jeju? who’s that?
Jeju Island. Also dubbed as “Korea’s Hawaii”. Many people who live in South Korea (national or expatriate) know that it is always worth planning a trip to Jeju Island. Jeju is located at the bottom of the Korean peninsula and is widely known for its natural scenery, slower tempo, and overall “island vibe” that is comparable to the vibe of the Hawaiian islands.
With three other friends of mine, we booked a weekend trip to Jeju, in hopes to experience the island and to also escape the busy-ness of Seoul. We booked our trip during the weekend right after midterm season, offering us a sense of rewarding relief after spending much of our time in the big city studying.
We’ve done a lot in Jeju; and rightfully so, this chapter will be dedicated all to JJ in Jeju.
Jeju Island. Also dubbed as “Korea’s Hawaii”. Many people who live in South Korea (national or expatriate) know that it is always worth planning a trip to Jeju Island. Jeju is located at the bottom of the Korean peninsula and is widely known for its natural scenery, slower tempo, and overall “island vibe” that is comparable to the vibe of the Hawaiian islands.
With three other friends of mine, we booked a weekend trip to Jeju, in hopes to experience the island and to also escape the busy-ness of Seoul. We booked our trip during the weekend right after midterm season, offering us a sense of rewarding relief after spending much of our time in the big city studying.
We’ve done a lot in Jeju; and rightfully so, this chapter will be dedicated all to JJ in Jeju.
flying to jeju
It’s Wednesday evening and I finally finished packing my bags after my afternoon online class. I met up with the rest of my crew and took a large taxi from our humble neighborhood all the way to Gimpo International Airport - Seoul’s hub of domestic air travel. Gimpo Airport was over an hour away of a drive so we left home a few hours prior to our flight. Travelling all the way to the airport was, indeed, quite a journey: passing through various districts in Seoul, snaking through freeway traffic, and crossing multiple bridges with scenic overviews. Just the taxi drive felt like a getaway - a getaway from the usual routine in Seoul, a getaway from school worries and stress. Checking-in to our flight was a piece of cake. Airline agents were extremely helpful, and the security process was efficient. Although we were a bit behind schedule in arriving at the airport, we still had about 45 minutes until boarding. During that time, I lounged around the terminal and bought some light snacks to keep me filled until landing. After finally boarding (which I think was the fastest boarding procedure I’ve ever experienced), we finally took off and made our way to Jeju. I had the window seat and it was a marvelous experience in viewing the city lights of Seoul from above. The higher and further we flew, the smaller and blurrier those lights became. At that moment, I began to relax and my excitement for Jeju peaked - Jeju Island, here I come! After about an hour of flying, we finally landed at Jeju Airport. The deplaning process was also just as efficient, and I almost had no stress in picking up my luggage. As we exited the terminal to the pick-up area, a line of maybe 50 taxi cars showed up, and we fell in line waiting for our turn to get into a taxi. Our Airbnb was a 5 minute drive from the airport, and getting there was a breeze. |
On our way to our Airbnb, gone were the busy streets of pedestrians and cars. High rises were nowhere to be seen, and everyone dressed much more casually. We arrived at our place, and I jumped in a fully made bed. At that moment, Jeju truly felt like home.
day 1
Thursday. Our first full day in Jeju island. We didn’t do much as we still had online classes to attend to. I decided to spend my morning class and afternoon class at a cafe, and I spent the time in between lounging through the small town of Jeju City. Walking around Jeju City felt as if I was walking the streets of Hilo - humble businesses lined the streets, people dressed comfortably, and the overall environment felt slower and calming.
As the afternoon wrapped up, my friends and I decided to have Jeju black pork for dinner. Jeju Island is known for a special breed of pigs: smaller sizes, thinner skins, and black in color. We went to a restaurant that served Korean black pork barbecue, and I am glad that I was able to experience it. Our own server grilled our pieces of pork and we enjoyed our meal alongside a variety of special side dishes. While we could have eaten more, we saved some room for our next destination: Dongmun Traditional Market.
Dongmun Market was a place with numerous food stalls, fresh produce, and live seafood. This place was packed with people, and long lines draped the perimeters of the market as people anxiously waited for Jeju street food. And it wasn't your typical street food experience. The cooks at the stalls were extremely warm and welcoming, continuously beckoning everyone to their stall. Some stalls blasted energetic EDM music while their cooks torch their food with flamethrowers in an entertaining fashion. As we moved onto the produce side of the market, lots of business owners were eager to sell their oranges and tangerines - which Jeju is especially known for. A generous ajumma (older Korean woman) was so kind as to cut open an orange and feed me a slice, straight from her hand. I was hesitant at first, but where else can I say that I’ve been hand-fed a slice of Jeju orange?
