In March, Dankook University (DKU) and the surrounding neighborhoods came to life with the return of by face to face classes. The number of Dankookians (Students of DKU) using school facilities increased, but are there other interesting places to go nearby? The Dankook Herald has put together a list of cool places students should check out both on and off campus.

▲ Seonyoungeenae Kimchi Jjageuli in DKU Jukjeon Campus (Photo from Naver Blog)

   The outdoor tables in front of Woongbi Hall on the Jukjeon campus are especially convenient for Dankookians who live in the dormitory. This place is tucked away, so people barely know it’s there. To get there, take the stairs near the parking lot in front of Woongbi Hall and you will wooden benches and plenty of tables for students to enjoy. In summer, the place is a great choice for a picnic with delicious food and the company of your good friends. Sometimes, the smell of cow dung permeates the area, but if you can take it, you will be able to enjoy a peaceful time in the under nice weather, and green landscape under, some warm afternoon sunlight. The second place we recommend at the Jukjeon campus is ‘Hyedang Hall’, the Student Union building, near Toegye Memorial Central Library. In Hyedang Hall, you can find the cafeteria, club rooms, an optician’s shop, book store, bank, and post office. The Student Council room is also open if you need to borrow an umbrella, get medicine, a soccer ball, or even a spare battery. To avoid the steep climb to Hyedang take 24 of 720-3 buses from outside the ‘Welfare Building,’ and get off at Peace Square. The last place we recommend checking out on the Jukjeon campus is ‘Seonyoungeenae Kimchi Jjageuli (선영이네 김치짜글이 전문점)’, which is in front of the main gate. It is a Korean restaurant that is famous among Dankookians for its delicious taste and kind restaurant owner. There you can enjoy delicious Korean food for as little as 8,000 won per person. Kimchi Jjageuli, which is similar to Kimchi Jjigae, but much thicker and saltier is famous at this restaurant. The restaurant puts a fried egg and seaweed on top of the rice and mixes it with Jjageuli for its great taste. The spicy flavor of the kimchi, the tenderness of the meat, eggs, rice, and seaweed harmonize well and create a fantastic flavor. We recommend making a reservation before you go or arriving early because sometimes there are forced to close early for running out of ingredients.

▲ Cheonho Lake in DKU Cheonan Campus (Photo from univ20)

   The Cheonan Campus also has good places for Dankookians to check out. Have you ever had difficulty finding a quiet place to take a real time online class, right a face-to-face lecture? The ‘DYL Lounge’ is that spot. The DYL Lounge is a space where Dankookians can not only study freely but also take a rest. Studying with small talk is allowed in DYL Lounge. Students do not have to make a reservation to use it and it's available until 5 p.m. If you simply want to take a rest while on the Cheonan Campus, the ‘Student Union Outdoor Terrace’ is a place where you can enjoy the fresh air and have an exciting talk with friends. The place has become more secure and comfortable because the stairs and railing were repaired recently. Also, you don’t need to worry about the blazing afternoon sun. Tables with parasols help you avoid unnecessary ultraviolet rays. Moreover, the ‘DKU’ logo statue, where students develop a sense of pride in the university, is located near the tables. The most famous spot for resting on Cheonan Campus is ‘Cheonho Lake’, next to the school. The lake is surrounded by the beauty of nature and is the best place to see cherry blossoms in spring. If you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of the otters and turtles that live there. There is a well-known myth circulating around Dankookians that if a male and a female student hover around the lake more than three times, they will become a couple. Near the lake, there is a famous Korean restaurant called ‘Cheonhoji’. It shares the same name as the lake, where many Dankookians go to taste ‘Yukhoe-Bibimbap’ and ‘Ppyeo haejangguk (Ox bone hangover soup).’ These two menu items are a kind of traditional Korean food. ‘Yukhoe-Bibimbap’ mixes raw beef with various vegetables and ‘Ppyeo haejangguk’ is a soup that is created by boiling a beef bone, beef, and the outer leaves of cabbage called Ugeoji. Cheonhoji is a twenty-four-hour restaurant and provides food at a cheap price. If you have a chance to visit any of the places suggested, you will for certain enjoy a pleasant school life.

   Park In-seon, from the department of Display Engineering, also recommended popular places around the Cheonan Campus. She said, “When the cherry blossoms bloom around DKU lake, you can take a lot of beautiful photos.” She recommended visiting at night for a more special view of the site. She also recommended YaWooRi, the main street in front of the Cheonan bus terminal. There are various cafés, restaurants, and many other enjoyable places to have fun with friends. She recommended the movie theater, the board games café, and the photo booth. She also recommended the restaurant ‘DongGeuRami (동그라미 식당)’ for ‘PalPal Chicken and Tteokbokki (팔팔닭떡볶이).’ You can find both dishes at DongGeuRami. She recommends you try the pork stew to relieve your hangover. She added, “Tteokbokki is the soul food of Koreans.” She highly recommended you try ‘Chicken Tteokbokki’, ‘Beef Brisket, and ‘Fried Butter-grain Potatoes.’

   Ji Seung-hwan, from the department of Political Science and International Relations, recommended popular places on and around the Jukjeon Campus. He likes to visit the school dormitories because there are a lot of adorable cats out front. His favorite is ‘MakNae.’ MakNae means the youngest of the family in Korean. He said, “There are many yellow-haired cats. We call them ‘Cheese Cats’ because they look like cheese.” He also recommended students try his favorite restaurant ‘MatJeon (맛의 전쟁)’. MatJeon is an abbreviation for the war of taste in Korean. He loves and highly recommends the ‘BuDaeJjiGae’ and ‘Stir-fried Spicy Pork’ at MatJeon. He said, if exchange students want to eat a homestyle Korean meal, MatJeon is the best place to visit!

   Since March 2022, Dankookians have mostly returned to face-to-face classes. They now have a chance to enjoy their campus life, so why not give these spots a try? They are places to enjoy a warm homecooked meal, socialize with friends, take photos, study, or simply relax. Why don’t you check them out today?