Shedding Light on the Formation and Transformation of Gyeongju Tourism... National Museum Publishes "Gyeongju: Tourism and History"

Examining the Formation and Transformation of Tourism in Gyeongju

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History announced on January 8 that it has published the research book "Gyeongju: Tourism and History" as the first achievement of its project "Modern and Contemporary Spaces, People, and Records of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History."

Cover image of 'Gyeongju Tourism and History'. Provided by the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History

This study sheds light on the formation and transformation of tourism in Gyeongju from a modern and contemporary historical perspective, focusing on the Bomun Tourist Complex, the first government-led tourism complex in Korea.

The research focused on securing primary sources that can be used for museum exhibitions, educational programs, and data collection. It unearthed spatial information and blueprints from the early development of the Bomun Tourist Complex in the 1970s and 1980s, comparing and analyzing them with the present-day landscape, and documented the changes in major tourist facilities established during that period.

In addition, the study re-examined modern and contemporary records related to Gyeongju tourism based on the museum's collection. In particular, by analyzing blueprints of the restoration of Bulguksa Temple during the Japanese colonial era, the research empirically confirmed the restoration processes that took place in the 1910s and 1920s, and clarified the specific characteristics and differences of each restoration effort.

The book also includes essays by researchers who analyzed Gyeongju tourism from historical, regional development, and comparative historical perspectives. Through this, the multifaceted historical significance of Gyeongju tourism and the context of urban development are explored in depth.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History plans to further expand its research projects to systematically investigate and discover modern and contemporary spaces, people, and records. The research book "Gyeongju: Tourism and History" will be released through the museum's website.