[Explore Europe in Korea #5] Pocheon Herb Island: Meet Korea's largest herb farm

▲ This photo shows the entrance of the Pocheon Herb Island located in the Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)

POCHEON, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Herbs, which are used in various ways in people's daily life such as tea, food, and perfume, funnily enough has a relatively short history in Korea.  

While most establishments use herbs developed from foreign countries, there are people who have struggled for more than 20 years to Koreanize herbs.

Herb Island, located in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province,is known as a healing tourist destination and cultural experience space to the public near Seoul.

◇ Pocheon herb farm built from passion and a single goal 

Herb Island is Korea's original and largest herb farm which was built based on the theme of a Mediterranean lifestyle.

The farm, which now stands at 430,000㎡ in size, started out in 1997 as a rural piece of land without a single piece of grass.

Lim Ok, CEO of Pocheon Herb Island, who was informed to be terminally ill with cancer, purchased 10,000㎡ of land in Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon, with a desire to leave something behind for her children as she continued living her life day by day.

▲ This photo provided by Pocheon Herb Island shows Lim Ok, the CEO of the herb farm. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

CEO Lim began to grow herbs without water or electricity on the wild land that only had coarse grasses and weeds.

At that time, herbs were unfamiliar plants in Korea, and very little cultivation were carried out in Korea.

While looking for special ideas to improve the land, Lim decided to grow herbs that could be used in various ways in real life and ones that are helpful to people's health.

Lim went through numerous trials and errors by planting and cultivating herb seeds on Korean soil based on the knowledge she had obtained from her trip to Japan, where the history of herbs were relatively long.

By sleeping only for three hours a day, Lim found books specializing in herbs and currently keeps hundreds of notebooks that contain valuable notes on herbs she had organized by herself while studying.

▲ This photo shows the inside of Pocheon Herb Island's Herb & Plant Museum. (Yonhap)

The result of Lim's hard work has now become the Herb & Plant Museum located within the Pocheon Herb Island.

The place has officially been registered as a first-class herb plant museum, after being recognized by the state in 2020, and has 340 kinds of planted herbs including over 1,000 herb-specialized books and herb-related artifacts from all over the world on display.

◇ A herb island to be enjoyed by using all five senses

The Pocheon Herb Island provides a variety of experience programs related to herbs for visitors to enjoy.

At one of the hands-on programs tourists can make cosmetics, soap, and daily necessities by using various herbs grown directly on the Herb Island.

Built in 2012 with the purpose of professionally healing visitors, the "Healing zone" offers health care programs using dried herbs, steamed herbal through far-infrared radiation, and bathing experiences with herbal essence.

The "Scent Zone" is filled with about 2,000 herbal-related products, including herbal tea, aromatherapy, herbal bath, and herbal fragrance products.

▲ This photo provided by Pocheon Herb Island shows the "Fairy Tale Light Festival," which is held yearly. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

There are also many things to see in "Venice" and "Santa" zones, where people can obliquely feel the European atmosphere. 

Modeled after Italy's water city, Venice, the "Venice Zone" is decorated with waterways where people can ride gondolas, castles, and a Trevi Fountain.

Although it has now been suspended due to the novel COVID-19, European-style performances have also been held every weekend at outdoor venues.

The "Santa Zone," inspired by the Santa Claus Village in Finland, is especially popular with children.

Apart from the Santa house and Santa church, hundreds of Santa sculptures, Christmas trees and light tunnels installed within the "Santa Zone" are also considered appealing attractions.

There is also a space where visitors can experience a European fairy-tale like world.

It is a "Middle Sea Fairy Tale Country Experience Pension" that can become the main characters of fairy tales such as Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White.

Children can spread their imagination to their heart's content by transferring the theme of fairy tales to paintings and sculptures from room to room, and adults can enjoy the world of childhood innocence.

▲ This photo provided by Pocheon Herb Island shows the Sky Herb Farm filled with Lavenders. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

There are also different festivals that are held from season to season in the Pocheon Herb Island. Lavender is the main attraction during the summer season.

During the festival period, fully bloomed lavenders fill the Sky Herb Farm. This year's festival period is held from July 3rd to the end of August.

"It is Herb Island's wish to bring happiness and health through the use of herbs," said CEO Lim Ok.

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