Cheongganjeong Pavilion

In Toseong-myeon, Goseong County, the Cheonggancheon stream flows down from the Seoraksan area into the East Sea, and on a rocky bluff right at the river mouth stands Cheongganjeong. A few minutes along a path through pine trees bring you to a two-storey pavilion with a wide view over the sea and a white sandy beach. It has long been counted among the Gwandong Palgyeong, the eight most celebrated views of Korea's east coast.

History: a seaside pavilion burned and rebuilt

Nobody knows exactly when or by whom it was first built. Records say that Choe Cheong, magistrate of Ganseong, repaired it in 1520, so it must be older than that. Accounts say it burned down around the time of the 1884 Gapsin Coup, and it was rebuilt in 1928. In 1980 it was completely dismantled and restored, and it was designated a Gangwon provincial cultural heritage in 1971.

The name Cheonggan means "clear stream". The pavilion is three bays wide and two deep, a two-storey structure with a hipped-and-gabled roof. The name board under the eaves reading "Cheongganjeong" was written by President Syngman Rhee in 1953. There is also a story that the Joseon scholar Song Si-yeol stopped here in the reign of King Hyeonjong and left a name board in his own hand.

What to see

• The view from the upper floor: the sea to the east, the river mouth and Cheonggan Beach below. The pavilion stands right on top of the coastal cliffs.
• The name board: look for President Rhee's calligraphy under the eaves.
• The pine path: a short walk from the car park. Old pines frame the pavilion, which makes for good photos.
• Exhibition and tourist information: below the pavilion there is a small display about Cheongganjeong and a tourist information point.

Good to know

The pavilion also appears in an album of Mount Geumgang and east-coast scenes by Kim Hong-do, one of the great painters of the late Joseon period. Looking up the painting before your visit lets you compare today's view with how Joseon travellers saw this shore. Other Gwandong Palgyeong sights, such as Naksansa Temple in Yangyang and Gyeongpodae in Gangneung, lie along the same coast, and many travellers visit them on one trip.

The Gwandong Palgyeong are eight scenic sites on the east coast of the old Gangwon province, and two of them, Chongseokjeong and Samilpo, are now in North Korea. That makes Cheongganjeong the northernmost of the eight that you can visit in South Korea. Cheonggan Beach lies right below the pavilion, and nearby the rock-top pavilion of Cheonhakjeong and Munam harbour make an easy coastal drive in Goseong.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: free, open at all times, with free parking.
• Getting there: it is a short drive north of central Sokcho on National Route 7. The address is 5110 Donghae-daero, Toseong-myeon, Goseong.
• When to go: the pavilion faces the open East Sea, so sunrise is a good time to visit. In beach season it pairs well with Cheonggan Beach right next to it.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to an hour for the pavilion and path. Stopping at the small exhibition below the pavilion first helps put the place in context.