VISIT JEJU

Jeju Island isn’t just made up of beautiful Hallasan Mountain, its many Olle walking trails and coastal paths. There are hidden valleys to explore as well. In this case, Andeok Valley in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo. It is the filming location for the 2013 TV drama “Gu Family Book” starring Choi Jin-hyuk (as Wolryeong) and Lee Yeon-hee (as Seohwa). If you catch a few of the first episodes, you’ll get a good sense of the evergreen forest and clean spring water of Andeok Valley. The cave featured in the show is assumed to have been used by animals and humans for millennia. It’s also recorded to be a place where the exiled Joseon scholar Chusa Kim Jeong-hee visited. There are over 300 species of plants and other ferns growing all through the valley. How about trying to recreate some of the shots from the show using yourself as the stand-in for the characters Wolryeong and Seohwa?

This drama captures the spirit of Jeju Island’s unique natural scenery while exploring the story of nine people stranded after a plane crash. Filming locations included the Gotjawal Forest, Chagwido Islet, and Hwasun Beach all of which are characters in themselves as the untouched natural landscape of the story. Of these, the primeval Gotjawal Forest at Hwansang was the perfect setting for the characters Seo Jun-oh (Jung Kyung-ho) and Ha Ji-ah (Lee Seon-bin) to find herbal medicine for the injured parties. Its thick jungle of vines and rocks harken back to days of old, perfect for this dramatic story. In fact, this mysterious terrain is full of things to discover, and serves as a place for students to learn more about the nature of Jeju Island’s geology and ecology. So why not make it a destination for your own summer vacation?

There’s a volcanic cone called Mulyeongari Oreum in the area of Sumang Village, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo. When it rains heavily, its crater, some 508 meters above sea level, fills with water — this is how it gets its name. It is also the filming location for the film A Werewolf Boy, which used the nearby vast grassland and panoramic ranch to capture the spirit of the story it was telling. Here, Suni (Park Bo-young) and Werewolf Boy (Song Jung-gi) fall in love… framed by images of a cedar forest, grazing cattle, and green pastures that look more like a watercolor painting than a feature film. If you are fortunate enough to visit this oreum after it has rained, you’re sure to find some unexpected marvels in this scenery and up top at the crater’s edge.

Mazeland actually has three designs depicting the “three plenties” or samda culture that Jeju Island is famous for.  Its black basalt walls were built by a master craftsman. It also has green shrubbery, bamboo and water features to soothe your stressed mind. In fact, the more you walk in the maze, the more you find yourself enjoying the overall experience. In the Legend of the Blue Sea, however, the maze doubles not as a Jeju site, but rather is cast as the exotic scenery of Spain. The characters Huh Jun-jae (Lee Min-ho) and Shim Chung-yi (Jeon Ji-hyeon) take a stroll through this local labyrinth. Catch the film to see if you can spot any other obvious examples of Jeju Island’s scenery.

It’s amazing that this paradise, which most people can only dream of, is just an hour’s flight from Seoul. Its green fields and blue ocean are especially popular with women, who find it ever so romantic. This particular spot on the island is designated one of Seongsan’s top 10 sceneries. The origin of the name for Siksanbong Peak harkens back to when the area was often raided by foreign invaders. In On the Way to the Airport, it’s a fantastic backdrop for the love story of Choi Su-ah (played by Kim Ha-neul) and Suh Do-woo (Lee Sang-yoon), which takes place at the seaside village of Ojo-ri. The memorable shots of Suh Do-woo’s house are now a must-visit location. And with the magnificent Seongsan Sunrise Peak in the distance, the photos and memories you make here will be ones you can cherish for years to come.