VISIT JEJU

Winter of Jeju, the first scene coming to mind would be orange-colored ripe tangerines covering the stone walls of rural villages.In the past and even now, winter without tangerines in Jeju is unimaginable. Chusa Jeong-hui Kim, who was exiled to Jeju in the Joseon dynasty, gave his exile house a romantic name, “Gyuljungok.” “There are apricots, chrysanthemums, and bamboo in Seoul too. However, tangerines are only available here, where I live. Tangerine has clean inside and outside. High fidelity and fragrant virtue are the best.” he said.

In winter, when tangerines are in season, many tourists visit tangerine cafes and tangerine experience programs. There are many tangerine experience farms with unique photo zones in each village. Taking a picture in a tangerine field while wearing a tangerine hat is an essential course in the winter Jeju trip. You may eat tangerines during the tangerine picking experience and you may take tangerines that you picked up to a predetermined weight. Jeju’s winter filled with various tangerine desserts and unique cafes operating tables in the tangerine field is as sweet and sour as tangerines.

You may taste Tangors, hybrids of tangerines and oranges with their strengths, from January when the tangerine harvest ends.Hallabong resembling Hallasan Mountain has a strong sweet taste and rich flesh and is the most well-known fruit of Jeju.Cheonhyuhyang, which means the fragrance from the sky, is a hybrid of an orange and a tangerine and has an oval shape and thin peel. Hwanggeumhyang, a hybrid of Hallabong and Cheonhyehyang, has a round shape and the texture is soft since it has a thin inner peel. Redhyang in deep red has crispy texture and is popular because of high sugar content. Let’s enjoy the fun of choosing and eating delicious Tangors based on your preference. Tangors, which are the most delicious in the winter, are the best snacks for you throughout the trip.

In winter, the white spray crashing against the shimmering mint waves is even more magnificent. The winter sea gazed from far while driving a car is tasteful although it is great to see in a close distance. Let’s enjoy the coastal road embracing various magnificent views stretching for about 253 km along the circumference of Jeju.

Woljeong-ri Coastal Road (Gimnyeongojo coastal road) embracing the wide white sandy beach and emerald-colored sea. It is a long coastal road from Gimnyeong to Seongsan Ojo-ri. It is also referred to as the sunrise coastal road or the Windmill coastal road due to a view of wind power generators from Gimnyeong to Woljeong. It is a place that you may feel the representative tourist spot of Jeju with the mood of quiet fishing villages and bustling tourists. You may capture unique and beautiful views of Jeju’s winter sea with your camera a lot if you just get out of a car and have a cup of coffee.

Hagwi-Aewol coastal road with traces of Jeju-style rock saltern called sogeumbille. Rugged precipice that has been weathered by strong waves for a long time stretches along the coastal road facing the sea. The colorful scenery of the sea flutters the heart of sightseers. When you pass this road, it is best to open the window to enjoy the drive. It is also popular for cycling and trekking courses since it provides bicycle-dedicated paths and walking paths.

In winter, the highland of Hallasan Mountain is covered with white snow even in Jeju, the warm southern area. The southern area of the island boasts various colors, such as tangerine and red camellia, but here touching the sky, the whole region is white. Introducing Hallasan Mountain Snowflake trekking that even those who hates mountain climbing wait for this time.

The Seongpanak course starts at 900m above sea level as the base camp of Hallasan Mountain climbing. Since the height of Baeknokdam, the summit of the mountain, is 1,950m above sea level, it is attractive yet the path to the summit is not easy. Facing Baeknokdam after difficult climbing!You may exclaim in the overwhelming feeling that you have climbed the highest place in Korea with the fantastic scenery just like floating on the clouds.*Tips for trip!: Seongpanak - Jindallaebat Shelter (3 hours) - Baeknokdam (4.5 hours), 9.6km each way,   let's get started early because upward climbing from the Jindallaebat shelter is restricted after 12:00.

