Korean City Guides: Daegu

Seoul I Incheon I Suwon I Daegu I Daejeon I Jeonju I Gwangju I Ulsan I Busan I Seogwipo I Gyeongju I Pyeongchang I Pyongyang

Daegu

• Daegu's population - 2.5 million.
• surrounded by forested mountains, Korea’s fourth largest city is a lively urban sprawl with no real center.
• split between Daegu and Tong-Daegu stations the city is a chaotic mix of giant video screens, new developments and run-down tenements.
• twinned with Milan, textiles are the main industry.
• within easy reach of ancient cultural city of Gyeongju.

Things to see and do

Daegu, South Korea's fourth largest city is known as a center of manufacturing and retail. Top of the list for most visitors is Daegu's historic Herbal Medicine Market, near to the central Yasigolmok district followed by more retail therapy at Seomun Textile Market. There is even a Rice Cake Street, Motorcycle Street, Shoe Street and Sock Street.

Ap-san Park to the south of the city is a welcome area of green, temples and a small museum dedicated to the Korean War.

Daegu Hyanggyo is a former Confucian Academy and Jae-il Church and Gyesan Cathedral are well-established places of worship.

20km north of Daegu is Palgongsan Provincial Park, a favorite of hikers. Donghwasa Temple dates back to the 5th century and has an 8th century statue of a seated Buddha. The huge and more modern Tongil Buddha was built in the hope of reunification with North Korea. The Gatbawi Buddha image is situated on the top of Mt Gwanbong (850m) with views of Daegu below. There are buses from Dongdaegu Station to Donghwasa (#105) and Gatbawi (#104), which take about an hour.

Haeinsa Temple, also an hour by bus from Daegu, is one of Korea's most sacred sites containing the 14th century Tripitaka Koreana - 80,000 carved wooden blocks containing Buddhist sutras. The beautiful, forested location is well worth the visit especially on less-crowded weekdays.

Nightlife & Eating Out

Variety of Korean & American eateries, restaurants and pubs on Eating Street in Deurangil, Suseong-gu & Dongseongro Street both south of Daegu Station.

Transport

The KTX express train connects to Seoul from Dongdaegu Station.
Daegu International Airport (DIA) has flights to Seoul and Jeju as well as departures for Shanghai. To reach the airport take city bus #401 or city express bus #104 or #105 at Jungang Negeori Junction. City bus #131 goes to the airport from Daegu Station.
Daegu's subway system has two lines: Line 1 (red) and Line 2 (green) with the connecting station at Banwoldang. The tragic arson attack on the subway, in which around 200 people were killed in 2003, has lead to a number of security upgrades on all of South Korea's metro systems.
City buses crisscross the urban area and visitors can purchase a travel card for use on city subways and buses. There are regular and deluxe services as well as a yellow shuttle bus connecting the main transport hubs.

Tourist Information

There are Tourist Information offices at the airport, Daegu Station, Dongdaegu Station, Seomun Market, Dongseongno Street and Yangnyeongsi.

World Cup Stadium

Tel: (053) 793 3901 more Daegu stadium info

The impressive 65,857 seat Daegu Sports Complex Stadium is the largest in Korea, complete with 2 giant video screens, a running-track and 3 storeys underground. Great views of the surrounding hills. Shuttle buses from Tong-Daegu station.

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