In this blog post, I’ll share my account of a 5-night, 6-day backpacking trip I took in the summer of 2010 to Jeonju, Namwon, Jirisan, and Suncheon in South Korea.

The Road to the Trip

In the summer of 2010, I went on my first-ever 5-night, 6-day backpacking trip. Backpacking is a dream that many teenagers hold as they graduate from high school and head off to college. I, too, had harbored a desire to go backpacking since my high school days.
The idea of stepping out on my own into a new place—carrying nothing but a single backpack—captivated me, especially after spending so much time under the protection of school and home. However, after entering college, that dream was gradually forgotten and put off until my junior year. Realizing I didn’t have much of my college life left, I decided to set off on the trip as soon as possible.
I chose the Honam region as my destination. I had considered traveling around the entire country, but with such a short itinerary of five nights and six days, it would have been too much to try to see many places, so I decided to focus on one region. Jeolla Province, which I hadn’t had many opportunities to visit as a child, came to mind, so I set it as my destination.
Since this was my first trip planned entirely on my own, the preparation process wasn’t smooth. I had only decided on the broad region of Jeolla Province and hadn’t set any specific itinerary at all, so I began putting together a plan by reading backpacking reviews on online forums. I decided to travel by train, researched accommodations and places to eat, and set off with just a single backpack.

Jeonju, a City of Hanok Where Past and Present Coexist

Departing from Yongsan Station, the first place I arrived at was Jeonju, the city of hanok and bibimbap. As soon as I got off the train, I headed toward Jeondong Cathedral, Gyeonggijeon, and Jeonju Hanok Village.
Jeondong Cathedral is associated with Korea’s first Catholic martyrs from the Joseon Dynasty and is a frequent destination for pilgrimages by the faithful. Although not large in scale, its solemn atmosphere was on par with Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul.
Nearby is Gyeonggijeon, where memorial rites are held for King Taejo of Joseon, Yi Seong-gye, and surrounding it is Jeonju Hanok Village, densely packed with traditional hanok houses. Jeonju Hanok Village naturally formed when residents protested the entry of Japanese merchants into the city during the Japanese colonial period; it serves as both a tourist destination and a living community.
Some critics point out that the village has quite a few sections paved with asphalt and concrete, and with frequent vehicle traffic, it has not been able to fully preserve its original appearance. However, I felt that this coexistence of past and present is another unique charm of the Hanok Village. This is because the Hanok Village showcases residential forms that have evolved with the times while preserving Korea’s unique character.
Korean residential spaces have undergone rapid changes in a short period, and in many cases, traditional hanoks have been replaced by Western-style apartments or houses. However, due to its unique historical background, Jeonju Hanok Village has made efforts to preserve the character of hanoks as much as possible, and I believe its current appearance is the result of a compromise between the past and the present.
Leaving the Hanok Village behind, I headed toward Jeonju Gaksa. Gaksa was historically a place that provided lodging for visiting envoys or officials, but what struck me was that it is still used today as a gathering place for Jeonju citizens. Seeing people of all ages—men, women, and children—sitting and resting on the wooden floor of the main hall, then leaving together when a friend arrives, had a warmth distinct from the meeting culture found elsewhere in the city.
Whereas in Seoul, people usually make plans to meet at subway stations and wait for friends in bustling spaces, in Jeonju, they perch on the veranda of the Gaksa—a place imbued with the spirit of their ancestors—to wait for their friends while sheltering from the sun. Seeing the Gaksa, once a resting place for guests who had traveled long distances, now serve as a resting place for citizens waiting for acquaintances, I felt it was both a source of pride as our cultural heritage and a living, breathing space.

