Cloud's Journey

Seoul City Wall · 22K · One Lap a Day:Hanyangdoseong Trail

Wandering Cloud — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 03:38:43 +0900

May 6, 2026

Hanyangdoseong (the Seoul City Wall) is an 18.6 km (11.6 mi) fortress built in 1396 during the fifth year of King Taejo's reign. It was constructed to defend Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, from external invasions. Historians estimate that between 100,000 and 200,000 workers took part in its construction. The wall later served as the capital's defensive boundary for approximately 514 years, making it the longest-serving city wall in the world.

Today, I decided to walk the Hanyangdoseong Trail, a hiking route that follows the historic city wall around Seoul.

The course crosses four different mountains, and because parts of the original wall no longer exist, I expected navigating the disconnected sections to be a bit tricky.

Simply walking the trail would have been fun enough, but I decided to add two missions to make it more interesting.

The first was the Hanyangdoseong Stamp Tour, where stamps are automatically collected through a GPS-based smartphone app as you pass each checkpoint. The second was a selfie challenge: by taking photos at designated selfie spots and uploading them to the official Seoul City Wall website, you can earn an official completion badge.

For the Stamp Tour, you can choose either a paper passport or the mobile app. I went with the app because I figured a paper booklet wouldn't survive a full day of sweat. Once installed, the app makes it easy to find the checkpoints and understand how everything works.

The trickier part was the selfie challenge. The official website explains where to take the photos, but the instructions were surprisingly vague, so I ended up reading other hikers' reviews beforehand. Fortunately, each selfie location is marked by a metal plaque embedded in the ground, so once I spotted one, all I had to do was stop and take a picture.

The plan was simple: start at Sungnyemun (Namdaemun Gate), complete the entire Hanyangdoseong Trail, visit the two completion centers at Namdaemun and Namsan to receive my badge, and finish the day with a well-earned dinner.

I began my walk at Namdaemun. The morning had been fairly chilly, but by my 11 a.m. start time, the temperature had climbed to around 20°C (68°F)—just about perfect for a long day of walking.

After quickly leaving the crowds around Namdaemun behind, I finally reached the actual starting point of the trail.

One thing I never expected was just how many times I'd see N Seoul Tower in a single day. It stayed in sight for almost the entire hike, becoming a surprisingly accurate indicator of how far I'd traveled.

It didn't take long to reach the first selfie checkpoint, located near the former Mongmyeoksan (Namsan) Beacon Mound.

Namsan isn't a particularly tall mountain, but I knew there were much tougher climbs ahead, so I deliberately took it easy, letting faster hikers pass while making my way up at a comfortable pace. Without taking a break at the top, I immediately started descending.

In the distance, I could already see The Shilla Seoul, and to my surprise, the official trail actually passes through the grounds of Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul.

A pleasant walking path leads through the property toward Dasan-dong. The trail itself was interesting, but I couldn't help wondering how a luxury hotel ended up being built right alongside such a historic fortress wall.

After strolling through Dasan-dong, a neighborhood filled with uniquely designed homes, I soon arrived near Dongdaemun.

I'd visited Migliore and Doota Mall countless times over the years, yet I had never realized that the Seoul City Wall stood just one block away.

I stopped at a convenience store to refill my water before continuing past Dongdaemun.

You'd think convenience stores would be everywhere in downtown Seoul, but this would turn out to be the last one I'd see for quite a while. From this point on, the real mountain sections of the trail were about to begin—and mountains, unfortunately, don't come with convenience stores.

At the time, I kept telling myself that I'd surely come across another convenience store, a supermarket, or at least a vending machine somewhere along the way.

I'd just refilled my water and still had another bottle with me, so I wasn't worried yet. I simply kept walking toward parts of Seoul I'd only ever passed by on a bus.

After a short climb, I reached Naksan Park, where I took my second selfie for the completion challenge.

From there, I continued following the fortress wall.

It was around this point that the sun began to feel noticeably stronger. My clothes gradually became soaked with sweat as the afternoon heat settled in.

After briefly passing through another urban section, I arrived at Hyehwamun.

Looking back, I really wish I had topped off my water before leaving. I had assumed Waryong Park would have at least a small shop or vending machine, but there was absolutely nothing there—and no convenience stores for quite some time afterward.

Of course, I didn't know that then, so I kept walking toward Waryong Park without giving it much thought.

Waryong Park felt like a place that had barely changed in decades. The paving, the stairways, and even the atmosphere reminded me of neighborhood parks from my childhood.

The stairs were surprisingly steep. Although I'd already completed about half of the trail by distance, my thighs were beginning to give out before I'd even reached the most demanding mountain sections.

That's when it hit me.

I'd spent the past several months running, but I hadn't done any hiking at all.

Accepting that I was no longer the mountain goat I used to be, I kept climbing.

For a park in the middle of a city, Waryong Park was much steeper and tougher than I had expected.

I started looking for a convenience store, only to discover there wasn't one anywhere nearby. The closest option was inside Sungkyunkwan University, but it required descending an incredibly steep hill before climbing all the way back up again.

I decided it simply wasn't worth the effort and kept moving.

Soon afterward, I reached Sukjeongmun.

Standing there, I couldn't stop wondering:

"How on earth did they carry all those stones up here to build this?"

It was both astonishing and overwhelming.

I'd often heard that massive construction projects in ancient times came at the cost of countless lives. Standing there, looking at the terrain, I finally understood why.

As incredible as it was... it wasn't something I could admire without mixed feelings.

Well...

I suppose not everything has changed, even today.

Beyond Sukjeongmun, the trail became even steeper.

From that point on, it was a constant battle against both the heat and my own rising body temperature. Sweat completely soaked my clothes, and my legs gradually lost their strength.

The air temperature was only around 20°C (68°F), but under the direct sun, climbing exposed mountain slopes felt far hotter than that.

There was no shortcut and no easy way out.

The only option was to keep climbing.

Eventually, I reached Cheongundae on Bukaksan.

Considering how steadily I'd been climbing since Dongdaemun—and especially after Waryong Park—I expected the elevation to be much higher.

Then I looked it up.

Only 293 meters (961 ft).

Achasan for kids is 295 meters high—Easy for kids—which actually makes it slightly taller.

How could a mountain lower than Achasan feel this exhausting?

I honestly couldn't figure it out.

Right beside Cheongundae was a small rest area called Baegakmaru, but the blazing afternoon sun made it impossible to stay there for long.

Then I realized something much more serious.

I had completely run out of water.

Fortunately, the trail would be downhill from here.

Unfortunately, the heat wasn't going anywhere.

Once the thirst set in, it stayed with me every step of the way.

This tree still bears bullet marks from the 1968 Blue House Raid.

During the infiltration, a group of North Korean commandos passed through this area on their way to attack the presidential residence, the Blue House. They were spotted by a local woodcutter, and the firefight that followed with South Korean forces left bullet scars on this tree that can still be seen today.

As impressive as it is that the commandos managed to infiltrate such rugged terrain, I couldn't help thinking that the woodcutter who came all the way up here to gather firewood might have been even more remarkable.

Then came the stairway from hell.

I haven't hiked every mountain in Korea, but this was the first place I'd ever seen such an endless series of stairs. They just kept going... and going... and going.

How many steps were there? I'd rather not talk about it.

A little later, hope finally appeared in the form of Buam-dong.

Seeing roads again felt strangely comforting.

I stopped at a convenience store, drank an iced Americano, finished another bottle of water, and took about a 30-minute break. I briefly considered eating a cup of ramen, but I still had another mountain to climb, so I figured it would sit too heavily in my stomach.

Instead, I ate an energy gel, stocked up on Pocari Sweat, and set off once again.

As the sun slowly began to sink lower in the sky, another thought crossed my mind.

...The timing is getting a little tight.

Normally, the Namsan Completion Center closes at 5:30 p.m.

It was already around 3:50 p.m., and I wasn't sure whether I could finish the remaining distance in time.

Fortunately, I didn't have much time to worry.

The final obstacle of the day—Inwangsan—was waiting for me.

The trail was still covered with old stone paths, but at least there was plenty of shade, making the climb much more comfortable.

One thing hiking has taught me is this:

You can push through tired legs.

You can endure sore muscles.

But if you don't manage your body temperature, you can get into real trouble.

If you start overheating, stop and rest.

I also came across the famous Yeonriji, a pair of trees that had naturally grown together.

Normally, I would have spent more time looking around, but I was exhausted. I snapped a quick photo and immediately continued climbing.

I've never been a fan of staircases on hiking trails.

Climbing endless flights of steps made sweat pour down my face while my legs shook with every step.

I'd climb a few stairs...

Stop to catch my breath.

Climb a few more...

Stop again.

Eventually, I reached the top.

What amazed me even more was seeing people running up these stairs.

There really are some incredible people out there.

When the Blue House finally came into view in the distance, I knew I was almost there.

After surviving one last terrifying staircase, I reached the summit of Inwangsan.

I took my final selfie for the completion challenge, officially finishing all of the required selfie checkpoints.

Knowing there were finally no more uphill sections ahead, I sat down for a short break.

That's when I noticed a bumblebee hovering nearby.

There were surprisingly many bumblebees on Inwangsan. At first, I honestly thought one was a tiny drone.

Watching it hover effortlessly in midair, it almost felt as if it were staring at me while I struggled up the mountain.

Its round, chubby body was oddly adorable.

I was lucky enough to grab a quick photo before it flew away.

Now all that remained was the descent.

But this was Inwangsan.

That meant more stairs.

Lots of them.

My already exhausted thighs were pushed to their limit as I experimented with every possible way of walking downhill, hoping one posture might hurt less than another.

None of them did.

As I descended, N Seoul Tower gradually grew larger in the distance.

Seeing it again reminded me that the finish line was finally getting close.

Then, at last, apartment buildings came into view.

That was enough for me to think,

"The mountain section is finally over."

It was around 5:00 p.m.

There were only about 2 km (1.2 mi) left to Sungnyemun, although I still had one remaining Stamp Tour checkpoint.

Even if I ran all the way to Sungnyemun, there was almost no chance I'd reach the Namsan Completion Center before closing.

Besides, after hiking all day completely soaked in sweat, I wasn't about to squeeze into a crowded rush-hour subway.

So I gave up on collecting my badge that day.

Instead, I decided to finish at Sungnyemun and escape before the evening commute.

N Seoul Tower, which had seemed so far away all day, kept growing larger.

To loosen up my legs a little, I jogged slowly through the final urban section of the trail.

Finally, I arrived back at Sungnyemun, exactly where I had started that morning.

My total time for completing one full circuit of the Hanyangdoseong Trail was 5 hours and 54 minutes.

Even after subtracting my breaks, it still took about five hours.

It wasn't exactly a record worth bragging about.

But honestly...

Who cares?

The important thing was that I finished without giving up.

Now there was only one thing on my mind.

Food.

I'd eaten only two boiled eggs for breakfast and two energy gels during the hike.