Witseoreum course is a course that those who are new to the winter mountain may try since the mountain road is not too rough. You may enjoy all the charms of the snowy mountain with a small effort. As you approach the summit of Witsaeoreum, the beautiful Korean fir forest will spread out before your eyes. If possible, let's keep it up and walk to the Yeongsil course. The Witseoreum-Yeongsil section shows a spectacular view with oddly shaped rocks of Obaekjanggun Rocks having a story that those are made of sons of Seolmundaehalmang.

A fresh green tea field that does not lose its greenness even in cold winter. The vast and fresh green tea field is filled with richness and romance. It is good to be drunk on bold scents of green tea while walking along the green tea field path. There is nothing like warm tea to melt cold and weary heart during the winter journey.

The symbol of Jeju green tea field, "Osulloc Tea Museum" is full of things to enjoy, such as the museum tour, tea lounge, tea class, etc., other than the green tea field. The Innisfree Jeju House, next to Osulloc, provides special experience and memories in the green tea field with small items embracing the sense of Jeju and a Jeju picnic set that you may enjoy together.

Located in Seongeup, "Onulun" boasts a wonderful view with Hallasan Mountain and Yeongju Mountain. The cave in the middle of the green tea field is popular for a place to take the best picture for life on SNS. It provides a comfortable rest to weary travelers with organic green tea foot baths and various green tea beverages.

"Jejudawon Nokchamiro Park" is located in the mid-mountain area at 500m above sea level in Hallasan Mountain and boasts the outstanding scenery. You may enjoy an interesting experience in a photo zone in the 0.17 million square-meter green tea field and the 5-stage maze course. You may see Seogwipo city at a glance at the top of the green tea observatory. Let's escape from daily life and enjoy freedom while enjoying the panoramic view of nature from Munseom and Beomseom off the coast of Seogwipo to Marado and Gapado.

Camellia is a flower that breathes life into winter of Jeju.Lovely baby camellias and native camellias in deep red bloom at different flowering times and brighten up winter of Jeju. There are so many famous places to see camellia, such as the camellia colony in Namwon-eup Wimi-ri, camellia arboretum, Dongbaknang cafe, and camellia forest in Shinrye-ri, etc.

Among them, the Jeju Dongbaek village in Seogwipo Shinheung 2-ri dyes the hearts of travelers red with camellias blooming in the alleys of the village like a red carpet on the quiet village roads. Camellias of the Jeju Dongbaek village are mainly native camellias and bloom in the end of December, unlike the baby camellias of Wimi-ri blooming in November. The color is red rather than pink and when the flower falls, petals fall in the bud rather than each.

The black basalt is the symbol of Jeju. Doldam resembles Jeju people as it is layered carelessly yet sophisticatedly in each house. It may look sloppy as if it will collapse at any moment, but it never collapses even in strong rain and wind. Doldam looks cold but strongly and gently embraces warmth above all. A Japanese historical novelist highly praised, "There are so many gaps in Doldam. Although it looks like it will collapse if you just softly push it, it easily withstands. What a masterpiece of the master."Jeju Doldam is imbued with the weary life of Jeju people and the wisdom of life to cultivate the barren land.

Jeju Doldam shows slight differences from region to region. In case of Hallim, Hangyeong, Gujwa-eup Dongbok-ri, which are the coastal villages, the stones are round and small. Gujwa-eup Sehwa and Sangdo-ri have small fields, and thus, Doldam shows the grace of curves. In case of mid-mountain regions, the volume of stone increases. Since there are so many rocks in Aewol-eup Gwakji-ri and Hallim-eup Gwideok-ri, they have a double-wall style. In the Gotjawal region, such as Hangyeong-myeon Cheongsu-ri, Doldam with holes due to volcanic bombs is piled up.

There is a place where the original form of a Doldam path remains. When you enter the village in Jeju-si Aewol-eup Haga-ri, there is Doldam piled up with Jeju basalt on both sides of the narrow and curved Olle. In the village, a thatched-roofed house, a 300-year-old hackberry tree, and a lotus pond, which are designated as Jeju cultural properties, are harmonized with each other and flatters the value of Jeju Doldam.

