Where Thousand-Year Tea Traditions Live On: Hadong Tea Cultural Center

Exterior of the Hadong Tea Cultural Center, a tea-focused cultural venue

If you’re looking to escape the bustle of the city and relax with a fragrant cup of tea, head to the Hadong Tea Cultural Center. Nestled in the scenic foothills of Jirisan Mountain, this cultural venue is dedicated to Hadong’s wild tea, which boasts a thousand-year history. From the Hadong Tea Museum, which explores the history of tea, to the Tea Experience Hall & Tea Market, where you can learn tea ceremony etiquette and purchase your favorite teas, the center offers a comprehensive tea experience.

Experience the Full Journey of Hadong Wild Tea

At the heart of the Hadong Tea Cultural Center lies Hadong Tea Museum, where you can take in the history and culture of Hadong’s wild tea. The permanent and special exhibition halls, along with the digital experience zone, feature displays that cover the entire tea industry: from cultivation methods to tea-drinking culture.

At the museum, visitors can see lesser-known varieties of tea such as white tea (baekcha) and black tea (heukcha), as well as rare artifacts like tea leaf grinders from the Joseon Dynasty and elegant celadon tea sets. Also noteworthy is the restored black-glazed tea set once used by Master Choui, the Joseon-era monk who established Korea’s traditional tea ceremony.

After learning about the history of tea at the museum, head next door to the Tea Experience Hall & Tea Market to enjoy and taste the tea for yourself. The center’s signature program, the “Tea Etiquette Experience,” introduces the customs and culture of tea. Dressed in a hanbok and seated with poise, participants enjoy a deeply brewed cup of tea: an experience that naturally straightens posture and calms the mind. The program can accommodate up to 80 people, making it a popular choice for group visits. If you visit during the tea harvest season (April to June), you can also try picking and roasting (fixation) tea leaves yourself.

Green tea foot bath zone

Tea and tea set prepared for the Tea Sommelier experience

Opened in 2024, the Tea Healing Center features a specialty tea café on the first floor and a multipurpose room for tea classes on the second. Programs such as the Tea Sommelier and Episode Tea experiences allow visitors to sample three and four varieties of Hadong tea, respectively. Operated in small groups of around 15 participants, these sessions offer an intimate and satisfying experience. At the entrance, a green tea foot bath zone invites you to relax and soothe travel fatigue while gazing out at the picturesque wild tea fields through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Tea Café where you can sample various beverages made with Hadong wild tea

Jaeksaltang, a wellness tea available only at the Hadong Tea Café

Wrap up your visit at the Tea Café on the first floor of the Tea Healing Center and savor the rich flavors of Hadong tea. Along with Ujeon, a traditional Hadong green tea, you can enjoy creative blends such as Matcha Yuja Ade and Grapefruit Green Tea. A must-try here is Jaeksaltang, a wellness tea unique to this café. Named after the Hadong dialect for jakseol (young tea leaves), this fermented tea is brewed with healthful ingredients like jujube, wild pear, angelica root, and ginger. For those new to tea, the café also provides illustrated guides on how to brew it properly.

Nearby Attractions

1. Hadong Pine Forest Park

Hadong Pine Forest Park

Hadong Pine Forest Park offers a unique landscape where a dense pine forest, the Seomjingang River, and sandy shores come together. The pine trees were originally planted to block sand carried by river winds, but today, they serve as a year-round green haven for both locals and visitors.

2. Hadong Korea Zip-wire

Hadong Korea Zip-wire (Credit: DANIM 7th Term Kim Ji-yeon)

Hadong Korea Zip-wire, the longest in Asia, offers a thrilling ride from the 849-meter-high peak of Geumosan Mountain, reaching speeds of up to 120 km/h as you glide toward the islands of Dadohae. The first section is designed for maximum thrill, while the second and third sections gradually slow down, allowing you to take in the spectacular views at a gentler pace.

* This column was last updated in July 2025, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check for updates before visiting.