Jeju Island: A Slice of Paradise

I have a tendency to need to explore every weekend while living overseas. Living life as a teacher on the weekdays and a tourist on the weekends. Luckily, I have the possibility of never being bored because Korea offers a large range of places and things to explore. This weekend, my exploration required a plane ride to an island; Jeju Island.

Jeju Island is known for being a luxurious getaway while still being a part of South Korea. There are beach resorts and volcanic landscapes as it is home of Hallasan Mountain, a dormant volcano, which is now a popular trail for hikers. I have always known about Jeju Island as my college roommate (shoutout Madyson) for talking about it our freshman year. She always wanted to go to Jeju, always showing me pictures of the little island. Now living in Korea, the opportunity for me was only a quick flight to get there. Just one more place to check off my list of sights to see while in Korea.

As my time only allowed for a two-day adventure on this weekend of choosing, I left for Jeju at six in the morning and arrived there around 8:30 in the morning. This allowed time to rest at the airbnb before tackling one of the places I had researched prior to this trip. Once refreshed and ready for the day, I walked to my first spot to eat right down the road from where I was staying. Munch Bunz has hotdogs and hamburgers, yet not just an ordinary hot dog or hamburger. I ordered one with mozzarella and corn chips on top with a side of fries with chili sauce and a Dr. Pepper. This filled my soul entirely. I walked along the shoreline of volcanic rocks, taking in the sea breeze. After this hot two-mile or so walk, I called a cab to take me to the first place on my list to see: The Arte Museum.

The Arte Museum is an immersive art exhibition, mostly of light and digital designs. There are multiple themed rooms which create a different atmosphere once walking in behind the curtain. My favorite was one called “Star”, a room filled with color- changing lanterns you can walk around. I felt as though I was in the scene in Tangled when she is in the boat and the lanterns light up the sky.

A cool experience you can add on to the cost of admission is the tea bar. This is at the end of your trip to the different exhibits, but not too far from a similar sense of interaction with media art. There are multiple options you can choose of Jeju- based teas/ mocktails. As you enjoy the tea, there is media art that interacts with your drink, showcasing a flower blossoming in your cup. If you move your cup, it will follow to where it is next. I won’t lie, this was probably my favorite part as I moved my cup as fast as I could to watch the flower dissolve and blossom to its next spot.

Once I finished with the tea, I traveled closer to my airbnb to grab dinner. Pizza called my name. I walked around the city for a bit before turning in early. I ended my first night editing the pictures I took in bed.

---

The next/ final day, I checked out of my airbnb and wandered into the city where there is a famous market, Dongmun Market, a suggestion I found via my research on TikTok (basically a new version of Yelp. This market showcases a lot of delicious food vendors and stores of souvenirs, which I intended on getting for various people in my life. I got a few things for family, friends, and coworkers, and turned onto a new street. I somehow ended up at a palace. There were couples dressed in Hanboks, Korean traditional clothing. The women always look so beautiful in their dresses, made to be worn at the palaces. The embroidered patterns and colors always catch my eyes in awe. One of these days, I’ll rent one and take part in these photoshoots. Maybe when it's not so hot outside.

As time was creeping closer to when I needed to be at the airport, I ended my last bits of adventure at a brewery! When in South Carolina, breweries were always my favorite places to be during the summer months. I was excited to see one not too far from me! Magpie Brewery crafts their beers on the island but also has locations around Korea as well. You can take a tour of how they brew the beers as well as enjoy them. I ordered a sour ale that had hints of raspberry and it was the exact thing I needed to end my time on the island- refreshed and renewed.

Making my way to the airport, I said a silent goodbye to this time spent on the island. As I was still in South Korea, I felt like this was a disconnect from the routine I had set for myself within where I normally explore. It was a tropical getaway, and much needed at that. The flight was just up and down, a subway ride back, and I was home once again.

Here are some other recommendations that I have yet to explore and will the next time I get the opportunity to go:

• Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls

• Jeongbang Waterfalls

• O’Sulloc Innisfree Jeju Museum (Tea Museum)

• Manjanggul Cave

• Mt. Halla

So, who wants to join me on this next adventure?