[A Night Away] Discovering Donghae's treasures

Located between Gangneung and Samcheok in Gangwon, Donghae is a fairly new city that was created in 1980 by joining two small towns together – Mukho of Myeongju county and Bukpyeong of Samcheok. Donghae may have a short history but has a lot to ...

Mureungbyul Yucheonji in Donghae City, Gangwon [YIM SEUNG-HYE]i

DONGHAE, Gangwon — Located between Gangneung and Samcheok in Gangwon, Donghae is a fairly new city that was created in 1980 by joining two small towns together — Mukho of Myeongju county and Bukpyeong of Samcheok.

Donghae may have a short history but has a lot to offer to different types of travelers. You can walk up Nongoldam-gil's steep hill at Mukho Starlight Village and admire the murals painted on the walls of the old houses while listening to the history of the residents who worked hard to make a living in this port city.

For those who hope to get their adrenalin pumping amid the lush green hills can visit Mureung Byeolyucheonji, where there are thrilling high-element activities to experience. Mount Duta is also a celebrated spot for the country's avid climbers. If you are in this group, get ready to be mesmerized by Mother Nature and try the Beteulbawi Rock trail. The trail stops by the Mureung Valley and goes all the way up to the Beteulbawi Rock, taking about four hours and 30 minutes. The best route is to depart from Mureung Scenic Spot, take a look around Samhwasa Temple and Dutasangseong Fortress, then head down Mount Duta.

The city offers so much that visitors say Donghae is like an “assorted gift set” with everything in one box. Since it only takes two hours and 40 minutes to get to Donghae Station by KTX high-speed train from Seoul Station, a two-day trip will not be too strenuous.

Thursday 12 p.m. Mukho Starlight Village

Mukho Starlight Village near Mukho Port of Donghae [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

Begin your tour of Donghae at Mukho Starlight Village, which is just 10 minutes by car from Donghae Station. This village was formed as a hinterland for those who made a living by selling pollack at Mukho Port during the 1940s and 50s.

The port opened in 1941 and its heyday was the 1970s when it was used as both a fishing port and an industrial port transporting cement and coal. People built houses on a hill looking down towards the port and it naturally evolved into a village that exists until today.

The population declined rapidly in the 1980s and 90s due to depleting fish stocks and fading coal industry. Residents left the village one after another and there are currently more empty houses than occupied ones. Today, only about 160 people reside here, 42 percent of whom are aged over 70.

In 2016, the city government decided to turn the village into a tourist hotspot by refurbishing it and renovating the alleyways, as well as installing stairs, handrails and streetlights. The government also invited artists to paint murals on the walls of the houses to create a walking course guided by village ladies telling stories of how the village was formed and the Mukho's history. The murals act as illustrations of a picture book and visitors will be able to listen to the story as they enjoy the murals on the walls and walk up the hilltop.

The walking course takes about 20 minutes and you’ll finally reach Mukho cafe operated by the village cooperatives. The village lady who was a guide then turns into a barista and prepares beverages of your choice. You can cool down here for a while enjoying the panoramic view of the eastern sea from atop Mukho Starlight Village.

Why is it called a starlight village? This is the question visitors ask most frequently, according to Lim Myeong-soon, a villager who works as a guide and a barista at the Mukho cafe.

“When the sun comes down, people in this hilly village begin turning the lights on in their houses and from afar, it looks like glittering stars so the village was named Mukho Starlight Village,” she explained.

1 p.m. Photo-op with the Little Prince

The Little Prince mural at the Mukho Starlight Village [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

When coming downhill, take a different course and come down the 109 Stairs, known for the Little Prince mural. It is a popular photo spot and an area that has come to symbolize the village. This steep stairway used to be the only passageway to the village that villagers reluctantly used back in the day, but is now a hotspot attracting tourists from across the country.

Grabbing some lunch before heading off for the following activities is highly suggested.

There is a Central Market on the way to the Dojjaebigol Sky Valley. The market naturally opened its doors in 1943 when the port opened. There are around 300 operational stores and a spicy noodle dish called jangkalguksu is one of the area’s specialties. Kalguksu is a type of noodle soup that can be made with chicken, clam, anchovy, beef and even ground perilla seed broth. Adding jang, or red pepper paste, turns the noodle into jangkalguksu. If you can’t handle spicy, go for janchiguksu, another Korean noodle dish with anchovy or beef broth.

