Residents of the small island Byeongpungdo voluntarily cultivate the wasteland
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The ‘Nollaera Restroom’ built on the Celosia Hill of Byeongpungdo Island in Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, is becoming a local landmark.
According to the county on the 23rd, Byeongpungdo, a small island in Jeungdo-myeon, has been transformed by residents who voluntarily cultivated wasteland, planting colorful Celosia flowers over 11 hectares, creating a spectacular scene.
Visitors are captivated by the feast of Celosia flowers spreading in all directions from the restroom and the scenic view of the sea. For this reason, despite the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, this unique restroom has become a popular photo zone for visitors.
In particular, visitors are amazed by the Celosia flowers blooming in various sizes, colors, and shapes, and when they follow the flower path to the top of the festival site, they are surprised once again by the small vermilion-colored restroom.
The ‘Nollaera Restroom’ is installed with transparent glass that prevents viewing the interior from the outside but allows those inside to see outside. The scenery beyond the glass offers a unique experience from within the restroom.
Right next to it, an unmanned caf? serves as a resting spot, considered an ideal place to relieve accumulated daily stress and plan a new beginning.
On Celosia Flower Island, Byeongpungdo, following the connecting path to Gijeom and Soakdo Islands, the Sipisado small chapel has been established, known as the ‘Island of Tiago in Korea.’
Designated as a ‘Desirable Island’ in 2017, the small chapel, a space for self-reflection unlike any other in the world, was built following the footsteps of Moon Jun-gyeong, the first female martyr in Korean Christian history.
As more people from home and abroad visit this miraculous pilgrimage route, it is recognized as a healing place in the era of non-face-to-face interactions.
Byeongpungdo, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar Wetland site, hides the mysteries of nature such as its steep, jagged cliffs.
Since 2019, the Byeongpungdo Celosia Village Festival has been held, but after being canceled twice, this year’s ‘2021 Island Celosia Festival’ is scheduled to be held online from the 1st to the 10th of next month.
On the 22nd, Lee Hee-sook (female, 49), who visited the ‘Nollaera Restroom’ installed at the top of the Byeongpungdo Celosia Festival site, said, “I came from Mokpo to the pilgrim islands of Gijeom and Soakdo and the Byeongpungdo Celosia Festival site to soothe my tired heart during the Chuseok holiday. Although small, the festival is full of sights everywhere, leaving special memories and beautiful experiences.”
County Governor Park Woo-ryang said, “The Nollaera Restroom at the Celosia Festival site is expected to become a landmark like the ‘second-best scenic restroom in the world’ on Heuksando Island. Although this year’s Island Celosia Festival will be held online, we hope that by viewing the colorful Celosia flowers carefully cultivated since spring, people exhausted by the prolonged social distancing due to COVID-19 will find healing at the Celosia Festival site.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