At that point, anything would have tasted amazing.

Still, the famous Dak Hanmari (Korean whole chicken soup) near Dongdaemun was absolutely incredible.

I started with the rice cakes simmering in the broth, then rewarded myself with a cold beer.

Suddenly, every step of the day felt worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed every last bite of the chicken.

Finally came the kalguksu noodles.

I added the remaining kimchi to the pot, and it completely transformed the flavor.

Now I understood why everyone does it.

Even now, looking back at these photos makes me hungry.

I'll definitely be coming back for another bowl someday.

The next day, despite waking up sore from head to toe, I returned to Namsan and Dongdaemun to collect my completion badge.

There are four seasonal badges, each with a different design.

Complete all four, and you earn a special metal badge.

Looks like I'll have to walk this trail three more times.

Since I was already back near Namdaemun, there was no way I was leaving without stopping by Seoryeong for a bowl of Pyongyang naengmyeon.

Seoryeong was even better than I remembered.

Next time, I might save this meal as my reward after finishing the entire trail.

Walking the Hanyangdoseong Trail taught me two important lessons.

First, know where the convenience stores are before you start. Once you enter the mountain sections, finding water becomes much harder than you'd expect.

Second, don't underestimate the heat. If your body temperature climbs too high, you're asking for trouble. Take breaks before it's too late.

Oh...

And one more thing.

Bring a power bank.

Your phone battery disappears surprisingly fast when you're navigating with GPS all day.

Will there be a second lap around the Hanyangdoseong Trail?

I'm not sure yet.

But one thing is certain.

If this hike was challenging in May...

Summer would probably be several times harder.

Just thinking about it is enough to make me nervous.

Jeju Olle Trail · Epilogue · I Was Pretty Tired

Wandering Cloud — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 01:36:07 +0900

June 18, 2026 – Reflections on Jeju Olle Trail Phase 1

All the time I had originally planned had already passed, but somehow, I ended up with one unexpected extra day. I had originally planned to finish walking by the 17th and take an afternoon flight home on the 18th, but strangely enough, flights during the day on Tuesday were either sold out or much more expensive than usual.
What a perfect excuse.

So, I suddenly had one day to travel around Jeju in full tourist mode.

The Tuesday trip began when the Socar I had reserved in advance was delivered right in front of my hotel.
After spending more than ten days in Jeju, one thing I came to realize very clearly was that having a car is almost essential. Even when there were buses, the intervals between them were often so long that they might as well not have existed, and taxis sometimes simply wouldn't respond no matter how many times I tried to call one. If I happened to drop something as small as a sun stick while walking, I might have to travel dozens of kilometers just to replace it. Having some mobility really seemed essential.

But if you asked me what the most dangerous thing in Jeju was, I would also answer: rental cars. Maybe it's because people are there on vacation. Maybe it's because they're driving a car they're not used to. Maybe they're still a little drunk from the night before. Whatever the reason, I saw several rental cars getting into accidents right in front of or behind me while I was walking along the roads. From a pedestrian's perspective, the sound of a car crashing is incredibly loud and frightening. Eventually, whenever I saw a rental car approaching, I developed a habit of quietly moving myself toward a safer area.

The first place I visited after carefully driving that dangerous rental car was Eunhee's Hangover Soup in Jungmun. I consider myself something of a gukbap fanatic, and it just didn't feel right to come all the way to Jeju without trying Eunhee's Hangover Soup.

The hangover soup tasted completely different from the "Jeju Eunhee's Hangover Soup" I had eaten on the mainland. It was genuinely impressive.

After filling my stomach, I headed to the 1100 Highland Rest Area for a little walk and a drive. I walked a short trail, looked up at the sky, and saw dark clouds and blue sky facing each other across Hallasan.
One thing I learned in Jeju is that the weather is incredibly unpredictable! It would be cloudy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, and then suddenly start raining.

Maybe that's why. The sun was shining brightly at 1100 Highland that day, but as soon as I drove toward Saryeoni Forest, torrential rain started pouring down. The photos make it look like it wasn't raining, but it was coming down so heavily that I couldn't even get out of the car. So I even paid extra to change the car return location to my hotel that day. Then, on the way there, the clouds suddenly started clearing, and by the time I arrived at the hotel, the sun was shining brightly again. I came to the conclusion that Jeju's weather isn't something you predict. You just have to endure it.

Anyway, I returned the car safely without any accidents, checked into the hotel, and went out to find an early dinner. Thinking about what I hadn't eaten in Jeju, I realized there was one thing: black pork duruchigi. I found a nearby restaurant, ordered Black Pork Duruchigi and what would probably be my last bottle of Hallasan soju of the trip, and finished everything off properly with fried rice.

One of the things I learned most painfully in Jeju was that restaurants, especially popular ones, close very early! Even right in the middle of Jeju City, many restaurants close at 3 p.m. Once they're closed, it doesn't matter how good the restaurant is—you simply can't eat there. Whenever making plans, always check the closing days and business hours. Otherwise, you're going to regret it.

After eating a very full dinner, I rested at the hotel and went to bed early.
After moving from one accommodation to another, especially the cheaper ones, I found quite a few places where the floors were damp and cold. I don't know whether it was because of Jeju's humidity or poor building maintenance, but every night I found myself hoping, "I just hope the floor is okay tonight."

Maybe because of that concern, I never once booked a place where I had to sleep directly on the floor with bedding.

The next morning, I woke up at the hotel, packed my final belongings, put on my shoes, and walked toward the very nearby Jeju Airport. As I walked, so many memories from the trip came rushing back.

I remembered hearing something on a television program:

"Long periods of rhythmic aerobic exercise stimulate the brain's memory systems, activating autobiographical memories and causing long-forgotten experiences to resurface."

Not only on that final walk to Jeju Airport, but throughout the more than ten days I spent there, I repeatedly experienced countless forgotten memories, emotions, and moments filling my head, regardless of whether they were good or bad. Sometimes I would be happily walking alone and suddenly become angry. Sometimes I would get unexpectedly emotional. And sometimes I would suddenly find myself with more energy for no apparent reason.

I started wondering if some of the countless emotions I experienced while walking the Olle Trail had actually been created by myself.

The journey away from home always feels light and energetic, while the journey home seems to come with a much heavier sense of exhaustion and melancholy. There had been plenty of little events along the way, but I made it home safely. After a long time, I sat down with my wife over a warm home-cooked meal and a cold drink, talking about the trip late into the night.

A few days later, I was heading out the front door when I noticed my shoes.
This isn't an advertisement, but if you asked me what the number-one item was that helped me finish this trip without any major problems, I would answer without hesitation: the Salomon Ultra Glide 4.

They weren't brand-new when I started, but after all those kilometers on the Olle Trail, the lugs on the forefoot—the part that took the most pressure—had been completely worn smooth and had essentially lost their function. Even so, these shoes kept me from slipping across Jeju's varied terrain, and I didn't get a single blister even after walking close to 30 kilometers a day. Because of that, these shoes have become something I can't bring myself to throw away, no matter how worn out the soles are. They're now a little piece of the trip that I want to keep.

An island with so many birds, especially those adorable swallows. An island where granite and pill bugs are everywhere on the ground, where Jeju police uniforms look particularly cool, and where haenyeo grandmothers will scold you if you say you're "in Jeju" while you're actually in Seogwipo. After walking through a Jeju filled with so many things to see and eat, I couldn't help wondering: why did I only walk half of the island instead of completing the full loop I had originally planned?

There's a saying that "the difficult part of the military isn't the training." Roughly speaking, it means that the harder part isn't the training itself, but everyday life inside the unit—the food, sleeping arrangements, relationships with those around you, the isolation of being unable to go home, and the stress that comes from living in a controlled and closed environment.

There's another saying I find myself agreeing with: "You decide dinner on-site." Even if you feel like eating mackerel today, you can't eat it if the market doesn't have any. Plans can always change depending on what you actually encounter.

In the same way, I came to realize that what makes walking the Olle Trail difficult isn't the walking itself. It's everything you need in order to keep walking. And the more you try to reduce your expenses, the more restrictions you create for yourself, which can make the journey considerably harder. That's something I want to tell anyone preparing for this trip.

And one more thing: make sure your power bank is at least 20,000mAh. Your battery drains about ten times faster than usual when you're walking all day.

My Olle Trail Phase 1 was far from perfect, but I still have Phases 2, 3, and 4 left. I don't know when I'll return, but I'll improve the things I was lacking this time and prepare what I need.

And so ended the first phase of my Olle Trail journey, but my journey was far from over.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 7 · Don't Psychoanalyze the Wind

Wandering Cloud — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:58:48 +0900

June 15, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trail 5 & 6

Was it because I finally had a good drink? Or was it the hangover?
The unpleasant feelings that had weighed on me yesterday were all gone. All that remained was a pounding headache and a hangover.

Today, I only had a short distance to walk to the Jeju Olle Tourist Center in Seogwipo, so I decided to have breakfast before setting off. More precisely, I had chosen my accommodation based on the location of the restaurant where I wanted to have breakfast, planned today's schedule around its opening hours, and even drank too much the night before so I could enjoy that food at its best.
With high expectations, I hurriedly got ready and set off.

Wimi Village was still completely empty, both last night and this morning. There were clearly plenty of houses around, but somehow I couldn't see a single person.

Morning Walk · Total Distance: 170.6 km (106.0 mi)

Thanks to starting at exactly the right time and place, I had plenty of time to walk leisurely and arrived at my breakfast destination. And that place was~!

I had arrived at Yudal Restaurant, the strategic destination of this trip. There was actually another famous restaurant called 'Aseowon' nearby, and I spent quite a while deciding between the two. But the recent reviews for Aseowon were not very good, so I ended up choosing Yudal Restaurant. Even though it had only been open for a few minutes, there were already about five groups waiting ahead of me. I was worried that such a popular restaurant might not accept a solo diner, but thankfully they welcomed me without saying a word, and I was genuinely grateful.

If someone asked me what I would want to eat one last time before I die, my answer would be jjamppong. Since this was such a precious opportunity, I ordered the seafood jjamppong. After waiting for a while, an incredibly generous-looking bowl appeared. The photo really doesn't do it justice. The toppings were piled so high above the bowl that I couldn't help letting out a quiet, "Wow..." when it arrived. It was an absolutely spectacular bowl of jjamppong.

Inside were pork, squid, shrimp, abalone, and various vegetables, all coming together in a rich, deeply flavored broth. There were two spice levels, regular and spicy. Since it was my first visit, I chose the regular, but it was about as spicy as Jin Ramen, so if I ever come back, I'm definitely ordering the spicy version. Looking through all the toppings piled into the bowl, I couldn't believe how generously they had used such fresh ingredients. I could understand why so many people came here right after opening on weekdays.