2 p.m.Time for some adrenaline at Dojjaebigol Sky Valley

Dojjjaebigol Sky Valley [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

The word dojjaebi is a Gangwon dialect for dokkaebi, a Korean word for goblins in folktales. It is said that hues of blue formed at night in the area whenever it rains so people began to call the neighborhood Dojjaebi Valley.

Sky Cycle at Dojjaebigol Sky Valley [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

The city government only recently turned it into a fun park by installing a skywalk allowing visitors to walk towards the ocean 59 meters (193.5 feet) above sea level. If you are a thrill-seeker, try the Sky Cycle, a bicycle ride while suspended in the sky. The bicycle is attached to a tightrope 179 meters tall so you won’t fall, but it’ll definitely give you the chills. A round trip costs 15,000 won ($11.20). Being back on solid ground will be better with the Giant Slide (3,000 won) as it’s faster and more exciting. It may look like it’s only for kids, but the slide is 87 meters long and fast enough to make you scream all the way down.

5 p.m. Stargazing Gangwon is known for its stars and Donghae Byeolnuri Astronomical Observatory is worth a visit. It takes about 15 minutes by car from the Dojjaebigol Sky Valley or 10 minutes from Mukho Station. Although not a large observatory, it has a planetarium and two different observatories with various telescopes allowing visitors to view the night sky or the sunspot or solar activities during daylight hours.

In the planetarium, visitors can watch a space science video projected onto a seven-meter dome screen on the ceiling while sitting in a reclining chair. The observatory operates every Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations can be made via dhyc.or.kr or by calling 070-4238-3461.

Raw fish restaurants dot the city [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

It is good to wrap up the day with some fresh raw fish at one of the restaurants dotting the city. One recommendation is Doshieobu restaurant in Eodal Port. The restaurant looks out at the open sea and after sundown, you can enjoy a great view of the glittering fishing boats.

Friday10 a.m. Mureong Byulyucheonji

Lavender garden at Mureungbyul Yucheonji [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

Even Korean travelers are surprised that such gorgeous scenery exists in Korea. The location was used by Ssangyong C&E to excavate, mine and process limestone, a raw material in cement. When it closed 40 years ago, the company invested 30.4 billion won and turned this vast 1.07 million-square-meter complex into a high-element activity park and observatory in 2021. There are majestic cliffs and an emerald-colored artificial lake that was created during the process of cutting the mountain slope for mining, offering a spectacular view. It is a must to go up to the observatory standing 270 meters above ground, not just for the view but also to try the Cement Soft Serve (6,500 won) made using black sesame. The spoon is shaped like a tiny shovel and comes with a roasted marshmallow.

The park is also famous for its lavender garden and the whole area turns purple during summer. But the highlight of the place is the thrilling activities like Sky Glider (30,000 won). You’ll feel like you are an eagle flying 777 meters across the park, 125 meters above the ground.

Mureungbyul Yucheonji's Cement Soft Serve [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

There is also an Off-road Ludge ride (15,000 won) that lets you zoom down a 1.5-kilometer-long (0.9-mile) track, an Alpine Coaster ride (20,000 won) that resembles a personal bobsled and a Rollercoaster Zip Line (20,000 won) that twists and turns. To enjoy all four rides, go for the package deal costing 70,000 won.

2 p.m. Hiking time

Beteul Rock in Mount Doota [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Two waterfalls called Ssangpokpo in Mount Doota [JOONGANG PHOTO]

For those who want some more exercise, head off to Mount Duta (1,352m) or Mount Cheongok (1,403m) right next to it. The two peaks form the Baekdu-daegan mountain range and Mureung Valley, known for two waterfalls, is located here. Visitors can enjoy the famous Beteul Rock and try the fortress trail spanning 7.3 kilometers. It’ll take approximately five hours, but the trail offers a magnificent vista of Yongchu Waterfall, Sinseon Peak, Mount Geumgang Rock and Mount Duta Canyon Skyscraper. Guided travel around Meureung Valley can be requested at the Mount Duta entrance.

Getting around The city government operates a city tour bus that stops at 10 different tourist hot spots including all the places mentioned in this article. It operates six times daily and circling the whole route takes one hour and 30 minutes. Travelers with a day pass, which costs 5,000 won, can use the bus as many times as they want within the same day. The bus operates from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.

Nongoldam-gil in K-dramas In “The Heirs (2013),” this area was the filming location of Cha Eun-sang’s (played by actor Park Shin-hye) home, whereas the Mukho Lighthouse made an appearance in “Brilliant Legacy (2009),” featuring actors Han Hyo-joo and Lee Seung-gi.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]