Seongeup Folk Village

Black basalt walls wind along the lanes, low thatched roofs crouch behind them, and in the middle of the village stands a zelkova with a trunk five metres round. Seongeup was the seat of Jeongui-hyeon, one of the three districts into which Joseon divided Jeju. It is not a museum village: people still live in its thatched houses, and that is what makes it special.

History: a county town in the hills

In 1416 Joseon split Jeju into three districts: Jeju-mok, Daejeong-hyeon and Jeongui-hyeon. Jeongui's office first stood at Goseong-ri in today's Seongsan, but it was awkwardly far east and exposed to pirate raids, so in 1423 it was moved to Seongeup and a walled town was built. It remained the district centre for about 500 years, until the administrative reforms of 1914.

Unusually for a county seat, the village lies inland, on the mid-mountain slopes east of Hallasan rather than on the coast. The whole village was designated a National Folklore Cultural Heritage in 1984.

What to see

• Jeongui-hyeon fortress: when built, the wall measured 2,520 cheok around and 13 cheok high, with gates to the east, west and south. Walk along the wall by the south gate for views of the thatched roofs inside.
• Ilgwanheon: the magistrate's office. The present building is a 1975 reconstruction. The Jeongui Confucian school stands nearby.
• Zelkova and hackberry trees: the zelkova is 30 m tall and about 5 m round and is thought to be roughly 1,000 years old; the hackberries around it are around 600. They are protected Natural Monuments.
• Historic houses: five houses, including the Gaekju inn and the homes of Go Pyeong-o, Go Chang-hwan and Han Bong-il, plus the blacksmith's house, are individually protected. Look for the typical Jeju layout built around two long, single-row houses.
• Dol hareubang: stone guardian figures are said to have been placed outside the magistrate's gate to watch over the town.

Good to know

Rice paddies were rare on Jeju, so islanders brewed with millet instead. Omegisul is a cloudy millet liquor made from omegi millet cakes, and the version brewed in Seongeup is protected as intangible heritage. In the Jeju language the zelkova is "gullugi-nang" and the hackberry "pok-nang".

Tripto tips

• Etiquette: most houses are private homes. Even if a gate is open, don't walk in; stick to the lanes and houses open to visitors. Some listed houses may be closed at the owners' discretion.
• Visiting: the village is free to explore; information for the fortress area is given as 10:00–17:00. A local heritage guide can be booked by phone.
• Time: 1–2 hours is enough for the wall, Ilgwanheon and a few houses.
• Events: the Jeonguigol folk festival takes place around October each year.

Nearby

• Kim Young Gap Gallery Dumoak: the gallery of a photographer who devoted his life to Jeju's mid-mountain landscapes.
• Pyoseon Haevichi Beach: a wide sandy beach to the south.
• Noksan-ro, Gasi-ri: a road known for canola and cherry blossoms blooming together in spring.