After the market experience, we took a taxi back home and called it a night. The next few days were filled with activities, and we made sure to get enough rest.
Thursday. Our first full day in Jeju island. We didn’t do much as we still had online classes to attend to. I decided to spend my morning class and afternoon class at a cafe, and I spent the time in between lounging through the small town of Jeju City. Walking around Jeju City felt as if I was walking the streets of Hilo - humble businesses lined the streets, people dressed comfortably, and the overall environment felt slower and calming.
As the afternoon wrapped up, my friends and I decided to have Jeju black pork for dinner. Jeju Island is known for a special breed of pigs: smaller sizes, thinner skins, and black in color. We went to a restaurant that served Korean black pork barbecue, and I am glad that I was able to experience it. Our own server grilled our pieces of pork and we enjoyed our meal alongside a variety of special side dishes. While we could have eaten more, we saved some room for our next destination: Dongmun Traditional Market.
Dongmun Market was a place with numerous food stalls, fresh produce, and live seafood. This place was packed with people, and long lines draped the perimeters of the market as people anxiously waited for Jeju street food. And it wasn't your typical street food experience. The cooks at the stalls were extremely warm and welcoming, continuously beckoning everyone to their stall. Some stalls blasted energetic EDM music while their cooks torch their food with flamethrowers in an entertaining fashion. As we moved onto the produce side of the market, lots of business owners were eager to sell their oranges and tangerines - which Jeju is especially known for. A generous ajumma (older Korean woman) was so kind as to cut open an orange and feed me a slice, straight from her hand. I was hesitant at first, but where else can I say that I’ve been hand-fed a slice of Jeju orange?
After the market experience, we took a taxi back home and called it a night. The next few days were filled with activities, and we made sure to get enough rest.
day 2
Friday. Email notifications are off, and laptops are shut. The official start to our Jeju adventures started without a single worry of our coursework and assignments. Prior to the trip, we booked a tour taxi that will take us around the island for two days. Each day, we started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM, allowing us lots of time to explore the various parts of Jeju Island. On this day, we visited the following places: Seongsan Sunrise Peak, Jeju Folk Village, and Manjang Cave.
Seongsan Ilchulbong “Sunrise Peak” was our first destination. This place is a volcanic crater located at the coast of the island, with a trail that allows visitors to climb to the peak. The climb to the top of the crater took about 20 minutes and had lots of natural scenery to soak in along the way. Weathered volcanic rocks at this location were pretty unique and similar to those from Hawaii Island. As we reached the peak of the crater, we caught a view of a small yet colorful and vibrant town, the surrounding green hills, and the calming blue ocean. While it’s not the highest peak on Jeju, it truly felt as if I was seeing the entire island from up above.
Our next stop was Jeju Folk Village, a restored folk village that showcases life on Jeju Island from the 19th century. This location exhibited over 100 different artifacts to show how villagers lived on Jeju Island before modernization and foreign influence. Homes were built with stones and wood, and so too were the many tools. Towards the end of the tour, we came across an area where there were colorful hanging pieces of wood, all of them inscribed with written wishes. In wanting to add to it, I took a blue piece of wood, and wrote my simple wish: “For a life full of fun, excitement, and aloha.” I hung my wish on a branch, with hopes that it would be fulfilled.
Our final stop of the day was at Manjang Cave, a place to experience Jeju’s own lava tubes. Walking down and through the lava tubes brought me back memories of my childhood where I would visit Kilauea’s lava tubes on Hawaii Island. Some parts of the tube were well lit with wooden trails to follow, and some portions were just simply lava rocks. As we reached the end of the tube, we took some pictures of a “pile” of lava rocks that mother nature herself carved out.
Exhausted after a full day of travelling and sightseeing, we ended our day at Dongmun Market once again, filling our stomachs with delicious street foods. That same evening, a few other friends from Hawaii came to our Airbnb and shared some laughs and updates.
Friday. Email notifications are off, and laptops are shut. The official start to our Jeju adventures started without a single worry of our coursework and assignments. Prior to the trip, we booked a tour taxi that will take us around the island for two days. Each day, we started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM, allowing us lots of time to explore the various parts of Jeju Island. On this day, we visited the following places: Seongsan Sunrise Peak, Jeju Folk Village, and Manjang Cave.