The portion was quite generous, and there were several pieces of abalone and shrimp hiding underneath, which made it fun to dig around and find them. I also loved the crisp texture of the cabbage and onions. Before I knew it, I had completely emptied the bowl while eating with admiration.
There was just one disappointing thing: because I had ordered the regular spice level, I didn't sweat nearly as much as I expected, so it felt like my hangover recovery had only been half completed. It wasn't the restaurant's fault. It was entirely my own choice.

Still, after finishing the whole bowl, I felt like I had been given enough energy to set off on the final stretch of today's journey. I had a feeling that if I ever came back to Jeju, this would be the first place I'd visit. The food was genuinely impressive.

With my stomach nicely filled, I stopped by a temple for a moment and then started walking the Olle Trail. The route to the restaurant had been slightly different from the Olle Trail, but I soon found the Olle ribbon and was back on track.

It wasn't long after I started walking before I completed Olle Trail Course 5.

And then I began walking the final Olle Trail of this trip, Course 6. I already knew that Course 6 mostly followed the coast, but seeing how winding the route was made me wonder if it might be somewhat different from the coastal paths I'd walked over the previous few days.

The weather in Jeju was clear, the sea was rough, and the wind was very strong. The sunlight was harsh, but the cool wind made the walk quite pleasant. Once I left the beach, though, narrow asphalt roads quickly appeared. Maybe it was because I was still hungover. Maybe it was because this was the final course. Whatever the reason, I was walking a little slower than usual. The ocean scenery was beautiful, but the road itself was hot, monotonous, completely exposed to the sun, and crowded with cars and bicycles. And then, out of nowhere, the hangover hit me again. Blaming yesterday's version of myself... and regretting it once again... I kept my head down and trudged along, enduring the pounding headache and the heat radiating relentlessly from the asphalt.

The pain in my shoulders and lower back, which I thought I should have gotten used to by now, was still there. The shoulder straps pressing into my sweaty clothes and body were especially painful. Sometimes I would slip my thumbs underneath the straps and lift them slightly as I walked. Other times, I would carry the backpack behind me like a baby. When it became too much, I'd stop at a convenience store, buy a can of Pocari Sweat and some water, replenish my fluids, and take the backpack off for a while. By now, even lightly touching my shoulders with my hand was painful. I kept promising myself that the first thing I would do when I got home was buy a new backpack. Over and over again. I could already picture my future self buying all kinds of different backpacks.

After walking along the monotonous roads and passing several small ports, the Olle arrows suddenly began pointing into the mountains. My body was already overheated and exhausted, but once I entered the shaded forest path, I started to feel a little better. If I stopped for just a moment, took off my hat, and let the wind hit my face, I could feel my body cooling down almost immediately. One sip of water, and I started to feel like I wanted to keep walking again.

After a few ups and downs, I could see cliffs in the distance that looked a little like Haegeumgang. Behind them, I could just make out what I assumed was Seogwipo City. I stopped for a moment to look at the view, and for some reason, I suddenly felt a lump in my throat.

Was it because I was sad that the trip was ending? Was it disappointment? A sense of accomplishment? I couldn't define it as any one emotion. It was a complicated mixture of feelings, and I was walking toward the reality that I would no longer be able to walk the boring coastal roads, the forests I had come to love, or the oreums.

With that heavy feeling in my chest, I eventually entered downtown Seogwipo. I passed through Lee Jung-seop Street, looked around the city, and kept walking toward the final checkpoint that was getting closer and closer.

And finally... I arrived at the finish line of Course 6, the Jeju Olle Tourist Center in Seogwipo.

The moment I scanned the final Olle Pass QR code, my 159 km journey along the Olle Trail came to an end.
A strange wave of emotion made my stomach feel like it was turning over, but I pretended to be calm and stepped into the tourist center to receive my 100K certificate.

I spoke to the staff member, and the certificate I received was simply the same screen that could be viewed in the app. Because I had used the Olle Pass app for authentication, I was told that the certificate could only be viewed through the app. If I wanted a physical paper certificate, I would have to purchase a physical Jeju Olle Passport, walk the route again, and collect the stamps. That was the entire explanation, delivered rather briefly.
Was it because I hadn't made a donation? Because I hadn't helped generate any sales? Or had they simply become so tired of their work that they no longer had the energy to welcome travelers? The staff member's response felt cold, and at that moment, my feelings toward the Jeju Olle Trail cooled down surprisingly quickly as well.

Day 7 – Afternoon Walk · Total Distance: 183.6 km (114.1 mi)

And just like that, my Olle Trail journey quietly came to an end, with no special event or ceremony, just me.

Feeling somewhat empty, I returned to my accommodation earlier than usual, got cleaned up, and headed out for an early dinner.

For dinner, I chose the special abalone hot pot at Sambo Restaurant. I had eaten quite a few abalone hot pots before, so I had pretty high expectations for what a 25,000 KRW ($ 21) abalone hot pot in Jeju would be like.

The special abalone hot pot that arrived in front of me... was smaller than I expected, which caught me off guard. But the sea urchin roe bubbling on top somehow got my expectations going again.
I took a spoonful of the broth first... and wow. It tasted as if all the best flavors of the sea had been concentrated into a single hot pot. It was incredibly rich.
The sea urchin added an elegant ocean flavor, and it was so good that I just kept going back for another spoonful. It was strangely addictive.

Then I started digging into the seafood properly... one spotted shrimp, five small abalone, a few mussels, and the rest were clams.
The price was... 25,000 KRW ($ 21). Hmm... it was definitely a combination that made me stop and think.

The best part of this hot pot was the broth. So I ordered a bottle of Hallasan soju and ended up scraping the hot pot clean, using the broth as my drinking snack. I even had a bowl of rice, but for some reason, I still felt strangely empty. Once again, the staff's cold attitude made me lose any desire to order something else. Is being cold just part of Seogwipo's concept?
There were other customers who seemed to be locals, and they were eating different dishes. Somehow, I felt like I understood why.

The food was really good... but there was still this strange emptiness in both my stomach and my heart. What else should I eat? I found myself thinking about it again.
Then I realized that even Seogwipo City seemed to follow one of Jeju's defining characteristics: restaurants close early. While I took a short break, most of the restaurants I had considered were already closed.

Still, this was downtown. Surely there had to be somewhere good that stayed open late. I kept looking, and eventually, I found one.

The place I ended up visiting, Bongsune Restaurant, seemed to be known for its pork noodle soup and momguk. There were especially many mentions of the momguk, so that's what I ordered.

It was my first time trying momguk. I tasted the broth first, and it had a rich, delicious pork-bone broth flavor. The gulfweed had been simmered until very tender, and when mixed with rice, it became slightly thick and almost porridge-like, making it a very comforting dish. I considered having another drink here too, but thinking about tomorrow's schedule, I quietly finished my bowl of momguk without alcohol and walked back to my accommodation.

And once I got back, I found myself alone with my thoughts.

Why did I start this? What was I expecting when I set out to walk? Now that the trip was coming to an end... what had I actually gained?

People who complete the Camino de Santiago in Spain often say that they came to some realization or were deeply moved by the experience. Was I walking the Jeju Olle Trail hoping for something like that, too?

Looking back, I was simply tired of walking the same places every day. I wanted to see beautiful scenery and go somewhere new.
I started this trip with a very simple thought, yet somewhere along the way I began wondering, "Am I just trying to give this trip a narrative and search for meaning that doesn't really need to be there?"

These days, whenever someone jokingly asks me, "Why did you go walk the Olle Trail? Were you trying to find yourself?" I just answer:

No. I just wanted to walk until I'd had enough.

And so ended my seventh day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 6 · Fleece the City Slickers

Wandering Cloud — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:03:22 +0900

June 14, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trail 4 & 5

Yesterday, after completing Olle Trail Course 3, a notification popped up on Olle Pass. I closed it without paying much attention because I was in a hurry to get to the beach, but when I checked it again this morning, I realized it was congratulating me on completing 100 km of the Olle Trail. The notification said that I could receive a 100K completion certificate at the Jeju Olle Tourist Center in Seogwipo, and that made me think that maybe I should make that the end of this trip. I had been wondering how to wrap up this journey, considering the things I hadn't prepared properly, the unexpected aches and pains they had caused, and the fact that I hadn't been able to make as much progress as I had hoped. If I could walk all the way to downtown Seogwipo, at least it would feel like I had walked halfway around Jeju Island, which seemed like a decent way to finish.

The one on the left is the notification, and the one on the right is the screen that appeared after I got it verified at the Jeju Olle Tourist Center the next day. I didn't even get a nice little piece of paper or anything—just a screenshot. I can't say I was very impressed.

Anyway, this was still June 14. None of the things that happened later had happened yet, so I happily started my morning walk while looking at the 100 km completion notification. Today's course was basically one long walk along the coast, which didn't sound particularly exciting even in my imagination, so I was a little worried from the start. Before coming to Jeju, I thought I would enjoy the coastal paths more than the oreums, but after actually walking the Olle Trail, I found the paths through the oreums and forests much more enjoyable.

Still, once I got going, the weather was clear and the scenery at the beginning of the course was beautiful, so my mood quickly improved. Looking back, I really should have eaten a bowl of gogi-guksu before leaving the village, but for some reason I went with some bad calculations in my head, and that gradually threw off my entire schedule. A lot of frustrating and difficult things happened that day because of it. If I had just eaten a bowl of gogi-guksu and started walking at a more relaxed pace, maybe I would remember this as a good day. That's one of the things I regret most about how the day started.

I kept walking, completely forgetting about the gogi-guksu, crossing rocky paths and stopping at a village pavilion to cool off and stretch my shoulders and back. The sun was extremely hot again that day, and the straps of my backpack dug into my sweaty shoulders, making them incredibly painful. My back had gotten to the point where I could more or less put up with it, but the pain in my shoulders seemed to move around every time I changed how I carried the bag. Eventually, I had no choice but to carry it behind me like I was giving someone a piggyback ride.

After walking under the blazing sun for quite a while, a crisis suddenly hit. I was in an area surrounded by fish farms, factories, and pensions when my stomach suddenly started hurting. I was seriously wondering what I was going to do—"It's already too late to go all the way back to that café I passed earlier..."—when salvation appeared right in front of me. It was The Jeju Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Institute! Thanks to that place, I managed to get through the crisis. What a wonderful government institution, there for the people! I was genuinely grateful.

After getting past the crisis and continuing along the road, I came across one or two restaurants where older haenyeo women seemed to be cleaning and preparing seafood they had caught themselves. They appeared to be collectively operated by the local haenyeo. The restaurant I had planned for lunch was much farther away than I had calculated. I thought maybe this could actually work out better, so I started looking for one of those restaurants run by the haenyeo women. Maybe hunger had clouded my judgment, but I walked into a restaurant with the word "haenyeo" in its name, and that's when I had a rather unpleasant experience. The restaurant was completely empty, but the owner showed me to a corner table and said that the mulhoe was only available for two people, then started setting up a two-person meal. I told her never mind and simply walked out. It didn't feel like one of the real haenyeo restaurants I had seen along the way. It felt more like a restaurant that just happened to have "haenyeo" in its name, and what made me even angrier was that there was nowhere else nearby to go. Why did I plan my day like this?

