Oksunbong

Oksunbong takes its name, "jade bamboo shoot", from the way its white and blue-grey rock pinnacles seem to sprout like bamboo shoots after rain. Its cliffs rise straight out of Chungju Lake (called Cheongpung Lake on the Jecheon side), it is a designated national Scenic Site, and it has long been counted among the Eight Scenic Views of Danyang. Since a suspension bridge opened across the water, you can see the cliff face up close without climbing at all.

One of Danyang's eight views, in Jecheon

Administratively, Oksunbong lies in Gwaegok-ri, Susan-myeon, in Jecheon, not in Danyang. A story explains how it joined the Danyang list anyway. During the reign of King Myeongjong, the Neo-Confucian scholar Yi Hwang (Toegye), then magistrate of Danyang, asked the governor of neighbouring Cheongpung to hand the peak over to Danyang. When he was refused, he is said to have carved "Dangu Dongmun" (丹丘洞門), "gateway to Danyang", into the rock, claiming the cliff as the entrance to his county. Together with nearby Gudambong, the peak inspired countless poems, and it was also known as Sogeumgang, "little Geumgangsan". It was designated a national Scenic Site in 2008.

The rocks Kim Hong-do painted

The late Joseon painter Kim Hong-do included Oksunbong in his Album of the Byeongjin Year, painted in 1796 and now designated a national Treasure. His brushwork shows rock columns rising sharply from the water's edge. When the Chungju Dam was built, the lower part of the peak was partly submerged, but you can still recognise the lines of the painted cliff in the rock that now rises from the lake instead of the river.

Three ways to see Oksunbong

• Oksunbong Suspension Bridge: a 222 m bridge that opened in October 2021. Walking across the lake, you face the cliff head-on, and on the far side an eco-trail boardwalk and a forest path continue along the shore.
• Hiking to the top: at 283 m (some sources say 286 m) the peak is low, and an hour or so is enough to reach the summit. The top is a broad rocky ridge, a good place to rest while looking down on the lake and Gudambong. If you continue to Gudambong, allow around 4 hours.
• By boat: cruises on Chungju Lake leave from Janghoe pier, about 2 km away, and pass beneath the cliffs of Gudambong and Oksunbong.

Tripto tips

• Bridge hours: March–October 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:20), November–February 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:20). Closed on Mondays (or the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday), over the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, and on Labour Day.
• Bridge tickets: KRW 3,000 for adults, free for children under 7. There is a car park at the bridge (342-1 Oksunbong-ro, Susan-myeon, Jecheon).
• Hiking: the peak lies inside Woraksan National Park. There is no drinking water on the trail, so bring your own, and during the spring and autumn wildfire-prevention periods trails may be closed, so check the national park notices.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the bridge alone, 2–3 hours if you also climb to the top.
• When to go: May, when fresh green covers the slopes, and late October to early November, when autumn colour fills the gaps between the cliffs.
• Getting there: buses are infrequent, so a car is by far the easiest option. Combine it with Dodamsambong in Danyang and the Cheongpung Cultural Heritage Complex in Jecheon for a day-long loop around the lake.