SINGAPOREAN visitors to South Korea might be familiar with Seoul, the ski resort of Yongpyong and Nami island, which was featured in the blockbuster soap opera Winter Sonata, but there's more to the country than that.

To get tourists to stay longer and venture further into the country, the South Korean government has named three of its cities Tourism and Leisure Cities (TLCs). These cities will be developed by various companies and have tourist attractions, as well as other amenities, to pull in visitors.

NATURAL APPEAL: The marine city of Taean (above) attracts migratory birds from Russia during the cold months. More than 250 species can be seen inclulding the Japanese cormorant, streaked shearwater and blue rock thrush. Taean county is famous for its clear seas and flora.

In 2006, around 88,000 Singaporeans visited South Korea, up from around 81,000 the previous year. Most visitors stayed an average of 6.1 days.

South Korea's pull has undoubtedly been helped by the Korean wave, or Hallyu (love for Korean pop music, soap operas and movies), which has generated huge interest among its neighbouring countries.

However, signs that the Hallyu is tapering off have combined with the rise of the Korean won to slow down tourist arrivals.

Hence, the desire to develop the TLCs. According to Mr Dae-Kwan Kim, director-general of planning and development for the TLCs, they are considered very important to the development of South Korea's tourism sector.

The cities are also aimed at reaching out to retirees in Asia, a group the South Korean government sees as an important part in growing the tourism market.

All three TLCs are in areas which already have substantial local tourism, but are virtually unknown to those outside the country.

They do have much in common at a casual glance: They are designed to be eco-friendly and have a proliferation of golf courses.

Mr Jung Bung Sup, executive director of the Korean Tourism Organisation (KTO), says the KTO has looked at 40 cities around the world, such as Dubai, Las Vegas, Orlando, as models for the three cities. However, they do want the new developments to fit the South Korean geography and area.

The nearest TLC to Seoul is Taean, a two-hour drive away. Positioned as a water and marine city with urban characteristics, it will have 8km of waterways when fully developed in 2011.

The area is well known as a stopping point for migratory birds from Russia during the winter months and bird-watchers will find many species to add to their logbooks. More than 250 species of birds can be spotted in the area, and you can also see the many rickety nests made by the birds in the trees along the highway.

Nearby attractions include the Taean Seashore National Park, with many saw-toothed beaches as well as intriguing rock formations, such as the twin rocks called Halmi (grandma) and Harabi-bawi (grandpa).

HIGH KICKS (above): Already home to a large-scale ski resort, Muju will become a magnet for taekwondo students and teachers when the Taekwondo Park is built in 2012. South Korea has picked three eco-friendly cities to woo retirees from Asia. Attractions include golf courses, ski complexes and casinos

The second TLC is Muju, already a well-established ski complex among locals and familiar to ski enthusiasts in Singapore too. The area has the longest ski route in Korea, with runs that cater to both novices and experts.

Situated two hours by road from Seoul, the TLC will complement existing attractions in the area, including Deogyusan National Park.

Currently, travellers to Muju may find themselves stepping into what seems like the Austrian Alps. The Hotel Tirol is an Austrian-style hotel, but with Korean signposts.

Even though it was the end of skiing season when we got there, the mountain was still covered with fine snow, giving the area a pristine aura. A group of South Korean students clasped hot paper cups of tea to stay warm as they admired the snow.

A notable selling point for Muju resort is its proximity to the future Taekwondo Park which, when ready in 2012, will be a "mecca for taekwondo" enthusiasts. The third TLC is located at the south-western tip of Korea. Currently called the South-west Coast Tourism and Leisure City, it covers an area of 87.9 sq km and is about five hours away from Seoul by road.

Its climate is much milder than most of the country and, like Taean, the area is mainly reclaimed land, and a contrast to the mountainous surroundings.

Development has already started and Daeyoung, located in the TLC, will play host to a Formula 1 race in 2010. Construction has already started on what will be Asia's largest racetrack, with a length of 5.72km.

The city is close to Shanghai and Japan, and may prove to be an attractive short getaway destination for visitors from both places. The rugged coast may attract the beach-goer looking for something different from tropical resorts.

Besides the race track, there are also plans to build a casino and a Sea World theme park as well as a rural and cultural village. The developers hope the completed project will be able to compete with world-class resort cities such as Dubai or Orlando.

The TLCs are in various stages of development, with most eyeing full completion around 2015 and onwards.

It remains to be seen how they will complement the rugged beauty and hardy charm of South Korea's existing attractions, and whether they can pull in the crowds.

As I looked at the sparse plot of land at the South-west Coast TLC which was being prepared for foundation work, and compared it to the architectural drawing of what the place is to become, I remarked that it was a very ambitious project.

The tourism official smiled and just said: "I'm optimistic."

stlife@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in Life!, The Straits Times on April 29, 2008.