I was hungry and irritated, but walking through a forest like this quickly cooled both my body and my temper. I'd walked through quite a few paths like this on the Olle Trail, almost like tunnels through the forest, and personally, I think these kinds of paths are one of the things that make the Olle Trail special.

The sun was scorching on the coastal road, but the scenery was wonderfully cool and refreshing. I started to see something in the distance that looked like it might be today's destination. As I followed the road and briefly entered a village, I noticed a huge citrus tree growing in someone's yard. Hallabong? Cheonhyehyang? I couldn't tell. I couldn't get close because it was someone else's yard, but one thing was certain: Jeju really is the kingdom of citrus.

After walking for another hour, I finally arrived at the restaurant I had originally planned to visit. For some reason, I was especially hungry that day. I don't really want to mention the name of this restaurant.

Day 6 – Morning Walk · Total Distance: 153.7 km (95.5 mi)

Anyway, I ended up walking much farther and much later than I had planned, so that was where I finally finished my morning walk.

When it's hot and you're hungry, what could be better at a seaside restaurant than mulhoe? I ordered a bowl of mulhoe that wasn't exactly cheap, but there was only a small amount of raw fish in it and no other seafood at all. Even if I mixed the vegetables into the mulhoe broth and added rice, there was barely anything to eat. Thinking about it, all the restaurants I'd visited up to that point had been places I had vetted in one way or another, while this place was somewhere I had chosen simply because of its name. I guess this was the day I learned the hard way not to fall for a restaurant's name and reputation alone. But I was hungry, so there was nothing I could do. I ate every last bit of what was put in front of me. While eating that meal, I had the strongest urge yet to say, "Okay... should I finally say it?"

I started walking again in the afternoon, but perhaps because both my body and mind felt empty, or maybe simply because of the heat, my pace seemed to get slower and slower. At this point, whenever I saw a pavilion, I automatically lay down. I desperately wanted to throw this backpack, which was digging into my shoulders, straight into the ocean.

Lying there in the pavilion, one thought after another started filling my head. Where did everything go wrong today? Would things have been better if I'd eaten noodles before leaving that morning? Would things have been better if I'd stopped hesitating and eaten at the restaurant where I saw the haenyeo women preparing seafood? Why had I been so convinced that the restaurant I had planned to visit was good? What was that belief even based on? Why had I planned a route like this and made things so difficult for myself?

Is it really right to keep going with this trip?
Like this??

Still, if you keep walking, eventually you'll see the end of the road. So, with my head full of complicated thoughts and a bitter feeling in my heart, I eventually completed Olle Trail Course 4.

For Course 5, I decided to walk only as far as Wimi Village and take a day off there in order to achieve a strategic goal. You could say this goal was actually the biggest reason I had wanted to come to Jeju in the first place. Keeping that one thing in mind, I continued walking toward today's accommodation, one step at a time. Today's accommodation was a pension, and at 55,000 KRW ($39), it somehow gave me a good feeling.

As I walked along, I passed a stone statue that startled me because, for a moment, I thought it was Heidrun. Then I went through a forest path shaped somewhat like the Korean Peninsula, and eventually a modern-looking building came into view.

It was Kumho Jeju Resort! I stopped at the café to replenish some calories and get some caffeine, and sitting there, I had the not-so-new realization: "Ah... so this is what happens when you spend money. You get to sleep somewhere this comfortable." Maybe it was the caffeine, or maybe it was the egg tart, but I felt like I had enough energy to start walking again.

As if the trail wanted to reward me for suffering through the boring roads all day, the difficulty suddenly shot up. A rocky path along a coastal cliff appeared, and I carefully made my way along it, practically trembling. Then I saw people swimming in the distance, and after the miserable day I'd been having, I desperately wanted to jump into the water and join them. There was a warning sign saying "No Diving," but it definitely looked like a popular diving spot.

Eventually, I arrived at today's destination, Wimi Village. There was a large bridge crossing the harbor, and it looked impressive enough that I decided to walk across it. And then I saw a banner congratulating Minji Kang on earning her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University. I majored in computer science too... Congratulations!

Day 6 – Afternoon Walk · Total Distance: 167.2 km (103.9 mi)

I eventually reached my accommodation, bringing my sixth day of walking to an end.

There was something strangely poetic about today's accommodation. It was clean and nicely decorated, with a charming little yard and pleasantly dry, well-kept ground. The neighborhood also felt clean and civilized, probably because I was getting closer to downtown Seogwipo. There was even a school zone for children. But there was one fatal problem with this nice little neighborhood: there were no restaurants open on Sunday evening. Do people here just not eat out on Sundays? From Chinese restaurants to most of the places where I could eat alone, everything was closed. The question wasn't what I should eat. It was whether I could eat anything at all.

Still, if you look hard enough on Naver Maps, you can usually find something. I found a place called Wimi Gukbap and ordered pork bone hangover soup and a bottle of soju. I'd actually been trying not to drink while walking, but whenever dinner came around, I somehow ended up having a drink with my meal. Maybe it was the food, or maybe I simply wanted to drink. That day, with my mind feeling particularly empty, I wanted soju even more.

Wimi Gukbap had a generous amount of meat, and the quality and flavor were both excellent, so I ate as if I were making up for everything I hadn't been able to eat earlier that day. I remembered all the onions I'd seen piled up in the fields along the trail, so I tried some of the onions with my meal. Why were they so incredibly sweet and delicious? I was really glad this little gukbap restaurant was there.

On my way back to the pension after dinner... Whoa! A bus! It was the first bus I'd seen since leaving the more urban parts of Jeju. So Wimi Village really was enjoying the benefits of civilization after all. But seeing that bus gave me a strange feeling. It suddenly felt like I was standing near the very end of this trip.

Today felt like I'd wasted an entire day of the journey, and with my final day coming up, I wanted to have a drink. All the bars in the neighborhood were closed, but I liked the pension so much that I bought some beer and snacks, went back, put on my earphones, and spent some time listening to my favorite music in the yard.

Of all the songs I listened to during this trip, this one had become my favorite. I even made a Reel with it and managed to enjoy a surprisingly pleasant evening. Then I sat there listening to the sound of the grass outside and the rain falling beyond the window, thinking back over the day.

"You can quit anytime. Just... not today." — Mr. Sunshine

I kept repeating that line to myself.

And so ended my sixth day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 5 · But Why So Blue?

Wandering Cloud — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:17:21 +0900

June 13, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trails 3

Was it because I had taken a day off? My shoulder felt much lighter when I put on my backpack to leave in the morning. The pain hadn't completely disappeared, but compared to two days earlier, my condition was incomparably better! I could barely feel the pain in my lower back either, so it was a pleasant morning to set out.

Today's destination was Pyoseon-ri, the village at the end of Course 3. Between Route A and Route B, I chose Route A. Route B seemed like it might be a little monotonous, so I decided to try Route A, even though it was more difficult and seemed to take me farther around. I think having taken a day off gave me the luxury of making a choice like this.

The weather was beautifully clear, so I set off feeling refreshed, although part of me was already worried, "What if it gets too hot?" After leaving the coast, the trail passed through a small village, then became a boring forest road and stretches alongside regular roads, before gradually turning into dirt paths.

I had felt like the trail had been gradually sloping upward the whole way, but when I reached the entrance to the oreum, I climbed just a few steps and suddenly found myself at the summit. I had mentally prepared myself for a proper climb, so I couldn't help thinking, "That's it?"

Still, the view from the top of the oreum was excellent, and I could vaguely see the road I had started on that morning in the distance. A long forest path stretched across the top of the oreum and continued toward another peak. It blocked the sunlight, the air was fresh, and, most of all, I could hear birds singing, which made the walk enjoyable. I wore open-ear earbuds throughout the trip, and if I kept the volume very low, I could still hear the sounds around me. The birdsong I heard that way stayed with me so strongly that I feel like I might eventually come back to Jeju just to listen to birds again.

Day 5 Morning Walk — Total Distance: 124.0 km (77.1 mi)

I happily trotted down the forest path and arrived at a village called Samdal-ri, which became famous through the drama Welcome to Samdal-ri. Perhaps because it was famous enough to have a drama named after it, or perhaps because there were several galleries around, there was an area where restaurants were gathered together, so I decided to have an early lunch there.

For lunch, I visited Cafe Oreum JEJU. I was debating between pasta and pork cutlet, but when I saw "black pork cutlet," I thought, "I can't say no to Jeju black pork," and ordered it. The taste was... basically, I was just grateful that it existed.

After lunch, I wanted to have a cup of coffee at a café, but suddenly I started seeing refrigerated warehouses, fish farms, and factories. I walked on with an uneasy feeling that something had gone wrong, but fortunately I found a café, cooled off with a cup of coffee, and checked the afternoon schedule. Today's course was divided into two routes, A and B, and I couldn't quite figure out how I was supposed to complete both. So after passing the midpoint of Route A, I went to the midpoint of Route B to get the stamp and then walked to the end of the course. Later, I found out that getting the midpoint stamp from either A or B counts as completing both routes. The Olle Pass really doesn't explain things very well.

Anyway, after recovering my mental energy with some caffeine, I started walking in the afternoon. The sky began to become slightly cloudy. That was good for someone walking, but for someone who wanted to finish the course early and go swimming, it made things a little uncertain. Still, I felt good as I walked along one of the natural grass paths in Jeju that I find so fascinating. Then, in the distance, I saw a wedding photoshoot taking place in such a beautiful spot! Rather than feeling envious, I think I felt a little lonely.

The sunlight was still hot whenever it came through the clouds, and once my body heated up, it didn't cool down easily. Then I came across a pavilion, which was the best possible medicine at that moment, and I was so happy to rest there. Along the way, I saw a swallow and tried desperately to take a picture of it, but swallows were simply too fast for me to capture. Those cute wingbeats remain only in my memory. But now that I think about it... "Was that bird actually a swallow?"

Being happy about seeing the swallow didn't last long. A boring stretch appeared where I had to walk along a bicycle path beside the road. There was nowhere to hide from the blazing sun, so I kept my head down and simply walked. Today's destination could be seen far ahead, but it looked so distant that all I could do was sigh and keep walking. Every now and then I'd tell myself, "I'm here on vacation, so let's enjoy this," and try to lift my spirits, only to become exhausted by the heat and lower my head again. The bicycles I encountered along the way were particularly unpleasant.

If you keep walking and walking, eventually every road has to end! The boring road suddenly led toward the beach, and finally I reached a section where walking was actually fun again. It wasn't very long, but it was interesting and fascinating to see that you could walk along the beach like this.

Then I could see the town ahead, and after passing Pyoseon Beach, I completed Course 3. Other than the fun of passing through the oreum, today's course was rather boring, so I don't think I have many photos or much to say about it. It was a day when the time spent walking with my head down, staring blankly at the lines painted on the road, felt unusually long.

