Located in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula, Gyeongsangnam-do is a region blessed with majestic mountains and shimmering seas. The cities of Sancheong and Hadong, nestled in the embrace of Jirisan Mountain, are Korea’s premier producers of dried persimmons and tea, respectively. Meanwhile, Namhae and Tongyeong, coastal cities bordered by deep indigo seas, are home to artisans who bake bread and craft goods using natural ingredients. The 140-year-old Jinju Jungang Market is filled with snacks, making it a challenge to decide what to try first. Lotte Premium Outlets Gimhae Branch offers a comfortable, pet-friendly shopping experience. From Sancheong’s dried persimmons, admired by Emperor Gojong and praised by Queen Elizabeth of England, to yuja bread made with local specialties in Namhae, Hadong tea infused with the vitality of Jirisan Mountain, and Tongyeong’s radiant mother-of-pearl lacquerware, we found some must-have items from Gyeongsangnam-do that will elevate the quality of your daily life.

1. Sancheong Dried Persimmons

Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, sitting at the foot of Jirisan Mountain, is home to dried persimmons. There are more than 1,300 farms producing persimmons. When the cold wind starts to blow, orange-colored persimmons can be seen hanging from every house, glistening like jewelry. In particular, the Sacheon-myeon persimmon farmers grow “Gojongsi,” often referred to as Hermès of the persimmon world. It is said that Emperor Gojong tasted this persimmon and expressed his admiration. Dried for about 40 days at the foot of Jirisan Mountain, where the temperature varies greatly between day and night, the dried persimmons have a high sugar content and chewy texture.

This is the finest persimmon presented to Emperor Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty and Queen Elizabeth of England during her visit in 2010. Its bright orange color, chewy flesh, and perfect doughnut shape make it recognizable at a glance as a prestige level. The special flavor of Gojongsi persimmons is due to the geographical advantage of being located at the foot of Jirisan Mountain. The clean soil of Sancheong, abundant sunlight, and the large daily temperature difference of Jirisan combine to deepen the sweetness of the persimmons as if they were made with plenty of sugar. It is always popular as a luxurious holiday gift.

Gammallaengi refers to semi-dried persimmons that are split in half. These persimmons are frozen and thawed repeatedly in the morning and evening dew of Jirisan Mountain for about a month to achieve their unique texture and flavor. Although it is a labor-intensive process, producers continue to make gammallaengi because customers keep returning for more after experiencing its taste. With its sweet, chewy flavor that lingers on the palate, gammallaengi is truly worth savoring.

- Address: Sancheong-gun Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Main Branch, 3 Ungseokbong-ro, Sancheong-eup, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-970-2581 - Operating Hours: Every day 08:00–20:00 - Website: https://www.deoksangam.co.kr/product/list.html?cate_no=12 - Price: Every day 08:00–20:00

2. Namhae Yuja Desserts

Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do is renowned for cultivating high-quality yuja, a type of citrus fruit, living up to its reputation as the place where the plant was first introduced and cultivated. Grown in Namhae’s mild maritime climate, the yuja there boasts a high sugar content and a fragrant aroma. As of 2022, over 220 farmers in Namhae are dedicated to yuja cultivation. In recent years, a variety of yuja-based food products, including yuja marmalade, yuja bread, and yuja makgeolli, have been developed, spreading the delightful fragrance of this vivid yellow fruit far and wide.

Here’s a bread from Namhae, for Namhae, by Namhae: The Anchovy-shaped Namhae Yuja Bread from Namhae Jegwa Bread Mell. Both its appearance and flavor highlight Namhae’s local specialties, earning it extra points in the “love for hometown” category. The dough is infused with pesticide-free yuja, domestic rice, and premium butter, while its shape resembles anchovies caught in bamboo traps in the waters of the South Sea. The subtle yuja flavor and fluffy texture make this bread hard to resist.

