Discover the History and Nature in Seosan

Seosan is a place where you can discover both history and nature. It is where fields coexist with the sea, a farming village with a fishing port, and traditions with today. You can find your healing in the unspoiled nature of Seosan and see the wonders of ecology in its tidal flats and migratory bird sanctuaries.

Buseoksa Temple’s Templestay program brings you to an introspective pause through its ceremonies in meditation, meals, tea, and walks. Another interesting experience can be found in the cooking classes offered by Myeonggane Healing Farm. In this program, participants harvest seasonal ingredients like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and vegetables, and use them to make cake rolls, rice cakes, and cookies.

Cheonsuman Bay is the centerpiece of Seosan’s claim to fame as Korea’s foremost ecological tourist site. It is a globally renowned migratory bird sanctuary that hosts nearly 200 species of birds such as hooded crane, whooper swan, stork, duck, goose, and Far Eastern curlew. Visiting the area anytime guarantees a great opportunity to do some birdwatching. However, the most popular timeframe for birdwatching is mid-March, when flocks of hooded cranes fly to the bay in breathtaking formations.

Seosan’s location on the West Sea also means that you can have many unique experiences at sea. Samgilpo Port is home to a fish market on a boat, where you can enjoy freshly sliced raw fish on boats docked at the port. How about Ungdo Island and its land bridge for a “sea parting” experience? During high tide, the approach to the island is submerged under the water, which only resurfaces during low tide.

For history buffs, we recommend the Haemieupseong Walled Town. Built during the Joseon period, this 5-meter-high, 2-kilometer-long fortification circles the town center. If you take a walk in the evening when the walls and gates are illuminated with light, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere that can only be found in old fortresses in Korea. Further upstream in the great flow of history is the Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yonghyeon-ri, Seosan, which dates back to the ancient kingdom of Baekje. It is a sculpture of a buddha on a rock face, bearing a gentle smile that has been named “the smile of Baekje.” In addition, Seosan is also an important site in the history of Catholicism in Korea, home to a pilgrimage trail that connects the sites where the martyrs of Seosan were born, laid to rest, and served their mission. The Haemi Martyrium began to draw a larger following after Pope Francis visited the site during his visit to Korea in 2014, and as the Vatican approved it as an official international pilgrimage site, the second place in Korea to be designated as such, the Haemi Martyrium now sees pilgrims from around the world.

Seosan’s highlight is its local cuisine. Dongbu Market is a traditional market offering seafood sourced from tidal flats and the sea, vegetables and fruits sourced from regional farms, and grains cultivated in local fields. Shops near Haemieupseong Walled Town offer specialty garlic bread made with local garlic, while the restaurants in front of Ganwoldo Island are famous for their nutritious oyster rice and salted oysters. For true aficionados, local specialties like calabash and octopus soup, blue crab soup, braised kimchi with marinated crab, and salted rockfish soup are recommended.

You must be considered fortunate to visit Seosan in April as the area around the House of Yu Gibang, a hundred-year-old residential building, blooms in golden Narcissus. Other places like Seosan Hanu (Korean native cattle) Farm and Gaesimsa Temple are famous for their green pasture and cherry blossoms.

A Dramatic Trip in Pohang

Located on the eastern shores of Korea, Pohang is a dramatic city home to beautiful canals and lighthouses, filming locations for K-dramas, and other unique sights. It is where pleasant surprises can be discovered along the way and the charms of the city center and nature, history and present, and art and culture can be all enjoyed side-by-side.

The small port village of Guryongpo is the main filming location of the Netflix hit K-drama When the Camellia Blooms, starring Gong Hyo-jin and Kang Ha-neul. Accordingly, it is a place where you can meet Dong-baek’s bar “Camellia,” with alleyways that retain the scenery from bygone days, a staircase in Guryongpo Park with a view over the port, and other sites featured in the drama. The massive sculpture “Hand of Harmony” stands as the city’s foremost photo spot in the nearby Homigot Square, while the Homi Peninsula Coastal Trail is recommended for a leisurely walk along the sea. Meanwhile, the Yeonorang Seonyeo Theme Park, located along the Coastal Trail, is a perfect place to enjoy the view of the sea and leisurely walks. If you have followed the healing romance show Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, you can re-enact your favorite scenes from the show in Cheongha Market and Gollyunsan Mountain’s paragliding range.

For a more romantic view, we recommend the Pohang Canal. Pohang Canal was built to connect Dongbin Inner Port, hitherto closed for decades, and the old waterways toward the Hyeongsangang River. The bends along the canal create a romantic scenery, augmented by various vessels that use the canal. Pohang Inner Harbor’s observation deck, which is located near the ferry quay, offers a view not only of Pohang city center but also of the POSCO complex beyond the river. Founded in 1968, POSCO is the foremost steelmaker in Korea that served as the engine of Pohang’s growth as an industrial city. Even today, POSCO produces hot rolled, stainless, and other kinds of steel, serving as the driving force of the region’s economy and the national economy of Korea. Do not miss the brilliant lights that illuminate the POSCO complex at night from the sea.

POSCO also created Hwanho Park’s Space Walk, a new landmark befitting Pohang’s status as a premier steelmaker. The structure, resembling a rollercoaster in its bends and curves, immediately catches one’s eye. The scenery that unfolds 360 degrees resembles a walk-in space, just like its name. Following the 333 m-long structure shows the many faces of Pohang. You can view the POSCO complex, Yeongildae Beach, and Hwanho Park, as well as the nightscape. The view of Yeongildae Beach from the Space Walk captures the sand sculptures and public art installations that characterize the beach, which is home to numerous restaurants and cafés, along with surfing, windsurfing, and yacht tour opportunities. If you want to get a true taste of the local culture, visit the Jukdo Market. This traditional market showcases the best of fun and variety that is found in its kind in Korea.

Yangdong Village, which is reachable by a National Highway connecting Pohang with Gyeongju, is one of the two villages (the other being Hahoe Village of Andong) that retain the culture of the aristocracy (yangban) during the Joseon period. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site containing old houses with nearly 600 years of history, dignified trees, and beautiful alleyways.