Day 5 Afternoon Walk — Total Distance: 137.6 km (85.5 mi)

And with that, I finished the afternoon walk on Day 5 and headed to my accommodation.

After spending the previous two days cursing myself for choosing accommodations so far from convenience stores that I had to run back and forth, perhaps I had finally learned my lesson. Today's accommodation was in a location where I could see the convenience store sign even while lying in bed. Maybe I was finally getting better at choosing accommodations... finally?

It was a 60,000 KRW ($40) pension, the most upscale accommodation of the trip because I was charged the weekend rate! There was also a Lotteria nearby, but unfortunately the timing didn't work out and I couldn't go.

As soon as I dropped off my luggage, I went straight to Pyoseon Beach right in front of the accommodation and put my feet in the water. I had dipped my feet into the sea briefly the day before, but putting them into the water on a proper beach felt completely different from doing it among rocky tidal flats. Especially after walking all day, stepping directly into the cold water felt like it had a cooling effect and relieved some of my fatigue. The weather was a little chilly, so I couldn't plunge my upper body into the water and only soaked my lower half, but it was still more than cool and enjoyable enough.

After cooling myself down, I got hungry and decided to go eat the Jeju local dish I had been wanting to try so badly.

I debated whether to have a drink with dinner, but as soon as I saw the side dishes they brought out, I thought, "I have to drink with this!" and ordered a bottle of Hallasan soju. Once again, I repeated my mantra, "Just one bottle," while enjoying the side dishes and soju, and then the main dish arrived. The main dish was...!!

Jeopjjak-ppyeoguk? Jeokjak-ppyeoguk? I'm not sure which term is correct, but the restaurant called it "Jeokjak-ppyeoguk." It was made by slowly simmering bones from the upper part of a pig's front leg, different from the bones used in Korean pork bone hangover soup, then adding buckwheat and radish. It was savory, refreshing, and deeply satisfying! A true soju snack... I mean, a nourishing meal.

I took a spoonful of the broth first and thought, "Wow..." The combination of pork stock and buckwheat was strangely perfect. It wasn't simply savory; the buckwheat seemed to bring out an even deeper flavor in the broth.

They also gave me chili peppers and chili powder separately, so I tried adding them, but somehow I think the original version tasted better. Still, there was plenty of meat, the broth was rich, and the side dishes were plentiful. I was also grateful that the restaurant, Jangheung Restaurant, welcomed a solo customer during the busy dinner hours.

And so ended my fifth day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day Off · Have You Eaten?

Wandering Cloud — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:04:46 +0900

June 12, 2026 – The Long-Awaited Day Off

When I first decided to walk the Olle Trail and started making plans, I thought I could walk more than 30 km a day. I had been consistently practicing long-distance walking, and I figured that if I was fit enough to complete the Seoul City Wall Trail in around four hours, I should be able to handle it. But that was a complete miscalculation on my part. The distance I could walk each day wasn't determined by my fitness. It was determined by where I could find a place to stay and where I could find food. Many restaurants in Jeju close early, sometimes as early as 3 or 4 p.m., so if you simply planned your day around your accommodation, you could easily end up with nowhere to eat. I also learned the hard way that delivery isn't available in many areas. I learned a lot of this simply by walking the Olle Trail.

Anyway, after spending a quiet night in Onpyeong-ri, where there wasn't even much traffic at night, the next day arrived.
The weather was sunny, and since I wasn't walking today, I actually liked the clear weather. It was such a beautiful day that I thought about renting a car through Socar and going for a drive. I opened the app and.. this area wasn't even eligible for Socar delivery. I was worried it might cost a lot, but I never imagined that the service simply wouldn't come here at all. I guess I still don't really understand Jeju.

I had only drunk a moderate amount the night before, so I slept in and searched Naver Maps for somewhere to get some hangover food.. but there was nothing.
All I could find were barbecue restaurants and sashimi restaurants. There wasn't a single place serving anything that seemed suitable for a hangover. So I started wandering through the neighborhood, when I thought I could smell something delicious coming from somewhere.

That's how I happened to discover Onpyeongpo-gu Restaurant while walking down the street.
I was worried they might not serve a single portion, but thankfully they said they would, so I ordered one serving of jiri soup.

The side dishes were full of delicious, distinctly Jeju flavors, and the portion of the jiri soup was quite generous too. While I was eating, a local resident came in for a meal, and I thought, “Ah, I really did find the right place!” and happily continued eating.
The soup had rockfish in it, and perhaps because it was so fresh, even the fish liver was rich and savory without any fishy smell. The fish itself was especially good—firm, chewy, and incredibly fresh. I briefly considered having a glass of hangover alcohol with it, but since today was supposed to be a day of rest, I just enjoyed my meal and left.

And once I stepped outside, I had nothing to do. There was nowhere to go. There was just the ocean stretching out in front of me, with a rough coastline covered in rocks that looked like they could seriously hurt you if you stepped in the wrong place. There was an entrance nearby leading toward an aquaculture area, so I walked over and just dipped my feet into the water near the entrance. Since it was an aquaculture facility, I had a feeling I'd get yelled at if I wandered any farther in.
It was my first time actually getting into the ocean since arriving in Jeju, and the water felt incredibly cool and refreshing. It felt like the fatigue had been washed out of my feet after all those days of walking. After splashing around for a little while, I went back to my room and spent the afternoon rolling around in bed watching my Jeju dialect teacher, When Life Gives You Tangerines.

I hadn't really done anything, but somehow the day off was already disappearing, and it was almost time for dinner.
There still weren't any restaurants nearby that seemed worth going to, so I decided to return to Onpyeong Bada Han Geureut, where I had eaten the night before.

I spent a long time deciding what to eat. I didn't want anything made with flour, and I didn't want anything cold either. After eliminating all those options, I was basically left with sea urchin bibimbap or hoe-deopbap. Maybe because I'd already enjoyed plenty of seafood the night before, I wasn't really craving hoe-deopbap, so I decided to try sea urchin bibimbap for the first time in my life.
And when it arrived, the sea urchin bibimbap looked almost noble.

I had no idea what exactly was in the soup, but it had a rich seafood flavor with a nice spicy kick, and it was probably the most memorable part of the meal. As for the sea urchin bibimbap I'd been most curious about.. honestly, it was a little bland. Not tasteless—the seasoning was just light. The sea urchin itself was fresh, with no fishy smell and a subtle, nutty flavor that I really liked, so I wrapped it in seaweed and happily finished the entire bowl.

After dinner, I returned to the accommodation and went back to lying around until I eventually fell asleep and got ready for the next day.
Since it was supposed to be my day off, I had thought about going somewhere, but there were no buses, Socar wouldn't come here, and there wasn't a person in sight on the streets..
I'd always deliberately sought out quiet places and times when there weren't many people around, but this time it felt strangely different. I felt almost isolated..

And so ended my day off in Jeju.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 4 · I Walked All the Way from the Airport

Wandering Cloud — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:28:03 +0900

June 11, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trails 1 & 2

The day had finally come to start walking from the very beginning of the Olle Trail. But my physical condition was at its worst.
The shoulder that had been hurting since the day before now sent a sharp pain through me even when something merely brushed against it, and my lower back was suffering from severe muscle soreness. Both pains came from the backpack. It was a painful reminder of what can happen when you choose the wrong gear. But this wasn't a city. I couldn't solve the problem right away, so I had no choice but to keep walking. Still, continuing like this wasn't going to work.
If I couldn't fix the problem immediately, the answer I came up with was rest. I decided to walk just today and take tomorrow completely off. Maybe that's why.. my steps felt unbelievably light when I left the accommodation that morning!!

I planned to walk from the course starting point near my accommodation, cross an oreum, follow the coastal trail, and have lunch in front of Seongsan Ilchulbong. Part of the route overlapped with the section I had walked the previous day, so it felt like I was losing a little ground, but I started walking with lunch to look forward to.

I started walking with Seongsan Ilchulbong in the distance and crossed from Jeju City into Seogwipo.

The actual walk began with a climb up Malmioreum at the starting point. One interesting thing about this oreum was the special barrier designed for animals, apparently to keep the cows and horses that are raised here from wandering out. I quickly made it up the oreum, and Seongsan Ilchulbong came into view again. I think I spent most of the day with Seongsan Ilchulbong somewhere in my line of sight.

There was also a storybook-like forest trail hidden on top of the oreum. I could see horses grazing in the distance. I did think, “Should I go closer and take a look?” But then I decided against it. The horses were huge. With no owner around, I had a feeling I'd get kicked if I got too close, so I just watched them from a safe distance.

My shoulders hurt and my lower back hurt, but whenever I saw scenery like this and heard the birds, I could forget about the pain for a while and keep walking. I think the beauty of the Jeju Olle Trail itself gave me the motivation to keep going.

After coming down from the oreum, I was faced with another long stretch of sidewalk under the blazing sun, so I lay down in a pavilion for a while. As a side note, I liked to eat gummies as a snack whenever I took breaks. On the left were Chupa Chups gummies I had tried for the first time a few days earlier, and on the right were the familiar Haribo gummies. Both were sour gummies, but I still think Haribo is a step above when it comes to gummies. I spent my break casually comparing which one tasted better.
It was already hot enough that the sunlight felt harsh even though it was still morning. I was starting to worry about how the rest of the day would go.

Maybe it was because of the heat. Maybe it was because the scenery was monotonous. I barely took any photos that morning except around the oreum. It was too hot, and there didn't seem to be many moments that made me think, “I have to take a picture of this.” As I continued watching Seongsan Ilchulbong slowly get closer, I could understand why it was such a famous tourist attraction. It was impressive, massive, and had an almost mysterious presence.

Day 4 Morning Walk – Total Distance: 95.2 km (59.2 mi)

After walking while staring at Seongsan Ilchulbong, I eventually arrived in downtown Seongsan. Since it was another major tourist area, there were plenty of franchise cafés and the commercial district looked fairly developed.

For lunch, I had jjampong at Seongsan-ri Haenyeo Jjampong. It was expensive, but I loved the look of the dish. Just looking at it made me feel like I was really on vacation in Jeju. The bowl was packed with seafood—abalone, shrimp, conch, octopus, and even crab—and I enjoyed every bite. The broth was mildly spicy by default, but they could make it hotter if you asked, and there was also spicy chili powder on the table that made it even better when sprinkled on top. Maybe because I had sweated so much that morning, I finished every last drop of the broth. There were also a lot of Chinese tourists in the restaurant, and wow.. Chinese people really know how to project their voices..

After lunch, I wanted to stop at a café for a little break before starting the afternoon walk, but unfortunately there wasn't a café anywhere along the way. There was only the increasingly distant Seongsan Ilchulbong, the blazing sun, and sidewalks. Walking beside the road was unbelievably boring.. I spent that time thinking over and over, “The paths I've walked so far really were beautiful.”

