Yuchaekkot Plaza Cafe in Seogwipo, Jeju
When you think of Jeju's scenery, the ocean and Hallasan Mountain are usually the first things that come to mind. However, there are also many hidden gems in the mid-mountain regions where horses used to be raised. Just looking at the golf courses springing up everywhere tells you this area boasts some incredibly valuable views. Out of all these spots, I visited my absolute favorite: Yuchaekkot Plaza Cafe.
When it was first recommended to me, I navigated to "Gasiri Wind Power Plant." I wondered why I was going to a power plant, but once I arrived, the landscape was absolutely stunning. I kept it in my memory and stopped by whenever I visited Jeju, but I only recently found out there was a cafe here. And it wasn't until this visit that I realized autumn is the most beautiful time of year, with silver grass growing all over the fields.
Nearby is Jeongseok Airfield, a training ground for Korean Air pilots. The airplanes create a beautiful harmony with the wind turbines standing tall over the silver grass fields. You can constantly take in these rich scenes where so many different elements come together in a single frame.
It might be surprising to find a cafe seemingly out of nowhere on an empty road, but it's actually a very large place with a spacious parking lot and a play area for kids. However, the actual number of tables is pretty average.
While we were grabbing a seat and looking at what to drink, the staff mentioned we didn't look like Jeju locals and recommended the daenggyul (sweet tangerine) tea. They introduced it as a tea that's good for colds. When I tasted it, it definitely had that tangerine flavor, but it was sweeter with a subtle, mild tartness. It suited my taste so well that I even thought about buying some to take home. The views are great, but I highly recommend spending some time enjoying a cup of daenggyul tea at the cafe. There are various types of chairs, and they sell a lot of interesting items inside, making it a nice place to sit and drink indoors.
Since the name is Yuchaekkot (Canola Flower) Plaza, I definitely need to come back in the spring when the canola flowers are in full bloom.