Seongsan Ilchulbong “Sunrise Peak” was our first destination. This place is a volcanic crater located at the coast of the island, with a trail that allows visitors to climb to the peak. The climb to the top of the crater took about 20 minutes and had lots of natural scenery to soak in along the way. Weathered volcanic rocks at this location were pretty unique and similar to those from Hawaii Island. As we reached the peak of the crater, we caught a view of a small yet colorful and vibrant town, the surrounding green hills, and the calming blue ocean. While it’s not the highest peak on Jeju, it truly felt as if I was seeing the entire island from up above.
Our next stop was Jeju Folk Village, a restored folk village that showcases life on Jeju Island from the 19th century. This location exhibited over 100 different artifacts to show how villagers lived on Jeju Island before modernization and foreign influence. Homes were built with stones and wood, and so too were the many tools. Towards the end of the tour, we came across an area where there were colorful hanging pieces of wood, all of them inscribed with written wishes. In wanting to add to it, I took a blue piece of wood, and wrote my simple wish: “For a life full of fun, excitement, and aloha.” I hung my wish on a branch, with hopes that it would be fulfilled.
Our final stop of the day was at Manjang Cave, a place to experience Jeju’s own lava tubes. Walking down and through the lava tubes brought me back memories of my childhood where I would visit Kilauea’s lava tubes on Hawaii Island. Some parts of the tube were well lit with wooden trails to follow, and some portions were just simply lava rocks. As we reached the end of the tube, we took some pictures of a “pile” of lava rocks that mother nature herself carved out.
Exhausted after a full day of travelling and sightseeing, we ended our day at Dongmun Market once again, filling our stomachs with delicious street foods. That same evening, a few other friends from Hawaii came to our Airbnb and shared some laughs and updates.
day 3
Saturday. The second day of our booked taxi tour. Getting up that morning was quite a struggle since the day prior was jam packed with activities and sightseeing. Nonetheless, I got up that morning just eager enough to tackle the itinerary ahead: Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, Teddy Bear Museum, Osulloc Tea Fields, and Spirited Garden.
A trip to Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls started our day, and it was a tranquil and relaxing way to jumpstart our day. While the taxi ride there took some time, there was something about the area that was energizing in a tranquil way. Getting to the three-tier waterfalls system took quite some walking, but it was worth the foot-work. It all started with crossing an gigantic arching bridge with Korean folklore figures engraved on its side. The view from the bridge itself was breathtaking - it felt as if I was hovering above the river and greenery below me. As we made our way towards the waterfalls, I felt refreshed gazing upon the crystal-clear blue pool of water. For a moment, time felt still, while the cool water continued to tumble and fall, its crashing sounds drowning out the noise of reality.
The next stop, Teddy Bear Museum, was nearby. In all honesty, I was not looking forward to this stop as I had no interest in teddy bears, but the rest of my group insisted that we pay a visit. To my surprise, I was actually caught off-guard with how interesting the museum actually was! Many exhibits consisted of teddy bear figures imitating what an actual museum would exhibit: historical events, notable artifacts, and even celebrity showcases! Being at the Teddy Bear Museum was quite interesting, and while I wouldn’t say that I’m glad I went, I could at least say it was an experience that overshot my expectations.
The third stop of the day was Osulloc Tea Fields operated by the Korean skin-care brand Innisfree. The tea fields produce the green tea ingredients used in the company’s wide line of skincare products, many of which are coveted items for skin-care enthusiasts. In all honesty, I spent much more time indoors than in the fields as I spent much time grazing through aisles of skin care products and even food items that would make great souvenirs to bring home. I ended up purchasing a large box of assorted tea, a few boxes of face masks for family and friends, and a couple of hand creams that worked like instant magic. For all you skin-care enthusiasts, I highly recommend paying this place a visit
The final stop of the day was at Spirited Garden, a peaceful parcel of land with hundreds of well-kept trees and plants in which many consisted of a poster showcasing a message of life lessons. This was truly a reflective experience as I witnessed both keen gardening skills and life reflections side-by-side. An overall theme of the garden was to showcase the beauty of patience, diligence, and hard work in tending and caring for the plants. Likewise, so too must we be patient and diligent in tending to and caring for ourselves so that we may also bloom and shine for others.
