Norway does not occupy much room in the popular imagination of many Koreans, save perhaps images of it as the wintry abode of goblins, trolls and fjords that might inhabit a Nordic fairy tale.

The public can get a glimpse of a new view of Norway ― this time as a spectacular vacation destination.

The Norwegian Embassy here, along with other Norwegian government offices and the Korea Foundation, brought a touring exhibition called “Detour Asia” that highlights Norway’s breathtaking natural vistas and rural landscapes through 18 roadside viewing platforms connected by the country’s national highway system and coastal tourist cruises.

“We hope this exhibition will showcase Norway’s beautiful natural landscapes and attract more Korean tourists,” Norwegian Ambassador to Korea Torbjorn Holthe said during the exhibition’s opening night at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center Gallery on Tuesday.

The “Detour Asia” exhibition continues through Nov. 24.

Norway combined architecture, design and natural beauty in the 18 tourist routes covering everywhere from Oslo in south to the Scandinavian country’s most arctic reaches in the north, including viewing platforms and panoramas of magnificent fjords.

Curators said some 50 artists, architects, landscape architects and designers in Norway made the construction of the roadside viewing stations possible.

All of the routes can be easily accessed by road trips or coastal cruises which, put together, make for additional adventures for Korean travelers in search of a more unique vacation itinerary.

Holthe sees Norway increasingly becoming a travel option for Koreans, saying he expects the number of Koreans visitors to Norway to increase by 50 percent to 60,000 by the end of this year.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)