KOREA FOUNDATION

Have you ever heard of a hanok village located not in Korea, but in Indonesia? You can find one at Indonesia’s Malaya Park, 260 kilometers southeast of Jakarta, the country’s capital. Malaya Park is home to five theme parks that each represent Greece, India, Japan, Korea, and the Netherlands, respectively. Naturally, we find the Korean park most appealing.

Constructed for locals whose plans to visit Korea have been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and other obstacles, the Korea-themed park greets visitors with an entrance signboard that features “Jeju Park” written in Korean (제주 공원). Although the park is named after Jeju Island, the Korean traditional hanok houses with tiled roofs will likely remind Korean visitors more of Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul than a neighborhood in Jeju. This part of the park is aptly called the Hanok Village, and the sight of the Korean houses lit up at night is unrivalled, according to the park’s staff.

Next to the Hanok Village are the Korean garden and K-pop streets. Visitors can also stop by a replica of a Korail subway station that looks so real that it seems to have been lifted directly from Seoul; a hanok-style restroom; and a store where they can rent hanbok, the traditional Korean attire, to wear for their visit. With all the Korean experiences it provides, Jeju Park is truly a little Korea in Indonesia. The park is hoped to promote Korea to as many people as possible in the future.

Indonesia Malaya Park Jeju Park hanok village