“Experiencing the Charm of Chunhyang” Gwanghallu Pavilion in Namwon

After spending the night in Jeonju, I boarded an early morning train bound for Namwon. However, due to the excitement of the first day of my trip and the fatigue from the previous day in Jeonju, I fell asleep on the train and ended up traveling past Namwon all the way to Gokseong, so I had to take a taxi back to Namwon.
I wasn’t happy about having to pay the taxi fare, but thanks to the taxi driver, who shared stories of his backpacking adventures in a charming Jeolla dialect, I completely forgot about the fare and was left with nothing but anticipation for Namwon.
True to its role as the setting for the novel ‘The Story of Chunhyang’, the entire city of Namwon was filled with traces of Chunhyang and Mongryong. The first place I visited was Gwanghallu Garden, where Chunhyang and Mongryong are said to have first met. This pavilion was originally built by Prime Minister Hwang Hui during his exile in the Joseon Dynasty so he could enjoy Namwon’s breathtaking scenery.
In front of the pavilion lies an artificial pond, spanned by Ojakgyo Bridge, which commemorates the meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Within Gwanghallu Garden, there is a shrine dedicated to Chunhyang and related buildings, offering the pleasure of walking in her footsteps.
Next to Gwanghallu Garden, a group of about 30 steles caught my eye. These steles were erected to commemorate the good governance of former magistrates and provincial governors who served in Namwon, and most of them remained intact without any damage.
While steles commemorating good governance were typically erected by villagers, there were times when officials who had not actually governed well had them erected to bolster their own prestige; such steles were often vandalized after the official left office. However, the fact that Namwon’s steles remain intact suggests that there were indeed many who truly governed with virtue.
As I admired nature in Gwanghalluwon, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, I found myself thinking that even an official who had arrived with ill intentions might have had a change of heart upon seeing the landscape there.

“The Cherry on Top”: Nogodan on Jirisan, a Scenic Masterpiece

Our next destination was Nogodan on Jirisan, Korea’s first national park. The idea of climbing Jirisan was a major source of anxiety for me. I had no experience climbing high mountains, and I was worried about whether I could manage the hike within such a short itinerary.
On online forums, few backpackers planning trips chose to climb Jirisan, but thinking this might be my last backpacking trip during college, I decided on a whim to tackle the mountain.
In the end, my decision proved to be a great success. The vast grasslands of Nogodan that unfolded after a grueling 2–3-hour climb, and the scenery stretching out beneath the clouds, remain vivid in my memory. The clouds that had once adorned the sky had suddenly spread out beneath my feet, creating a scene where Jirisan’s breathtaking beauty looked as if the final eye had been added to a painting of a dragon.
On the other hand, it was a bit disappointing that I hardly saw any young backpackers. Since there’s a bus that takes you nearly to the summit for those who find the climb too difficult or are short on time, I hope more people will visit Jirisan to experience its spiritual energy.

A Trip in a Time Machine — Nak’an Fortress in Suncheon, Filled with Thatched-Roof Houses

In Suncheon, I visited a drama set, Songgwangsa Temple—a Buddhist treasure—Suncheon Bay, protected under the Ramsar Convention, and Nak’an Fortress. Among these, the most memorable place was Nak’an Fortress, filled with thatched-roof houses.
Nak’an Fortress was built to defend against invasions by Japanese pirates in the past, and the interior consists of residents’ thatched-roof houses and government offices. It preserved the appearance of the Joseon Dynasty almost exactly as it was, as if I had traveled there in a time machine.
What was even more surprising was that the thatched-roof houses inside the fortress are actually inhabited. Seeing modern conveniences like televisions, refrigerators, and cars coexisting within these traditional homes felt both unfamiliar and fascinating.
I was amazed to learn that even today, many people have chosen to give up the conveniences of city life to farm there and carry on the traditions of the past. Unlike artificially created folk villages, Nak’an Eupseong—where real people live while preserving the old way of life—fascinates many tourists.
Another interesting point was that, with the exception of the government offices inside the fortress, every single dwelling was a thatched-roof house. After my trip, I learned that in the old days, the yangban (nobility) were required to live outside the fortress walls in Nagan-eup. Unlike in other regions, the reason for this was the belief that corruption would arise if the village government office and the yangban’s homes were too close together.
Thinking of the collusion between politics and business and instances of preferential treatment that occur in modern society, I felt that the wisdom of the ancestors of Nagan-eup Fortress is something we should learn from and take to heart today.

Concluding My Travelogue

People set out on trips for various reasons. Office workers travel for rest and relaxation, friends to strengthen their bonds, and families to foster harmony. For me, this backpacking trip was a long-cherished dream from my teenage years and my first step as a traveler.
Although it wasn’t a luxurious overseas trip, the reason this journey was particularly memorable and meaningful was that it was the first time I had planned and executed a trip entirely on my own. Unlike itineraries arranged by travel agencies or family, I was able to experience so much more by actively enjoying the journey on my own terms.
Although I’ve only been on one backpacking trip, that single experience was enough to help me realize, even if just a little, the meaning and joy of travel. If there are any of you who haven’t gone backpacking yet or are still hesitating, I highly recommend giving it a try.