness with others.
Choosing Farming Over City Life
Lee Ho-soon, President of Herbanara, shares happiness with others at his herb farm. He opened Herbanara, the first of its kind in Korea, in 1993. Previously a CEO of a large Korean company affiliate, he left the position and moved to the deep valleys of Pyeongchang to keep the promise he made to his wife and co-president Lee Doo-yi, “We will someday live in a farm village.” Their combined age was 100 (Lee was 51 and his wife was 49) when they finally fulfilled that promise. “I had a hard time finding the right item to grow. I wanted to find something that I can really enjoy.
Then I came to know herbs. Growing herbs is both fun and interesting since you can develop various herbal products.” Lee finally found the current location surrounded by beautiful mountains in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. However, continuous challenges and hardships awaited him. The area was filled with tons of stones, which Lee removed, but just removing the stones was not the solution. He had to bring 100 truckloads of soil to the site and layer it 30 cm-high before he could start planting his herb seeds. Afterwards, when he thought he had planted lavender seeds, they turned out to be hyssops. Then when he planted seeds in March, the entire crop froze to death due to lower-than-average temperatures in Pyeongchang.
Lee’s Secret to Happiness: Community Life
Lee had to overcome other challenges as well. Even though he and his wife relocated and now lived in this rural area, they were strangers to the occupants in the community. A series of hardships taught them that they had to get actively involved in the community. After continuous efforts to communicate with other residents and to develop the region, they established a local festival called the “Hyoseok Cultural Festival.” The festival was later chosen as the best festival in Korea. In addition, with the aim of “creating a hometown where younger generations want to live”, they signed a sister-city agreement with municipalities in Japan and sent Pyeongchang citizens to the municipalities for field trips. In recognition of such efforts, Lee received the Pyeongchang Residents Award in 2014. Through perseverance and hard work, he developed the 991 m2 field into 33,058 m2. With approximately 500,000 visitors a year, Herbnara is now the representative herb farm in Pyeongchang. “We are all part of nature. I learned from growing herbs that living with nature is the key to happiness. Up until now, I devoted myself to growing the farm into a place where visitors can enjoy. Going forward, I would like to further develop this farm into a place where visitors can find happiness.”
To create a happy and harmonious space for both people and nature – this is the objective of herb farmer Lee Ho-soon, who leads a life filled with fragrance.
You applied a new concept to agriculture, and now Herbnara is known as a role model
in farm tourism. Can you explain how a farm can get visitors to come and enjoy?
Herbnara was created as a place where people can enjoy some leisurely time surrounded by herbal and floral gardens. It was our intention from the beginning to develop a farm for people to visit and relax. That is why we created a herb farm; run activity programs whereby participants can make herb-related items; and created cultural facilities including a museum and a gallery for visitors to enjoy culture. We believed that a farm like this would add vitality to depressed rural areas, and Herbnara has become an exemplary case.
What is the ultimate goal you want to achieve through Herbnara Farm?
The life I dreamt about can be summarized into the word HERB: Healthy life; Enjoying a tasty life; a Refreshing life; and a Beautiful life. Cherishing the value of agriculture, rural communities and nature is the essence of the happy life I desire and want to share with others.
How did you develop herb farming into a cultural tourism content?
Most people think about food and resources when they hear the word farm. But as I grew the herbs myself, I realized that farming was relaxing and had healing effects. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit us in this remote area, and they don’t just come here to see the herbs. They come, see, enjoy, and experience the herbs while relaxing their bodies and minds. That is what cultural tourism is about. Furthermore, culture and nature coexist at Herbnara farm since there are flowers, trees, cultural facilities as well as herbs. I think other agricultural items, not just herbs, can find its potential as a cultural tourism content as well.
PROGRAMS
Herbnara Tour
With more than 100 kinds of herbs and flowers in the 33,058 m2 area, Herbnara consists of about 10 gardens created with various stories and themes. Explore unique themed gardens decorated with European-style statues, wooden birdhouses or butterfly sculptures. Also, visit the outdoor concert hall, the herb museum, Turkey gallery “Hanteowul”, and Manhwa Gallery (a cartoon gallery) for some cultural experiences while surrounded by nature.
Herbnara Autumn Festival
Herbnara holds an annual autumn festival for approximately 10 days. Enjoy a variety of programs including music performances, a unique herb food market, various activity-based classes, some sports events as well as the beautiful autumn colors of Heungjeong Valley.