- Address: 788 Namseo-daero, Nam-myeon, Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-812-7788 - Operating Hours: Every day 10:00–17:00 - Website: www.instagram.com/bread_mell - Where to Buy: https://smartstore.naver.com/breadmell/products/8844307380 - Price: Yuja Mell Bread Gift Set (7 Namhae Yuja Anchovy Breads + 2 Cream Breads): about KRW 10,000, Namhae Yuja Anchovy Bread: about KRW 2,000 per piece

The son transforms the yuja his father grew into bread. Yuja Halbae is a bakery run by two generations, father and son. The bakery uses organic yuja harvested from their own farm to showcase the charm of this local specialty. The highlight of their Namhae Yuja Bread is the yuja custard cream they’ve developed in-house. The creamy filling melts smoothly in the mouth, leaving a refreshing aftertaste.

- Address: 47-32 Sami-ro 24beon-gil, Samdong-myeon, Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-10-3881-1993 - Operating Hours: +82-10-3881-1993 - Website: http://yuza.kr - Where to Buy: https://smartstore.naver.com/hhphsp/products/588538633 - Price: 1 set of 6: about KRW 6,000

ⓒSsanggye Tea

ⓒSsanggye Tea

ⓒSsanggye Tea

3. Hadong Tea

“In Hwagae-dong, Jirisan Mountain, tea trees stretch across about 20 kilometers, making it the largest tea field in Korea.” This phrase was written by Seon Master Choui, a late Joseon-era monk who established Korea’s tea culture in his work Dongdasong (Hymn to Tea). Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do, is the birthplace of Korean tea. The region’s foggy and humid climate, combined with significant temperature differences between day and night, creates ideal conditions for tea cultivation. The mist rising from the Seomjingang River and Hwagaecheon Stream, the tea leaves moistened with night dew, and the tea fields nestled against the foothills of Jirisan Mountain all contribute to the perfect environment for growing tea. This harmony of nature ensures that Hadong tea has remained exceptional for over 1,200 years.

The vitality of early spring in Jirisan Mountain is captured in every cup of tea. Ssanggye Tea is a premium tea brand founded by Master Kim Dong-gon, the 28th Grand Master of Traditional Korean Food. A native of Hadong, Kim honed his craft under the guidance of two renowned green tea masters, Monks Geumsong and Deokryong, from Ssanggyesa Temple. The First Flush Ujeon Green Tea, a premium offering from Ssanggye Tea’s new brand Ilsang Dawan, is made from young tea leaves hand-picked before April 20. The tea boasts a clear and luscious color, aroma, and taste, as the leaves are harvested just as the new shoots, rich with the nutrients accumulated over winter, begin to unfold under the spring sun.

- Address: Main Branch of Ssanggye Tea, 30 Hwagae-ro, Hwagae-myeon, Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-883-2440 - Operating Hours: Every day 10:00–18:00 - Website: https://sktea.com - Where to Buy: https://smartstore.naver.com/sktea - Price: First Flush Ujeon Green Tea of Ilsang Dawan (30g): about KRW 50,000

ⓒOttchil Workshop Ilgop

ⓒOttchil Workshop Ilgop

ⓒOttchil Workshop Ilgop

4. Tongyeong Mother-Of-Pearl and Lacquer Craft

Najeonchilgi means mother-of-pearl and lacquer craft: na (螺, mother-of-pearl), jeon (鈿, intricate inlay work), chil (漆, lacquer), and gi (器, container). It refers to a craft where radiant shell pieces are shaved into paper-thin slices and meticulously inlaid onto lacquer-coated items. This high-end craft technique takes a month and sometimes over a year to complete. Tongyeong in Gyeongsangnam-do is widely regarded as the home of Korean najeonchilgi. Among its artisans is Ottchil Workshop Ilgop, a workshop dedicated to showcasing the beauty of metal lacquer crafts to a broader audience.

The iridescent shine of the lacquer is mesmerizing. Ottchil Workshop Ilgop (Lacquer Workshop 7) is based in Tongyeong, known for its traditional lacquering craft called the “paint of the millennium.” The workshop creates beautiful, everyday-use mother-of-pearl lacquerware and offers one-day classes where participants can use lacquered brass plates to make bookmarks, brooches, and necklaces. Mother-of-pearl, with its natural beauty, adds a touch of elegance wherever it’s applied. The bookmark is the perfect gift for a book-loving friend, the brooch adds a charming finishing touch to any outfit, and the necklace pendant makes a subtle yet striking statement on a bare neck.