Saturday. The second day of our booked taxi tour. Getting up that morning was quite a struggle since the day prior was jam packed with activities and sightseeing. Nonetheless, I got up that morning just eager enough to tackle the itinerary ahead: Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, Teddy Bear Museum, Osulloc Tea Fields, and Spirited Garden.
A trip to Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls started our day, and it was a tranquil and relaxing way to jumpstart our day. While the taxi ride there took some time, there was something about the area that was energizing in a tranquil way. Getting to the three-tier waterfalls system took quite some walking, but it was worth the foot-work. It all started with crossing an gigantic arching bridge with Korean folklore figures engraved on its side. The view from the bridge itself was breathtaking - it felt as if I was hovering above the river and greenery below me. As we made our way towards the waterfalls, I felt refreshed gazing upon the crystal-clear blue pool of water. For a moment, time felt still, while the cool water continued to tumble and fall, its crashing sounds drowning out the noise of reality.
The next stop, Teddy Bear Museum, was nearby. In all honesty, I was not looking forward to this stop as I had no interest in teddy bears, but the rest of my group insisted that we pay a visit. To my surprise, I was actually caught off-guard with how interesting the museum actually was! Many exhibits consisted of teddy bear figures imitating what an actual museum would exhibit: historical events, notable artifacts, and even celebrity showcases! Being at the Teddy Bear Museum was quite interesting, and while I wouldn’t say that I’m glad I went, I could at least say it was an experience that overshot my expectations.
The third stop of the day was Osulloc Tea Fields operated by the Korean skin-care brand Innisfree. The tea fields produce the green tea ingredients used in the company’s wide line of skincare products, many of which are coveted items for skin-care enthusiasts. In all honesty, I spent much more time indoors than in the fields as I spent much time grazing through aisles of skin care products and even food items that would make great souvenirs to bring home. I ended up purchasing a large box of assorted tea, a few boxes of face masks for family and friends, and a couple of hand creams that worked like instant magic. For all you skin-care enthusiasts, I highly recommend paying this place a visit
The final stop of the day was at Spirited Garden, a peaceful parcel of land with hundreds of well-kept trees and plants in which many consisted of a poster showcasing a message of life lessons. This was truly a reflective experience as I witnessed both keen gardening skills and life reflections side-by-side. An overall theme of the garden was to showcase the beauty of patience, diligence, and hard work in tending and caring for the plants. Likewise, so too must we be patient and diligent in tending to and caring for ourselves so that we may also bloom and shine for others.
day 4
Our final full day on the island consisted of only one item on the itinerary: relaxing at Hamdeok Beach. My friends and I spent the morning catching up on sleep and didn’t start the day until around lunch time. We hailed a taxi for the beach and had lunch and beverages at a seaside café that overlooks the crashing waves and lava rocks below. Being at the beach reminded me so much of home that there were moments where I forgot I was on Jeju Island! With lots of time to kill, my friends and I spent much time taking group photos and simply admiring the view with awe.
As the soon began to set, we met up with a Korean friend for dinner at a restaurant that serves makchang (grilled beef intestines). While it doesn’t sound appetizing, I thought the dish was rather tasty and unique, and I rather enjoyed the meal unlike my friends who thought the total opposite. Soon after dinner, we headed over to a bar and ended the night chatting and sharing memories over a few bottles of soju and beer. It was a relaxing and chill way to wrap-up our time in Jeju, and I’m glad that I had such an amazing time on the island. Till next time Jeju Island!
Our final full day on the island consisted of only one item on the itinerary: relaxing at Hamdeok Beach. My friends and I spent the morning catching up on sleep and didn’t start the day until around lunch time. We hailed a taxi for the beach and had lunch and beverages at a seaside café that overlooks the crashing waves and lava rocks below. Being at the beach reminded me so much of home that there were moments where I forgot I was on Jeju Island! With lots of time to kill, my friends and I spent much time taking group photos and simply admiring the view with awe.
As the soon began to set, we met up with a Korean friend for dinner at a restaurant that serves makchang (grilled beef intestines). While it doesn’t sound appetizing, I thought the dish was rather tasty and unique, and I rather enjoyed the meal unlike my friends who thought the total opposite. Soon after dinner, we headed over to a bar and ended the night chatting and sharing memories over a few bottles of soju and beer. It was a relaxing and chill way to wrap-up our time in Jeju, and I’m glad that I had such an amazing time on the island. Till next time Jeju Island!