Herb-related Activity Programs
Making craft items and perfumes using herbs is another good way to enjoy herbs. Plus, discover the hidden charms of herbs while enjoying gentle herbal teas and foods.
- Handicraft programs:
- make pressed-herb flowers or herbal perfumes, soaps, pots, vinegars and candles
- Tasting programs:
- herbal teas, herbal bibimbap, kimchi-making, a farm party in a flower garden
- *Kimchi-making program:
- Herbnara runs a kimchi-making program for foreigners. You can make your own kimchi and take it with you. Plus, you can enjoy a Korean-style meal during the program.
RECOMMENDED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Pyeongchang Mooee Arts Center
In 2001, the former Mooee Elementary School was transformed into the Mooee Arts Center consisting of exhibition halls, a studio, an activity zone and a sculpture park. Next to the arts center is a large buckwheat field growing the local specialty. Come appreciate the sculptures, pottery and paintings in the gallery and the beautiful outdoor garden. The arts center holds the Mooee Art Festival in early August each year.
- Address:
- 233 Saripyeong-gil Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Tel.
- 033-335-6700
- Website:
Woljeongsa Temple on Odaesan Mountain
Built in the twelfth year (643) of the reign of Queen Seondeok of the Silla Dynasty, Woljeongsa Temple boasts a picturesque beauty. Explore the temple and learn about Korean architectural features including the beautiful curves, the scientific principles of baeheullim (entasis) columns, yongmaru (roof ridge), and chunyeo (corner rafter protruding from the eaves). The nine-story octagonal stone pagoda, where Buddha relics are kept, and the Woljeongsa Museum exhibiting 4,000 cultural properties are not to be missed.
- Address:
- 374-8 Odaesan-ro Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Tel.
- 033-339-6800
- Website:
PROGRAMS
Herbnara Tour
With more than 100 kinds of herbs and flowers in the 33,058 m2 area, Herbnara consists of about 10 gardens created with various stories and themes. Explore unique themed gardens decorated with European-style statues, wooden birdhouses or butterfly sculptures. Also, visit the outdoor concert hall, the herb museum, Turkey gallery “Hanteowul”, and Manhwa Gallery (a cartoon gallery) for some cultural experiences while surrounded by nature.
Herbnara Autumn Festival
Herbnara holds an annual autumn festival for approximately 10 days. Enjoy a variety of programs including music performances, a unique herb food market, various activity-based classes, some sports events as well as the beautiful autumn colors of Heungjeong Valley.
Herb-related Activity Programs
Making craft items and perfumes using herbs is another good way to enjoy herbs. Plus, discover the hidden charms of herbs while enjoying gentle herbal teas and foods.
- Handicraft programs:
- make pressed-herb flowers or herbal perfumes, soaps, pots, vinegars and candles
- Tasting programs:
- herbal teas, herbal bibimbap, kimchi-making, a farm party in a flower garden
- *Kimchi-making program:
- Herbnara runs a kimchi-making program for foreigners. You can make your own kimchi and take it with you. Plus, you can enjoy a Korean-style meal during the program.
RECOMMENDED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Pyeongchang Mooee Arts Center
In 2001, the former Mooee Elementary School was transformed into the Mooee Arts Center consisting of exhibition halls, a studio, an activity zone and a sculpture park. Next to the arts center is a large buckwheat field growing the local specialty. Come appreciate the sculptures, pottery and paintings in the gallery and the beautiful outdoor garden. The arts center holds the Mooee Art Festival in early August each year.
- Address:
- 233 Saripyeong-gil Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Tel.
- 033-335-6700
- Website:
Woljeongsa Temple on Odaesan Mountain
Built in the twelfth year (643) of the reign of Queen Seondeok of the Silla Dynasty, Woljeongsa Temple boasts a picturesque beauty. Explore the temple and learn about Korean architectural features including the beautiful curves, the scientific principles of baeheullim (entasis) columns, yongmaru (roof ridge), and chunyeo (corner rafter protruding from the eaves). The nine-story octagonal stone pagoda, where Buddha relics are kept, and the Woljeongsa Museum exhibiting 4,000 cultural properties are not to be missed.
- Address:
- 374-8 Odaesan-ro Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Tel.
- 033-339-6800
- Website:
INFORMATION
Herbnara
- Address
- 225 Heungjeonggyegok-gil Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
- Tel
- 033-335-2902
- Website
- *Check details (e.g., operating hours, closures, etc.) on the website before your visit.
