Jeju Olle Trail Course 6: Walking into Seogwipo

2022-02-18 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Today the weather is nice, so I'm walking Olle Trail Course 6. My companion is the neighborhood mutt from our building! We walked from my house to the starting point, but he showed no signs of going home. I kept wondering how far he'd follow me. He trailed me all the way to Soesokkak (an estuary), but then disappeared somewhere, maybe scared of the wooden bridge.

A dog is passing by a stone marker indicating the start of Olle Trail Route 6 and a blue stamp box.

A traditional raft floating on clear blue water between strange rocks covered with pine trees.

A wooden fenced promenade runs along a black sand beach, with a breakwater and lighthouse visible in the distance.

I heard Terarosa Coffee was amazing, so I stopped by for a cup and a rest before walking again. I must have relaxed a bit too much because I had to hurry to avoid the sunset. After passing Terarosa, I started seeing signposts and stones inscribed with explanations about the rocks and the sea. It looked like the local village had paid to put them up, and you could really feel their sincerity... It warmed my heart as I walked.

Exterior of a red brick building with a Terarosa Coffee sign and a parked white car.

A breakwater with red and white lighthouses is visible beyond the coast where black basalt rocks rise.

Two people are sitting on a bench at a wooden deck observatory overlooking a large, heavily forested island across the sea.

Small stone towers built by someone on a coast paved with black stones, with a pine forest in the background.

As you walk Olle Course 6, some pretty random things pop up out of nowhere. Soesokkak is already in a spot that makes you think, "There's something here?", but even weirder is the traditional archery range that suddenly appears. I don't remember exactly, but after passing a government marine research building (which surprised me with how spotlessly clean it was inside), an archery range just sits right there. Right after that, an off-road path begins out of nowhere. Course 6 is totally unpredictable.

A narrow dirt path blending with green plants and rocks leads along the coast to a forest on a hill.

Wooden stairs leading to the forest are installed over a small valley where clear water flows between rocks.

If you quickly pass through a path that looks roughly made of surrounding stones, an abandoned hotel appears. Location-wise, it feels like the Seogwipo KAL Hotel area, but it's deserted. Looking at another map, it says Paradise Hotel, so I'm guessing this is where the Paradise Hotel used to be. The exterior is so intact that it looks like you could move in and live there with just a little tidying up. I wonder what on earth happened to it.

Exterior of an exotic-looking building featuring a red tile roof and white outer walls.

Tall palm trees rising above a dry lawn under a cloudy sky.

A wooden information board showing the Artist's Promenade course and blue and orange arrow markers.

If Soesokkak is the start of Course 6, the midpoint would be Jeongbang Waterfall. However, Jeongbang Waterfall has an entrance fee, so it's a good idea to take your time enjoying Sojeongbang Waterfall (Small Jeongbang Waterfall) right before it. Of course, if you have enough time and don't mind the fee, seeing the main Jeongbang Waterfall is great too.

Although it's on a smaller scale, Sojeongbang Waterfall has its own unique charm since the water falls directly into the sea, giving it a rather cute vibe. It's the perfect spot to drink some water or a hot cup of coffee, so don't miss it.

A small waterfall pouring coolly between black basalt cliffs.

Water flows next to a promenade with iron railings, with the sea and coastal cliffs visible beyond.

Exterior of the Sora-ui Seong (Conch Castle) building, consisting of round black stone walls and a cylindrical tower.

After stamping my passport in front of Sora's Castle (a coastal building), I found signposts about two historical incidents that made me read carefully, thinking, "This happened here?"

One was a North Korean spy infiltration, and the other was the sinking of the Namyoung-ho ferry.

The spy infiltration isn't really on the news anymore, so I just looked at it with a sense of wonder, thinking, "Wow, that happened." But reading about the Namyoung-ho disaster broke my heart, making me realize, "The same thing that happened back then happened again a few years ago with the Sewol ferry..." It feels like safety negligence and a chronic lack of awareness are harder to fix than ideological conflicts. Or more accurately, it's safety being ignored for the sake of money.

An outdoor information board printed with explanations and related photos of the South Korean Workers' Party incident.

A park landscape with a traditional wooden pavilion at the end of a stone-paved promenade.

The Namyoung-ho Victims Memorial Tower standing on a lawn.

A wooden signpost indicating the direction of Seobok Exhibition Hall and Jeongbang Waterfall, along with a stairway overlooking the sea.

Passing Jeongbang Waterfall, you come across a path dedicated to Xu Fu, a legendary Chinese con artist from the BC era. He's the ultimate fraudster who lied to Qin Shi Huang about bringing back the elixir of life, stopped by Seogwipo, and then vanished. The name "Seogwipo" actually originates from the legend of Xu Fu passing through.

A traditional stone gate with Seobok Park written in Chinese characters.

Relief murals with various pictures engraved along a long stone wall.

Daffodils with white petals and yellow centers blooming against a yellow wall.

A stone statue of a man in traditional Chinese clothing holding a scroll.

The entrance to Seogwipo Apartment next to a wall painted with human faces and plants.

An island visible beyond a large leafless tree and a lawn next to a road.

A wide lawn and pine trees surrounded by a stone wall.

Now I'm in downtown Seogwipo. Just a little more walking and I'll finish Course 6. In the city center, there's Lee Jung-seop Street, named after the famous painter Seogwipo is so proud of. Thanks to that, there are lots of craft workshops and murals of his masterpieces. I really love him as an artist, but his life was so tragic that looking at his paintings actually brings me more sadness than joy, making me feel a bit melancholy as I walk this street.

A sculpture and arched sign marking the entrance to Lee Jung-seop Street.

Two people standing in front of a traditional house with a thatched roof.

People walking down a downhill road with the sea visible in the distance.

The entrance sign of Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market and the scenery inside the market.

A blue stamp box in front of the Jeju Olle Tourist Center.

A passport page stamped with the Jeju Olle Trail Route 6 stamp.

Finally finished! Just like Course 5, the stamp for Course 6 didn't print very well. Maybe because so many people visit. If Course 5 is all about taking in the natural scenery, Course 6 feels like walking a loop around tourist attractions. Both are equally exhausting, though.

#OlleTrail #OlleCourse6 #MonthLiving #YearLiving #JejuYearLiving