In winter, Moseulpo Badang is crowded with the popularity of yellowtail in season. A yellowtail is the best winter delicacy from Jeju. A yellowtail swimming in the deep sea and fighting against strong currents has the chewy texture due to its tight and solid flesh and has a savory and soft taste.

In November, when the cold wind starts to blow, a yellowtail festival is held in Jeju. It is held in Moseulpo Port Ilwon from November 26 to December 25. The highlight of the festival is "catching a yellowtail with bare hands." It is not easy to catch a strong and large yellowtail with bare hands, but you may eat a fresh yellowtail that you caught right on the spot. How special experience it is.

Usually the yellowtail is eaten raw. Jeju people eat a yellowtail with ssamjang with minced garlic and hot pepper. Since it is a greasy fish, people eat it by wrapping the fish in sour kimchi or dried seaweed with rice lightly seasoned with sesame oil. The large yellowtail fish head is sprinkled with coarse salt and grilled, remaining bones and intestines after making sashimi are boiled and enjoyed as soup.

Noinseong (Canopus) brightly shines in the southern hemisphere, but it is difficult to observe in Korea. From the old literature, it was deemed as a divine star governing the life of human and in the area where the star was observed, it was considered as an auspicious event that should be told to the king.

It is said that if you see Noinseong even once, you will live long without diseases and if you see it three times, you will enjoy very long life. Noinseong is a winter constellation and in Korea, it can be seen only in Seogwipo, below Hallasan Mountain in Jeju, due to its low altitude. According to the true record of the Joseon Dynasty, Noinseong can be seen only at Hallasan Mountain and the people of Jeju live long because they receive energy from Noinseong.

You may see Noinseong at dawn in November and evening in the end of February. If you want to meet Noinseong in the winter sky, Seogwipo Sammaebong is recommended. Sammaebong, which has become a citizen park in downtown Seogwipo, has been an observatory to see Noinseong from old times. Let's visit Seogwipo Astronomical Science and Culture Center with children on a cold winter night. There is no shortage of observation equipment to observe the night sky including an astronomical telescope for observing celestial bodies and the sun.

Jeju is the largest producer of buckwheat in Korea. Buckwheat, which grows well even in barren lands and allows double-cropping, is harvested in late fall and is more delicious in winter. In Jeju, it is used for various dishes, such as bingtteok, buckwheat sujebi, buckwheat bumbuck, buckwheat jelly, momguk using buckwheat powder, and jeopjjakppyeoguk. Buckwheat is an important food for Jeju people to endure the cold winter and deeply pervades the life of Jeju people even it is used for postpartum care and various household events.

A pheasant that can be seen in the mountains and fields of Jeju has been a favorite winter food of Jeju people. It is used for various dishes, such as pheasant taffy made of pheasant meat boiled with millet liquor, shabu-shabu made of thinly sliced pheasant meat with broth, dumplings with pheasant meat, etc. Among them, pheasant buckwheat kalguksu with broth made of pheasant bones and savory taste of pheasant meat is the best winter healthy food that can be easily tasted during traveling in Jeju, yet presents the special taste.

The Seongsan Sunrise Festival, which was held in an untact format for the past two years, will be held as a face-to-face event for three days, from December 30, 2022 to January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, early morning climbing of Seongsan Ilchulbong will be operated, so let's blow off old feelings and memories with waves of the sea and directly feel the excitement of the new year with majestic sunrise brilliantly rising over Seongsan Ilchulbong.

In the bunker of light, a new exhibition is held under the theme of <Cezanne, the Light of Provence> from November 4 to October 15, 2023.Let's go on a journey to the drawing world of Cezanne, the father of contemporary art, in a media art exhibition where you may enjoy artworks with music. You may also enjoy a journey to Kandinsky's paintings, the pioneer of abstract art.

<Jeju Biennale> The third Jeju Biennale is held after five years. Under the theme of "Moving Moon, Approaching Land," it is held from November 16 to February 12, 2023. The main theme center is Jeju Museum of Art and the Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, the satellite exhibition halls are the Jeju International Peace Center, Samseonghyeol, Gapado AiR, Next Door to the Museum Jeju, etc., and 54 people (teams) from 16 countries will participate.