VISIT JEJU

Jitotoon is an Instagram webtoon, or Instatoon, created by artist Yu Ji-an. The webtoon details the stories and events around Yu’s workplace as she begins her career as an office worker. 

The protagonist of the webtoon is a rabbit named Jito, “Ji” from the artist Yu Ji-an’s name and “to” from the Korean word for rabbit (tokki).

Jitotoon won acclaim for its relatable content no matter the age of the reader, and artist Yu Ji-an opened her souvenir shop Jito’s Forest in Jeju last April to similar acclaim. 

Although a relatively new addition to Jeju’s tourist scene, Jito’s Forest has already become a popular tourist destination through word of mouth.

Follow a quiet village street in Sehwa-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, to find a red house. 

The store is not large by any means, but it has a parking lot and plenty of things to browse through inside. 

What’s more, the tote bags, T-shirts, memo pads, postcards, plates, and other merchandises on offer all feature iconic characters, so you can’t help but reach for your wallet.

Before you visit Jito's Forest, note that one-day classes are held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., except on days off (Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

One-day classes can teach you how to draw a caricature, make a webtoon based on stories from your daily life, or create an emoji. 

If you want to participate, you need to make your reservation through Naver Reservation. Each class can accommodate up to four students. 

Not all of these classes will be offered at once, as one-day classes will be held as reservations fill up the available space. 

Depending on the class, you may need to bring an iPad or other device, and the room is also available for rental.

After the one-day class, the shop is open from 12:00 to 18:00. 

It can accommodate up to 8 visitors at a time. 

If you visit the shop in person, you can even get the artist to draw your caricature. 

You can choose between a large caricature and a 1-minute caricature, and you can have your caricature drawn with your pet or from a picture. 

The 1-minute caricature is KRW 5,000 per person, so it can be a good experience to have. 

You’ll be surprised at how much detail and attention the artist can fit into a one-minute drawing session.

Jito’s Forest has many faces, from an artist’s studio to a souvenir shop to a classroom. 

It is a place where everyone is welcome, whether you are a reader of the webtoon, someone who has stumbled upon it, or a local who has fallen in love with it.