Chuncheon – The Home of Dakgalbi

A white sign reads "Chuncheon" in front of a hazy background of mountains, rivers, forests and a crane.

Chuncheon, about an hour east of Seoul by train, is the capital of Gangwon province. The city is where dakgalbi originated. This spicy stir-fried chicken dish is a must try when in the city. Also in close proximity to Chuncheon is Nami Island, one of the main reasons people visit the region.

Things to do in Chuncheon

Soyanggang Skywalk

The full length of the Soyanggang Skywalk taking from the side, showing the bridge and fish statue at the end.

On the banks of the Bukhan River you can visit the Soyanggang Skywalk. This bridge extends 174 metres out into the river, with most of it comprised of a transparent glass floor. You get pretty good views of the surrounding area and can see the fish statue at the end.

Looking down the Soyanggang Skywalk, with the glass floor below.
The silver fish sculpture at the end of the Soyanggang Skywalk, sitting in the river.

Entry is ₩2,000 but you get a voucher worth the same amount to spend at local restaurants. Also nearby is the statue of the Soyanggang Maid, a 12-metre-high statue inspired by the song of the same name.

The Soyanggang Maid statue depicting a grey woman.

Nami Island

A sign reads "Nami Island" on brown grass, with trees of green and red behind.

Nami Island is a beautiful island in the Bukhan River. The island gets its name from General Nami, a Joseon era military commander who is believed to be buried on the island. The island has declared cultural independence from South Korea and goes by the Naminara Republic. This “micronation” is still part of Korea, but you can buy Naminara passports which grant you free access to the island for a year. The island is best visited in Autumn when all the leaves change to red, orange and yellow, though this is likely to be the busiest time to visit.

Towering metasequoia trees with bright yellow leaves.

To reach Nami, take the train to Gapyeong then a bus down to the Nami Island Recreation Area Quay. You can also walk there in about 20-30 minutes. Here you can buy the combined return ferry and entry ticket for ₩19,000. If the ferry is too tame, you can also reach the island by zip line.

The ferry packed with people crosses the water, while above two people can be seen zip lining.

It’s easy to walk around the island, but you can also opt for the mini train, a guided tour cart, or rent a bike. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants so you can enjoy a few hours on the island, or for a longer stay there’s even a hotel.

The mini train tracks running through the forest, with orange leaves covering the ground.

There are trees everywhere transitioning through the autumn colours, and for the best photos head to one of the many tree lanes. These include the towering metasequoia trees, the ginkgo tree lane and the Korean pine tree lane.

Towering metasequoia trees with bright yellow leaves.
Gingko trees with bright yellow leaves.
Looking up at a row of trees by the riverside, where the all the leaves are bright yellow.

There are wild rabbits and squirrels inhabiting the island, and there’s even some “gangster” ostriches.

Two rabbits, one black and the other white, foraging on the forest floor.
A grey squirrel climbing down a tree, stopped halfway down the trunk.
Two ostriches sitting in the sun in their enclosure.
A sign explaining why the ostriches are called Kkangta in Korean, meaning gangster ostrich - they were stealing tourists' lunches.

There is a veteran’s memorial and the tomb of general Nami. The shield of peace statue shows a tank with its gun locked in a shield, highlighting this is an island of peace where children can play freely.

A stone plinth marks the veteran's memorial.
A tank backlit by the sun has its main gun locked in a metal shield.

Scenes from the Kdrama Winter Sonata were filmed on the island. You can see a statue of the two main characters and also take a photo where they shared their first kiss.

A statue depicting the main characters from the Kdrama Winter Sonata holding each other.
A sign marks this as the site of the first kiss in the Kdrama Winter Sonata, with a couple posing in the background at the bench where the kiss occurred.

You can spend a few hours walking from the northern to the southern point of Nami, seeing the trees and wildlife, the statues and sculptures, and enjoying food and drink in between while learning about the island and its history.

A wooden walkway at the southern point of Nami Island with a view over the river.
People posing for photos under a canopy of orange and yellow leaves.

Eat Dakgalbi

A large circular skillet pan filled with chicken, tteok and cabbage coated in a soy sauce set in the middle of a round wooden table.

Chuncheon is the home of dakgalbi, a stir-fried chicken dish that is typically spicy. It’s made of diced chicken, and then things like cabbage and tteok are fried together with it. It’s also common to have it with fried rice or noodles, and lots of cheese to counter the spice. If chicken covered in gochujang sounds too hot, then like me you can opt for a soy sauce base instead.

Recommendations:

For more tasty Korean food, try Jeonju
For more Korean islands, try Jeju
For more coastal skywalks, try Busan

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