Repeating to myself, “If I keep walking, there's no way I can't keep walking,” I eventually completed Course 1. You'd think the first course would be made a little more special, with something particularly impressive at the beginning, but in my memory, Course 1 was probably the most boring.

I started Course 2 wondering if it would be any different.
In reality, I couldn't walk the entire course that day. No matter how I calculated it, if I wanted to reach today's destination at the time I wanted, I would have to take a detour around the Seongsan sewage treatment plant. I think because I wasn't feeling well, I wanted to calculate conservatively and avoid taking unnecessary risks. I had made up my mind about this while eating the jjampong. I really didn't want to spend this hot day walking in circles around town.

And so I started walking Course 2. It was just endless stretches of sidewalks like this, and it turned out to be one of the hardest and most boring parts of the trip. Watching tourists riding horses pass by, I found myself thinking, “I wish someone would give me a ride too..”
After making it through the boring town, I stopped at a convenience store before climbing the oreum to replenish my fluids and get some caffeine. I drank a surprising amount of Pocari Sweat and coffee during this trip, and I was amazed by how much convenience-store coffee seems to have improved. Or maybe it just tasted better because I was so thirsty?

Finally, I reached the trail leading up Daesusanbong! I thought I would want to avoid an oreum because I wasn't feeling well, since an oreum is basically a small mountain hike. But the moment I reached the shade, I couldn't have been happier. I even took my camera back out after having kept it tucked away for a while, which probably says a lot about how good I was feeling. The uphill climb wasn't a problem anymore. I was simply grateful for the cool shade and the breeze blowing through the oreum.

At the summit, Seongsan Ilchulbong came into view again. Thinking, “I won't be able to see this mountain once I cross this one,” I started heading down, when I heard birds singing somewhere. It sounded so good.

One of the most pleasant moments of the entire Olle Trail!!

Once I crossed the peak, the tangerine-field hell began. At first, the tiny tangerines were cute and fun to look at as I walked, but after the same scenery continued for more than an hour, I started thinking, “Jeju really is the land of tangerines.” There was nothing around except fields, and I couldn't even sense another person nearby. It was a strangely unsettling stretch of the trail, the kind of place where it felt like even if I screamed, nobody would be able to come running.

Then, out of nowhere, I suddenly came across a traditional Korean gate. This place, which is part of the course, was Honinji. Honinji is a historic pond associated with one of Jeju's founding myths, and the inside was beautifully decorated in a charming, traditional way. I saw soon-to-be newlyweds coming to take photos, and it was especially interesting to see foreign tourists wearing hanbok and taking pictures.

After another long and boring stretch of sidewalk, I finally arrived at today's destination, Onpyeong-ri. And that's when I realized something was wrong.
The day before, I had decided that since my accommodation was so remote, “Tomorrow I'll stay somewhere a little more urban,” and chose this place. But maybe it was the beer talking.. the scene waiting for me was completely different from what I had imagined.
Yesterday, at least I could get delivery if I paid an extra delivery fee.. Here, there was nowhere that delivered. I was devastated.

Devastated or not, I eventually finished Course 2. Technically, it wasn't a full completion because I had taken the detour, but anyway, Course 2 was done.

Day 4 Afternoon Walk – Total Distance: 112.2 km (69.7 mi)

Even though I had cut across the course because I wanted to walk less today, I still walked 17 km. Combined with the morning, it was actually my longest day so far at 31 km. The convenience store I thought was right next to my accommodation turned out to be about as far away as yesterday's. It was a moment of painful realization that I had been completely wrong in thinking I was good at reading maps and understanding my surroundings.

But there was a very good reason I had stubbornly come all the way here. Right next to my accommodation in Onpyeong-ri, an incredible restaurant was waiting for me.

It was a restaurant called Onpyeong Bada Han Geureut, a name that suited it perfectly, serving a platter of assorted seafood. Since it was Friday and I was worried they might not accept a solo customer during the busy hours, I deliberately planned to arrive early. And the plan worked. In the middle of a silent fishing village where I hadn't seen a single person walking around, I started drinking alone at the only restaurant that was bustling with people.

Everything else was delicious too, but the two things that made me happiest that day were the horned conch and sea squirt. They were so incredibly fresh and crunchy that I had to chew carefully just to keep them from escaping. This was the moment, several days into my trip, when I truly felt, “I really am in Jeju.” The abalone liver was incredibly fresh too. What more needs to be said? I slowly chewed my way through that entire bowl and ate every last bit of it by myself.

After enjoying the food for a while, I looked up toward the sea and saw a happy family. For a moment, I felt strangely emotional. What was I doing all the way down in Jeju, walking these trails? After a few beers, I fell deeper into those sentimental thoughts, finished another bottle, and eventually left the increasingly crowded restaurant.

An elderly woman who looked like the owner was standing outside the restaurant. She asked me why I was so tanned, so I told her that I had walked all the way from Jeju Airport. She replied, “Don't lie to me!” I didn't mention that it had taken several days, but I really had walked here..

I made a firm promise to myself: “If I ever come back to Jeju, I'm definitely coming here again.” Then I went to a nearby bar and had a little more to drink. It was a short walk through the neighborhood that evening, but I didn't see a single person walking around. The closed restaurants and houses somehow felt even more cold and indifferent, and I felt an even deeper sense of loneliness than I had the day before. At night, there were barely any cars either, which made the place feel even lonelier. Part of me wanted to drink a lot more and simply wash away the feeling, but I didn't want to waste my precious day off tomorrow with a hangover.

I returned to the accommodation, had another glass of makgeolli, and stared out at the dark sea that I couldn't really see through the window..

And so ended my fourth day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 3 · Why Sliding Doors?

Wandering Cloud — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:23:01 +0900

June 10, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trails 20 & 21

After spending a few days in Jeju, I noticed something interesting. A lot of convenience stores had sliding doors. I wondered why, and then remembered hearing that “Jeju gets a lot of wind, so sliding doors are commonly used here.” Even the doors of convenience stores had a distinctly Jeju feel to them.

With that thought in mind, I started walking on Day 3 of the Olle Trail.

But as soon as I started, I felt that something was wrong. My shoulders and lower back were hurting!
The shoulder pain came from choosing the wrong backpack. The bag I brought was a small 10-liter trail-running pack. It was designed to be worn lightly, with just a hydration bladder and maybe a jacket inside, not to carry heavy loads for hours at a time. I had stuffed more than 4 kg of gear into it and carried it for days while sweating through it, and my shoulders were paying the price.
The lower back pain was entirely my fault. On the first and second days, I was so happy whenever I came across a forest trail, and sometimes I would even run lightly for a kilometer or two when I was hungry. But since the trail-running pack had no proper lower-back support, all the weight was concentrated on my waist. After two days of accumulating strain, my back finally gave me trouble on the third day.
It was the moment I truly understood why good gear matters, and why there are so many different pieces of equipment designed for specific purposes.

The bad equipment choice was my fault, so I decided to just tough it out. I left the village and started walking along the coast again.
And then I realized: the weather was incredibly clear today!

At first, I was simply happy to see the clear sky. After days of gloomy, cold, and humid weather, having the sun shining brightly somehow made me feel brighter too.
Walking along the distinctly Jeju-like coast with a cool breeze and warm sunshine was absolutely perfect.

But after an hour, then two hours, I realized something else. The sun was way too hot.. When I was walking under the blazing sun, I found myself constantly looking for shade and changing my path to stay out of it. And whenever I finally entered a shaded forest trail, I was unbelievably grateful for the shade!

That winding, dark forest trail was probably the happiest part of my morning.

The June sun in Jeju was hot, my entire body was already soaked in sweat, my shoulders were burning, and my lower back felt like it was about to collapse.. Just when I thought, “I can’t walk any farther,” I came across a welcome pavilion. You see these pavilions from time to time while walking the Olle Trail, and I was always so grateful to see one! Taking off my shoes, climbing up, letting my sweat cool down, drinking some water, getting some energy in, and lying down for a few minutes were some of the most grateful moments of the trip.
I thought I still had a long way to go before lunch, so I even opened up some gummies, only to realize that I had barely 1 km left. Oops. I put my backpack back on and headed out again, and soon enough, I arrived at my destination.

Day 3 Morning Walk – Total Distance: 62.2 km (38.6 mi)

And today’s lunch destination was..

I had come to Pyeongdae Seongge Guksu for lunch. After seeing this restaurant on Jeon Hyun-moo’s Plan, I had been so eager to visit that it became one of the reasons I wanted to come to Jeju in the first place! I was worried there might be a long wait, but thankfully, there weren’t many people in such a remote area on a weekday afternoon.

Finally, I tried the sea urchin noodles I had been looking forward to. The aroma was incredible, almost as if the entire ocean had been turned into a broth. It tasted like a clam-based broth with sea urchin roe added to really bring out the flavor of the sea. It tasted great, but I was also a little disappointed by the sparse service for the price and the small portion of noodles. It was a 15,000 KRW ($10) bowl of noodles, after all. And you had to get your own water.

After lunch, I wanted to have a cup of coffee, but there wasn’t really anywhere suitable. There were a few shops here and there, but most of the restaurants were already closed. As I kept walking, I started to feel like I was heading deeper and deeper into a remote area where there were fewer and fewer people. Maybe because of that, restrooms were becoming harder to find too, and that was starting to become a real issue.

Once again, I had to walk under the blazing sun. Every now and then, I found myself thinking, “Why am I putting myself through this?” Then I’d look around at the scenery and think, “Oh right.. I’m traveling.” My feelings kept going back and forth.

Eventually, after walking and walking, I reached the end of the course and completed Course 20. And they only give me credit for 54 km.. Seriously.. so stingy.

Course 21 included one oreum to climb, but it was a short course overall. So today’s destination was the accommodation at the end of the course. A private pension room for just 39,000 KRW ($28)! There was no reason not to choose it.

I gathered my energy and started walking Course 21. But as the afternoon went on, the sunlight became scorching, my sweat-soaked shoulders hurt even more, and at some point, the pain in my lower back disappeared. One thing I realized after walking this much was that pain moves around. When one part hurts badly enough, you stop noticing the pain somewhere else. When one thing becomes uncomfortable, you forget about the other discomfort. It’s a strange thing.

Lunch had been tasty, but the portion was so small that I was already hungry again after barely walking any distance. And unfortunately, this course had absolutely nothing. No convenience store, no restaurant, not even a restroom. There was just nature, rice paddies, and fields.

Just when my head was getting complicated trying to figure out what to do.. a savior appeared. Out of nowhere, I came across a little roadside shop selling grilled squid. I pulled myself together and quickly ordered some squid and a cold Coke. I had originally wanted spear squid, but it was twice the price, so I went with regular squid.
The squid I ate there was incredibly good. It wasn’t just delicious—it filled the gap left by my inadequate lunch, gave me some protein, and even provided caffeine, sugar, and hydration from the Coke. I was so grateful that I chewed every bite slowly.

