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| Cliff House, the detached three-story luxury villas sitting atop cliffs, gains recognition as the favorite honeymoon destination. / Courtesy of South Cape Spa and Suites |
Accommodations, other facilities attract visitors, as well
By Kang Seung-woo
South Cape Spa and Suites at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula is a constant temptation for the nation's golfing community.
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| Chairman Chung Jae-bong |
However, even if you are not one of those who are interested in the club-and-ball sport, South Cape is still an attractive property providing an "ultimate healing" experience for guests in communion with nature, its chairman believes.
The artistic golf resort was built in 2013 after local clothing magnate Chung Jae-bong shelled out 400 billion won ($360 million). He was the founder of Handsome Corp., one of the nation's largest fashion companies whose flagship brands include Time and Mine.
"Even when I visited internationally prestigious and luxury golf clubs, many of them were not equipped with convenient facilities. In that respect, I came up with an idea of building a golf course offering comfortable accommodation and quality services from its facilities and that is South Cape Spa and Suites," Chung said in an interview with The Korea Times.
"As people's current lifestyle is transforming into having experiences, we seek to offer the ultimate healing to guests through the property's nature, architecture, food as well as golf."
Located throughout the resort are works of art that invite interaction rather than passive viewing, according to Chung.
From the chairs in the outer lobby and by the front desk to the grand table in the restaurant and even the revolving doors, South Cape is designed to make art a natural part of the lifestyle experience. All other installation works at the resort are also crafted to allow free contact and interaction with guests.
Its accommodation, comprised of 49 high-end suites and private villa complex, is simply off the charts as all of them show off the stunning coastal views. In addition, each room has its own distinct design characteristics.
In particular, Cliff House, the detached three-story luxury villas sitting atop cliffs, have emerged as the most sought-after honeymoon destinations among high-profile celebrities.
"Each room lines the coast, affording its own unique views of nature and the sea, while the full glass windows opening onto terraces play the role of picture frames, delivering analog yet dynamic images of nature all year round," he said.
One of the things, to which Chung is committed, is to offer high-quality local delicacies to guests, according to chairman.
The Raw, its full grass-walled restaurant, is focused on local, seasonal ingredients such as abalone freshly caught by female free divers, or haenyeo, premium produce cultivated on and near the resort and top-grade Namhae Hanwoo, or Korean beef, to ensure a healthy, mouth-watering culinary experience.
The Cave, its wine bar boasting 1,000 bottles of wine, can add unforgettable moments to guests' already-satisfying experiences by offering a perfect place to behold the sun going down over the sea, he added.
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| The infinity pool boasts spectacular coastal views. / Courtesy of South Cape Spa and Suites |
For analogue music aficionados, a classical analogue music salon is set up inside the resort, and the spa, Finnish sauna and infinity pool are also available.
At South Cape, golf is not the only outdoor activities.
"Our trekking course takes guests through the most beautiful scenery of the 2 square kilometer resort, combining fresh woodland air, red earth pathways and views across the sea and the golf course for a journey of approximately one hour," Chung said, adding Ring Dome, an installation work that was previously displayed in New York, Milan and Yokohama, is at the top of the course.
Its Moonlight Walking is also available, under which guests tour the fairways following the moon shining brightly over the evening sea and the bright stars showering the night sky.
Designed for guests who do not play golf, it also offers a tour program taking them to the golf course by cart and giving them a briefing on all buildings and artworks at the resort.
