A pair of tiny islands off the southwestern coast of South Korea have begun attracting tourists and photographers alike thanks to a clever rebranding effort launched by the government in 2015. Known as the “purple islands,” Banwol Island and Bakji Island were thus named due to the purplepainted houses, roads, and bridges that dominate the landscape—an idea that was inspired by the ubiquitous purple bellflowers __1__ to the area.
Banwol and Bakji are an Instagrammer’s dream, with violet-hued rowboats, picturesque fields of lavender, and a pair of purple bridges that __2__ the islands to each other and to the mainland. And though visitors must leave their cars behind, they have the option to walk or bike across. They can avoid paying the visitor’s __3__ by wearing something purple, and need not feel self-conscious in doing so. As a matter of fact, the island’s 150 residents can also be seen dressed in purple as they __4__ their lives working the tourist stalls or farming the local fields. In between taking selfies next to purple telephone booths and purple park benches, guests can dine at restaurants serving purple rice on purple plates. They can even spend the night at one of the islands’ charming purple hotels.
Since 2018, the purple islands __5__ nearly half a million tourists. Bold and unique, the two island gems of South Korea have proven to be a godsend, not only to the once-struggling local economy but to travel-hungry city folks looking for adventure in the COVID-19 era.
1. (A) primitive (B) sensitive (C) creative (D) native
2. (A) connect (B) impose (C) transfer (D) overthrow
3. (A) bill (B) check (C) fee (D) tuition
4. (A) call off (B) go about (C) do away with (D) watch out for
5. (A) drew (B) draw (C) were drawing (D) have drawn