Maybe it was the caffeine? I stopped paying much attention to what hurt and just kept walking for a while.
After walking for some time, I needed to use the restroom and was running low on water, and then I spotted a decent-looking café and went inside to cool myself down. Walking under the blazing sun was the hardest part. I found myself missing the cool Jeju weather from the previous two days.

As soon as I left the café, today’s oreum, Jimibong, appeared ahead of me. Rather than being worried about the climb, I was actually happy about the cool shade it offered. It was a small peak, but the slope was still quite steep, so I sweated more and had to work harder. Still, I found myself thinking, “I didn’t realize being able to walk in the shade could make me this happy,” and happily made my way over the peak.

And then I reached the top of Jimibong.
The moment I saw Seongsan Ilchulbong in the distance, where I would eventually be heading, I thought, “Wow, I really have walked a long way!” And then, “I’ve already covered almost a quarter of Jeju.”

Maybe seeing Seongsan Ilchulbong, or maybe because the course was almost over, I happily skipped down the hill. I thought there probably wouldn’t be a single person on this peak, but surprisingly, I passed a few people. I even saw someone reading a book in the middle of the mountain, which fascinated me. And I was jealous. What kind of life would you have to live to be able to come somewhere like this as part of your everyday life?

Having spent my entire life in the city, I saw the golden barley and immediately thought of wheat. And that thought naturally turned into wanting a Jeju wheat beer. I wanted to get back to the accommodation quickly and have a beer. With chicken, too!

With that thought keeping me going, I completed the final course of the Olle Trail for the day, Course 21. Course 1 starts near the end point of Course 21, so I planned to start walking from there again the next day and headed to my accommodation.

My accommodation was in Jongdal-ri, but since I had only walked along the coast that day, I had no idea there was so much around Jongdal-ri and simply passed through. I later learned that Jongdal-ri has quite a few famous shops, especially cafés, dessert shops, and bakeries. But this is Jeju, after all. When I arrived and searched for nearby restaurants that were still open, there were barely any results. Jeju really does have a good work-life balance!

Today’s accommodation passed the test too!! I finally understood just how happy finding a good place to stay could make me.
As soon as I arrived, I tried to order chicken from a local restaurant, but.. seriously.. they didn’t answer even after I called for 30 minutes. If I’d had even a little more energy, I might have actually run over there. Eventually, I searched for a chicken restaurant nearby on Baemin, and decided that a 5,000 KRW ($3) delivery fee was a small price to pay for ending the day on a successful note. I happily placed the order and got to enjoy some chicken and beer.

Day 3 Afternoon Walk – Total Distance: 81.2 km (50.5 mi)

Going back for a moment to when the chicken restaurant wasn’t answering the phone, I went for a short run to the convenience store. My lower back and legs were both hurting, but for some reason I felt that a little running today might help me feel better the next day. Without a backpack, running felt incredibly light and refreshing. “So this is what the joy of running feels like!” I realized again, enjoying the run before returning to the accommodation, taking a refreshing shower, and happily ending the day with chicken and beer.

And on my way to the convenience store, I realized something. I had come to the middle of nowhere, the kind of place where you can’t really go anywhere without a car. I had been sleeping alone every night anyway, but that night, for some reason, I felt lonely. I felt isolated. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in a very long time, and I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

And so ended my thrid day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 2 · A Paradise of Noodles

Wandering Cloud — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:30:02 +0900

June 9, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trails 19 & 20

As I went to bed the night before, my biggest worry was, “What if something hurts tomorrow?” Fortunately, I woke up feeling great.
With the confidence that I could walk as much as I had the day before, I headed out for another morning of walking.

Today’s walk started along Seoubong, right next to Hamdeok Beach.

Seoubong itself wasn’t particularly high, but the concrete slope was so steep that I felt like my ankles were about to give out.
Still, there were stairs here and there, along with stretches of mountain trail, making it a nice oreum to walk around and take in the scenery.

After crossing Seoubong, I reached Bukchon-ri Village, where I could see an island called Daryeodo and a lighthouse in the distance.
The island looked so peaceful from afar, but I later learned that it had been the site of a terrible tragedy during the Jeju 4.3 Incident.
Terrible tragedies had taken place both in Bukchon-ri and on Daryeodo, and for the people who had to continue living afterward, Daryeodo remained in their memories as “an island of mourning that breaks your heart just to look at.”
I didn’t know much about the Jeju 4.3 Incident before this trip, but I ended up learning a lot about it while traveling around Jeju.

After passing through Bukchon-ri and walking along the country roads for quite a while, I began entering a forest trail.
This was probably the kind of forest I had most wanted to see while walking the Olle Trail, and I think it was also the most beautiful.
There wasn’t a single person around. All I could hear was the sound of birds singing, and I walked happily through the incredibly peaceful surroundings.

The forest trail continued for quite a long way, but following the Olle Trail ribbons made it easy to stay on course.
There were wind turbines appearing unexpectedly in the middle of the forest, then a road would suddenly appear, and then I’d be back in the forest again.. There was never a dull moment.

After walking for quite a while, I finally arrived at Momejon, a restaurant run by a master chef from Korean Food War, where I planned to have lunch.
They serve traditional Jeju dishes, so there were plenty of things I had never seen before, but I came mainly because I was curious about Bomal Kalguksu.

Day 2 Morning Walk – Total Distance: 41.3 km (25.7 mi)

And with that, I finished the morning walk on Day 2, ordered the bomal kalguksu, and waited for my meal.

The Bomal Kalguksu was prepared personally by the owner, who was also the master chef!
First of all, I liked that several side dishes came with a bowl of noodles, and both the presentation and the color of the noodles themselves were beautiful.
I tried the broth first, which I had been especially curious about.. I couldn’t tell exactly what was in it, but it was clearly a refreshing broth made from things from the sea!
It tasted completely different from any kalguksu I had ever had, but it was so good. Somehow, it tasted like something I had been eating since I was a kid..

As wonderful as the broth was, the noodles were the real highlight.

Colored naturally with seaweed and turmeric, they were thick, perfectly cooked, slightly chewy, and incredibly satisfying to bite into.

The broth was great, but the noodles, colored with hijiki and turmeric, were the real highlight.
The thick kalguksu noodles were cooked just right, slightly chewy but perfectly cooked, with a fantastic texture.

Both the broth and the noodles were completely new to me, so I quickly finished the entire bowl without even thinking.
The owner said I looked tired and had given me a generous portion, and maybe because of that, I had a very filling meal and felt re-energized.

I was about to start walking again right away, but my legs were getting a little stiff and the sunlight was too intense, so I took a short break in the shade.
What I could see in front of me was Gimnyeong Port. It was small but charming, and I was especially fascinated by all the yachts moored there.
I had once imagined selling everything I owned and traveling around the world on a yacht. If I ever get the chance, I’d still like to try a yacht tour.

But reality was telling me I still had a long way to go!
I got some motivation from a cute statue of a haenyeo turned into a mascot and started my afternoon walk.

Before long, I came across the completion stamp for Course 19!
I felt like I had walked way more than 37 km, so I was a little annoyed that they seemed to be giving me credit so sparingly.

Course 20 is 17 km long, but strangely enough, once you pass Woljeong-ri Beach, the number of accommodations drops dramatically all the way to the end of the course.
Since I was looking for cheap guesthouses, I guess most of the places there were pensions, so they didn’t show up when I searched.
The guesthouse I had found the day before was in Woljeong-ri Beach, so I would be finishing today’s walk after covering about one-third of Course 20.

After walking for a while, I reached Gimnyeong Beach. There were already plenty of people swimming, and the parking lot was packed with cars. I didn’t know for sure, but it looked like the kind of beach that would be absolutely packed in the summer.
I quickly passed the beach and once again found myself on those unmistakably Jeju-like coastal trails!

The coastal route was much slower than it looked. A road could get you somewhere in just a few minutes, but the Olle Trail took me along winding rocky paths instead.
It wasn’t like I had a date to keep or anywhere I had to be, so I took my time and walked carefully to avoid getting hurt.

One thing I found fascinating about Jeju was how often I came across grassy paths while walking. The grass seemed to be growing naturally right on top of the rocky paths rather than being deliberately planted. I grew up only seeing grass planted intentionally for landscaping, so paths like these fascinated me every time I saw them.
As I walked along dirt paths made from countless pieces of broken basalt, I picked up and touched the small pieces of basalt along the way, and kept thinking that Jeju really was a fascinating place. I also started to understand a little more about why people built all those stone walls, and why they had no choice but to build them.

I came across a beautifully built house in such a perfect location that I stopped to admire it for quite a while, but all I could think about were things like, “How rich would you have to be to build a house in a place like this? There’s not even a convenience store nearby, so I guess you’d need a huge storage room.”
Once the basalt-covered dirt trail finally ended, I arrived at today’s destination, Woljeong-ri Beach.
It was smaller in terms of commercial development than Hamdeok Beach, where I had stayed the previous night, but I saw a lot of foreigners, especially Chinese tourists.
I was particularly struck by how many minibuses and vans with Chinese writing on them were traveling around in groups.

Day 2 Afternoon Walk – Total Distance: 54.1 km (33.6 mi)

Once again, I ended up walking for less time than I expected in the afternoon. Go any farther and there wouldn’t be anywhere decent to stay, but stopping here felt a little too early..
It was a difficult decision, but since my biggest goal was “Don’t overdo it,” I decided to be satisfied with this.

Today’s accommodation was a 50,000 KRW ($35) private room at a guesthouse. It cost the same as the night before, but the class was completely different.
This place was clean, comfortable, and even had its own atmosphere.
I was finally happy to find a place in Jeju that I actually liked, and I enjoyed a long shower.

I had decided on my accommodation the night before and was happily thinking about what and where to eat for dinner when I found Baeronggae, a pork noodle restaurant!
I thought I’d order pork noodles with a small portion of dombe-gogi and have a glass of Jeju makgeolli.
So I went to Baeronggae, and I was grateful to see some of the most reasonable prices I’d seen in Jeju. I happily placed my order, but.. plot twist.. they told me the dombe-gogi was sold out. I had even been planning to run a little along the way while thinking about it..

There’s no point dwelling on a lover who’s gone or a menu item that’s sold out—it only makes your heart hurt.. So I ordered a bowl of pork noodles and a bottle of Jeju makgeolli.
Unlike the pork noodles I had on the first day, these were really good. The seasoning was nicely salty, the noodles were piping hot, and everything was just right. And once again, I drank the Jeju makgeolli while telling myself, “Just one bottle.” I had never tried Jeju makgeolli before, and I was genuinely surprised. “Wait, can makgeolli really be this refreshing?” It was a perfect pairing with the rich pork noodles.

A little daytime drinking put me in a good mood, so I took a walk around the neighborhood. After showering and having a drink, the fatigue I had felt when I first arrived at the guesthouse had disappeared, but there was one problem: the slippers I had worn outside.
I had been using them indoors the entire time, and this was my first time wearing them outside. Since they were actually bathroom slippers, the soles of my feet started hurting badly. My feet had been perfectly fine after walking all day, and yet I realized that a short walk in these slippers could probably ruin them.
I went back to my room and ended the day watching When Life Gives You Tangerines, my personal Jeju-dialect teacher.

