It’s a strange place to be in when you’re double-digits from your moving date, and you still don’t have physical orders. While, yes, we’re moving to Alaska and yes, our DEROS is at the end of June, we don’t have orders, and we can’t do anything about our impending move. It’s frustrating, but such is life in the military, so all you can do is try to stay busy and stay sane. Busy is always best for me, so when Ryan and his friend, Brandon, decided to go bungee jumping in Sokcho last weekend, I knew I couldn’t do a rainy day at home alone with the kids. So, Ashley (Brandon’s wife) and I loaded up our collective eight children and made our way out to Blue Crystal Village in Asan – a little-known gem and an absolute treat.
Exploring Blue Crystal Village in Asan
I love a big adventure, but our spring weather has been rainy and fickle, and after weeks of busy schedules with cherry blossoms for my photography, I wanted an adventure with the kids that was a little closer to home. I actually stumbled upon Blue Crystal Village in Asan by accident, looking for underrated gems in the Gyeonggi-do Province. Blue Crystal Village, also known as Jijunghae Maeul (or 지중해마을) is Asan’s answer to a petite Mediterranean village in the middle of South Korea.
When I say it’s petite, I mean it. It’s literally a teeny collection of three parallel streets linked by flower-filled little cloisters and alley-ways, leading you to believe you might actually have stumbled your way into a Mediterranean village. But, nope, it’s just a little picturesque village in the middle of Asan-si. And, like most things Korean, they’ve created this little village in style, inspired by the Grecian architecture and colors in Santorini and merged with Provence’s red-roofed white houses.
Why You’ll Love Blue Crystal Village
The best part of this little excursion in Asan was that visiting Blue Crystal Village is something Ryan absolutely wouldn’t have loved. He would’ve tolerated it but, together, we like those big, bold, fun adventures that make us step out of our comfort zone. Instead, this was a laid-back sort of outing, and through the drizzles, our kiddos splashed in puddles, played, and Spencer and Ashley’s daughter decided that they were boyfriend and girlfriend (we couldn’t stop giggling – how romantic haha!)
Blue Crystal Village might’ve made a name for itself on K-Dramas like Dinner Mate, but today, it attracts visitors for its picturesque streets that light up after dark, the quaint coffee shops, gelato and creameries and, of course, all the vintage shops. We chose to do lunch just outside of the village because eight American kids in a tiny restaurant wasn’t something either Ashley or I were on board with, and there was a Lotteria just a couple blocks away. But, yes, we absolutely came back for gelato and, by then, the sun was shining, the temperatures were warming, and we both decided it was just the sort of outing we needed.
What to Know When Visiting Blue Crystal Village
Address: For Naver – 충남 아산시 탕정면 탕정면로8번길 55-7 ; For Waze – 55-7 Tangjeongmyeon-ro 8beon-gil, Tangjeong-myeon, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
Price: Free! If you choose a parking lot a few blocks over, it’s paid, but visiting the village, unless purchasing, is free.
Parking: There is a small dirt lot directly to the right when you enter Blue Crystal Village’s first entrance. There is also street parking on the far side of the village.
Amenities: It’s a village – you’ll find everything from cafes to vintage shops, creameries and, yes, even a Daiso. There were also public restrooms.
Accessibility: The streets, while brick, are accessible, though there are stairs into most of the shops that may make strollers/wheelchair entry difficult.
