Dooly, the dinosaur hero of the beloved Korean animated series "Dooly the Little Dinosaur," appears in the story in Ui-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul — but this summer, the Mesozoic mascot is heading to Taebaek, Gangwon Province, to explore the Paleozoic era.
Taebaek city is co-hosting a traveling exhibition titled "K-Ramyun and Briquettes" with the Dooly Museum in Dobong-gu, Seoul, offering residents and tourists a distinctive cultural experience during the peak summer season.
The joint exhibition runs from July 4 through Aug. 30 in the third-floor special exhibition hall of the Taebaek Paleozoic Natural History Museum.
Built around the premise of Dooly visiting Taebaek, the exhibition blends nostalgia from the animated series with the city's coal-mining heritage. Visitors can encounter various Dooly characters throughout the museum.
Particularly during the peak vacation period of Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, a range of education and tourism programs will be offered free of charge.
The education program pairs visitors with a professional guide for a tour of the exhibition, followed by a hands-on session making models of "Doolysaurus" and trilobites — the fossil most closely associated with Taebaek. The program runs eight showings over the two days, with 10 participants per showing, for a total of 80 spots.
The tourism program accommodates up to 250 participants and operates as a shuttle bus tour covering the Taebaek Paleozoic Natural History Museum, Gumunso and the Cheolam Historic Coal Village.
Interested visitors can apply in advance through the websites of the Taebaek Paleozoic Natural History Museum or the Dooly Museum. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
The exhibition was selected under the "2026 Public, Private and University Museum K-Museum Regional Traveling Exhibition and Tour Support" program, organized by the Korea Museum Association under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The city expects the project to broaden cultural access for both residents and tourists.
Meanwhile, the museum plans to temporarily suspend its immersive video screenings in the special exhibition hall beginning June 23 to prepare for the exhibition.
Taebaek city said it hopes the joint traveling exhibition will give residents and visitors a unique cultural experience while raising awareness of the city's natural, cultural and industrial heritage.
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