And so ended my second day of my walk.

Jeju Olle Trail · Day 1 · Please Don't Rain

Wandering Cloud — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:46:13 +0900

June 8, 2026 – Jeju Olle Trails 18 & 19

I woke up around 8 a.m. and finished getting ready by 9. I had two smoked eggs I’d bought the day before along with my supplements to get some energy in.
Today’s goal was simple: “Don’t overdo it on the first day.”
I only decided where to have lunch, then planned to check my condition once I got there and estimate how far I could go before choosing a place to stay.

This was my first day on the Olle Trail, starting with Course 18. The restaurant I wanted to have lunch at was in Jocheon-eup, so I could have lunch once I finished Course 18. There was a little mountain trail at the beginning, but after that, most of the route was through villages, so I didn’t think it would be too difficult as long as I took breaks along the way.

After leaving downtown Jeju City, I came to the path leading up to the top of Sarabong.
It was well maintained like a park, and even the restrooms were well looked after, which was nice.
The cloudy sky that looked like it might clear up but never quite did was a little concerning, but aside from the humidity, the temperature was pleasantly cool, so I made my way up without much trouble.

The uphill section wasn’t very long, and after a short stretch that was enough to work up a little sweat, I started seeing another village on the other side of the mountain.
One thing I noticed while walking this section was just how many different bird calls I could hear in Jeju that I rarely hear on the mainland. I couldn’t see the birds, but hearing their songs, which I wouldn’t normally hear even when walking through the mountains back home, made the walk feel fresher and more interesting.
The photo on the upper right shows the most beautiful part of Course 18, the Byeoldobong walking trail. Walking along the middle of the mountain, there were cliffs overlooking the sea on the left, making it one of the most beautiful sections and the part that really made me feel like I was traveling.
It was the most beautiful section of the day, but I walked right past it without taking a single photo and eventually came down to HwAbuk Port.
I must have been so caught up in the scenery that I forgot to take pictures.

As I passed through HwAbuk Port, I finally thought, “So this is a fishing village in Jeju!” I looked around curiously at the stone walls, watched haenyeo working, and kept walking.
I also saw so many swallows. I don’t think I had seen one since I was very young, but they flew so incredibly fast that I finally understood where the expression “as quick as a swallow” comes from. I saw plenty of other birds after that, but the swallow was the one I remembered most. I guess there’s a reason the post office chose one as its mascot!!

I was walking through village roads, but it was surprisingly difficult to find convenience stores or small supermarkets in these little villages. Even when there was one, it was usually far enough from the Olle Trail that going there and back didn’t seem worth the time. I kept switching between Naver Maps and the Olle Pass app looking for somewhere to take a break, and then I spotted a large coffee shop at Samyang Beach and went straight inside.
I had a hot Americano and a chocolate chip cookie. The coffee was good, and the cookie was better than I expected. With the view outside the window, it was a perfect place to take a break.
It was only a small mountain, but maybe because I had just crossed it, my T-shirt was soaked with sweat. The cool air conditioning helped me recharge, and I had a good rest.

After walking a little farther past the coffee shop, I spotted the intermediate stamp station. At this point, I was roughly halfway through the course and had walked about 8 km. After the coffee and cookie, I was feeling great. But as my sweat cooled down, the sea breeze on the cloudy day started to feel cold, so I pulled out the windbreaker I had brought and put it on. The wind by the sea was definitely cold.

Once I put on the windbreaker and kept walking, my body warmed up again and the temperature became just right for walking.
Even as I passed through neighborhoods I didn’t recognize, it wasn’t difficult to find my way thanks to the Olle Trail signs and ribbons hanging here and there. The only problem was that the Olle Pass app didn’t provide much detailed information about where the restrooms were, so whenever I spotted one while walking, I stopped in just in case.

After passing through the village and going over another hill, I started seeing more distinctly Jeju-like trails. Walking along the coast on dirt and rocky paths that even bicycles couldn’t pass through, I finally felt, “I’m really walking across Jeju.” Since Jeju is a volcanic island, the path was covered in sharp black basalt rocks, and it was surprisingly fun to walk along.

I don’t think these paths were made specifically for the Olle Trail, but the variety of scenery and trails made the walk really interesting. The views were great, but walking through a dark forest made me feel like I was exploring somewhere, and I found myself getting excited for no particular reason.

Finally, I could see the village where I planned to have lunch in the distance. From the entrance, I was walking along paths that looked unmistakably Jeju. I was hungry, but the scenery kept me in a good mood as I made my way there.
Seeing the small fishing boats at Jocheon Port somehow reminded me of Gwansik from When Life Gives You Tangerines. I had started rewatching When Life Gives You Tangerines because I wanted to feel more connected to Jeju while walking the Olle Trail, and as the chill and dampness of the drizzly seaside blended with the scenes from the drama, I found myself thinking about how difficult life must have been for the people of Jeju.

While walking toward the restaurant in the light drizzle, I came across the Course 18 completion stamp!
My clothes were damp from the rain, but I felt genuinely proud of myself over something as small as a stamp.

There are two ways to collect the stamps: using the paper Olle Passport or scanning the QR code with the Olle Pass app. I chose the app. Both cost the same: 20,000 KRW ($15)!

Day 1 Morning Walk – Total Distance: 19.6 km (12.2 mi)

And with that, I finished the morning walk on Day 1 and had a slightly late lunch at the restaurant.

For an important part of the trip—exploring Jeju food—I visited Hamdeok Golmok, a local favorite among Jeju residents!
I ordered the innards soup because it was supposed to be their specialty, and wow.. I’ve had haejangguk with innards in Yangpyeong before, but this place was packed with even more innards. There were so many that they actually served perilla leaves so you could wrap the innards in them. Adding the minced garlic and chili peppers that came with the soup made the broth even more refreshing, and I mixed in a bowl of rice and had a very satisfying meal.
It wasn’t just delicious because I had walked a long way and was hungry. The broth was exactly the kind of thing you’d want after a night of drinking, so I could see why locals came here. What was interesting was that I had barely seen anyone while walking, but this place was completely packed.
After a good meal and some more water, I stopped by a nearby Olle information center and sorted out the rest of my plans.

Course 19 runs from Jocheon to Gimnyeong. My original plan was to walk to Bukchon-ri Dodaebul, roughly the middle of the course according to the map, but all the decent rooms in that area were already fully booked. I didn’t want to go through the same accommodation-related stress as the night before, so I booked a place in Hamdeok Beach, where there were plenty of decent accommodations, and started my afternoon walk.

Course 19 began at the Jeju April 3rd Peace Park Memorial Hall. Just as I started, the rain suddenly became much heavier, so I hurriedly pulled out my rain gear and put it on. And wow.. the moment I put it on, the rain stopped. The sun suddenly came shining through. The inside of my rain gear immediately started getting sweaty and humid. Eventually, I stopped walking, took the rain gear off, put everything back in order, and continued on my way. I think I wore it for maybe five minutes, but it was already damp.

After a short stretch through the forest, the trail came back out to the coast. I would see plenty more of these beaches later, but since it was my first day, Jeju’s black-rock beaches looked so amazing that I kept stopping and starting again just to take them in.

Not long after, I passed Sinheung Beach. The quiet village, calm shallow water spread out across the beach, and relaxed atmosphere made me think it would be a great place for families. It still looked a little chilly because the sun wasn’t shining brightly yet, but the kids playing in the distance didn’t seem to care at all. I was jealous.

As I was leaving the village, I saw a newly planted tree next to a large old tree that had been cut down.
People often say things like, “No one else can do this. I’m irreplaceable. I have a role that no one else can take over.” But the old tree had been cut down, almost as if to prove the opposite, and a new tree was growing right beside it, already starting to look like a proper tree. I could almost hear G-Dragon’s lyrics saying, “Nothing lasts forever.”

The afternoon route was shorter, so after passing through a forest, a beach, and one village, I arrived at my destination, Hamdeok Beach, before I knew it. Before coming here, I had wondered, “Why are there so many guesthouses around Hamdeok Beach?” But once I got there, I understood. It was absolutely packed with tourists. If there’s an Olive Young, that pretty much tells you everything, right?

Day 1 Afternoon Walk – Total Distance: 27.4 km (17.0 mi)

And with that, I finished my first day of walking. Maybe because I had walked so much in the morning, the afternoon seemed to pass quickly, and before I knew it, I had reached my destination around the time my lunch had settled. I really wished I had booked a decent room near Bukchon Port and made it all the way there.

Before leaving for the trip, I had thought guesthouse dorms would be cheap and probably not that uncomfortable. I even thought, “I can sleep just fine in a dorm!” But once I was actually on the road choosing accommodations, I changed my mind. I needed to do laundry and dry my clothes, watch When Life Gives You Tangerines, and most importantly, get a good night’s sleep for the next day. A shared space seemed unlikely to give me much room for any of that.
Maybe it bothered me even more because the military barracks where I used to live had a similar dorm-style setup.
So I eventually started looking for private rooms, which made finding a place I actually liked much more difficult.

I walked a total of 27.4 km today. It was less than my planned 30 km or more per day, so I was a little disappointed, but it was my first day, I didn’t push myself too hard, and nothing hurt. I’d call that a success!!

After all that searching, the place I ended up with was.. a 50,000 KRW ($35) private room at a guesthouse.
To put it simply, it was the kind of place where I could imagine kids staying during a school trip these days.
The room itself was fine, but things were starting to fall apart here and there, dust had gathered in the corners, and overall it felt like the place wasn’t very well maintained.
Still, the staff member, who slightly reminded me of Young K, was friendly, helpful, and did a good job showing me around, so I appreciated that.
And the thing I had been most worried about—the floor—was.. huh? A little damp here too? Is this just a Jeju thing? I wondered for a moment.
So once again, the day ended with me wearing slippers around the room.

Since I had eaten lunch late, I took my time deciding what to eat for dinner, only to find myself in the same predicament here: restaurants closed early.
One closed at 3, another at 5, another at 7.. By around 8 p.m., the only places still open were haejangguk restaurants, barbecue places, sashimi restaurants, and bars.
Still, I wanted to try some local Jeju food, so I found Hunnam Hoetjip, a sashimi restaurant that makes mulhoe with frozen spear squid. Thankfully, even though it was primarily a bar, they were willing to make a serving of spear squid mulhoe for one person, so I got to try it.
It wasn’t the usual sweet and spicy gochujang flavor. It had a unique taste I had never had before, almost like a combination of doenjang and vinegar.
I wouldn’t say it was amazingly delicious, but it had a distinctive Jeju flavor, and there was plenty of squid and other ingredients, so I could mix in some rice and get a filling, nutritious meal.
I can still vividly remember chewing those pieces of squid.

And so ended my first day of my walk.