- Address: Lab 04, 4F, Tongyeong Restart Platform, 195 Donam-ro, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-507-1396-7817 - Operating Hours: Every day 10:00–18:00 - Website: https://instagram.com/boram.1608 - Where to Buy: Ottchil Workshop Ilgop - Price: Metal lacquerware brooch: about KRW 50,000-120,000, One-day Class for Metal Lacquerware Bookmarker, Brooch, and Pendant: from KRW 50,000

From Historic Traditional Markets to Pet-Friendly Outlets, Shopping Districts in Gyeongsangnam-do

Jinju Jungang Market is a historic traditional market that opened in 1884. The fragrance from Jirisan Mountain and fresh seafood from the southern coast attracts a large number of people. The large clock in the center of the market marks the entrance to Jinju Nongae Market on the left side. On the second floor of the central market, the Bidangil Youth Mall food zone offers trendy cuisines made by young vendors, while Nongae Market Noodle Road serves Jinju cold buckwheat noodles garnished with yukjeon (pan-fried battered beef). Every Saturday evening, the Olbam Night Market comes alive with delicious dishes like pork belly vegetable rolls, yukjeon, and lamb skewers.

- Address: Jinju Jungang Market, 533 Jinyangho-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Jinju Nongae Market, 12 Jinyangho-ro 569beon-gil, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-741-2151(Jinju Jungang Market), +82-55-745-0120 (Jinju Nongae Market) - Operating Hours: Every day 04:00–22:00 (varies by store), Olbam Night Market every Saturday evening 18:00–23:00 (closed in July), closed on the first and third Sundays (varies by store)

This pet-friendly outlet is located in the Gimhae Tourism Distribution Complex. Vaccinated pets under 15 kilograms are welcome inside, and pet carriages are available for rent at the information desk, allowing for a comfortable shopping experience without leaving your pet behind. The mall offers plenty to explore across its floors: the first and second floors feature a mix of local and international brands, the third-floor houses renowned restaurants, and the fourth floor includes a kids’ café. In the central plaza, a sculpture reminiscent of Singapore’s iconic Gardens by the Bay draws attention, while the picnic park provides a relaxing spot for visitors to take a break.

- Address: 469 Jangyu-ro, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-1577-0001 - Operating Hours: Everyday 10:30–21:00, closed on the day of Seollal and Chuseok - Website: www.lotteshopping.com/branchShopGuide/floorGuideSub?cstr=0331

From a Fortress Lit Up at Night to a Ferris Wheel Overlooking the Deep Blue Sea, These Are the Best Places to Visit Near Gyeongsangnam-do

ⓒKorea Tourism Organization Photo Gallery Hong Da-bin

The fortress played a key role in the Jinjuseong Fortress, one of the three major battles of the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592. It is a historic site where General Kim Si-min defeated over 20,000 Japanese troops with only 3,800 soldiers. Visitors can also enjoy attractions like the Chokseongnu Pavilion which offers beautiful views of the Namgang River, and the National Jinju Museum, which displays artifacts from the Imjin War. Uiamsa Shrine, located below Chokseongnu Pavilion, commemorates the story of Nonggae, who leaped into the river with an enemy general in her embrace. By night, the fortress walls are beautifully illuminated, making it a beloved spot for night views. In the fall, the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival lights up the river with colorful floating lanterns, adding a touch of romance to the scene.

- Address: 626 Namgang-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-749-5171 - Operating Hours: Summer season (March–Ocotober) 05:00–23:00, winter season (November–February) 05:00–22:00

The 72-meter-high Ferris wheel is a Sacheon’s landmark. With 24 four-seater cabins, the Ferris wheel takes you on an eight-minute ride over the turbulent waters and islands of the Hallyeohaesang National Park. In the evening, the sunset over Siran, one of the top nine sunset spots in the country, leaves a lasting impression. Sacheon Eye is part of Aramaru, a tourist complex built on Choyangdo Island. You can also visit the Sacheon Ocean Cable Car, Aramaru Aquarium, and a merry-go-round.

- Address: 18 Sacheon-daero, Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do - Inquiries: +82-55-835-5571 - Operating Hours: Everyday 10:00–18:00 - Website: https://aramaruaquarium.com/