Jeongbang Waterfall

Jeongbang Waterfall, South Korea

Jeongbang Waterfall cascading over dark basalt cliffs directly into the turquoise sea at sunrise, framed by wet foreground rocks.

Jeongbang Waterfall drops from a basalt lip straight into the sea on Jeju's south coast, and it is worth the short detour from Seogwipo.

The place

Jeongbang Waterfall sits on the southern coast of Jeju Island, in Seogwipo, where its water falls about 23 m (75 ft) before meeting the ocean. The fall is unusually close to the sea, and that closeness shapes the whole visit. The stream that feeds it is called Donghong-cheon, and its flow depends heavily on recent rain. After a wet spell the fall can spread to around 8 m (26 ft) wide, while in a dry season it thins to a narrow curtain.

The waterfall is counted among Yeongjusipgeong, the ten great scenic wonders of Jeju, and it is one of three famous falls on the island, alongside Cheonjiyeon and Cheonjeyeon. A smaller fall, Sojeongbang, stands about 300 m to the east. Offshore, the islets of Seopeom and Beomseom frame the view, which is one of the more striking sights on the southern coast.

The area around the falls is busy in summer, when day-trippers and tour groups arrive by bus from Jeju City. Early mornings are calmer and make the rocks by the sea easier to reach before the crowds build. The spray is strong on windy days, so the sea-facing spots can be wet even when the sky looks clear. Seogwipo itself is a relaxed town, and most people combine the falls with a walk through the market or a drive along the coast.

Its story

Jeongbang Waterfall carries more legend than most falls of its size, and the oldest of its stories concerns a search for the herb of eternal youth. According to the tale, the first emperor of China sent a servant named Seobul to fetch the herb from Hallasan, the great mountain at the centre of Jeju. He never found it. On the way back he reached the falls and carved a message into the cliff wall, and that carving has since vanished. An inscription reading Seobulgwacha is still said to recall his journey.

Another story holds that a sacred dragon lived beneath the falls. Its spirit was believed to remain in the water and to hold the power to cure illness and bring rain when the island was parched. Nearby, a small fall was said to look like a servant waiting upon a lord, which gave the valley an almost courtly character in local imagination.

The falls also carry a far darker memory. During the 1948 Jeju uprising, civilians swept up in the unrest were killed close to the falls, and their bodies were thrown over the drop. The site is now remembered in that sombre light as well as for its myths. Visitors who know this history tend to speak more quietly at the base of the cliff, and the legends and the memory sit side by side in the same place.

What to see

Culture

Jeongbang Waterfall is a place of local belief as well as recent grief, and the best way to visit is to keep both in mind. The dragon legend is still told by people on the island, and the spirit of the falls is treated with a degree of respect. The killings of 1948 are part of the local memory, so the cliff edge and the base of the falls call for a quieter manner than the seaside beaches nearby. Families may come to remember relatives, and small gatherings are not unusual. Photographs of the falls are welcome, but avoid posing in a way that treats the memorial site as a backdrop, and ask before photographing local people at the market or in the village lanes. Shoes are usually worn on the paths, but many people leave food and drink in the car when they walk down to the rocks. Stay behind railings near the cliff edge, and take all litter away with you.

What to wear

Jeongbang Waterfall lies on Jeju, an island whose traditional dress grew out of farming, fishing and the sea. Like the rest of Korea, the island's festive clothing centred on the hanbok, with silk worn for ceremonies and special occasions. Everyday clothing was made from simpler fabrics such as hemp and ramie, often woven at home and sometimes dyed with persimmon juice, which gave a stiff, brown cloth suited to heavy work. Older women on the island were known for practical, durable garments that could handle wet fields and the sea.

Today most people in Seogwipo dress much as city dwellers do across Korea, in jeans, trainers, layered jackets and comfortable walking clothes. Hanbok appears mainly at festivals, weddings and in photographs at heritage villages. Traditional dress is not expected from visitors.

For a visit to the falls, wear light layers that dry quickly, because the spray can soak you on windy days. Choose shoes with real grip, since basalt and wet stone are slippery underfoot. A sun hat and water bottle help in summer. Modest clothing is the norm when visiting village houses or any active memorial site.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. April and May, and September and October, suit a visit best, with milder air and healthy water after spring and autumn rain. Summer brings the largest crowds and heat, and the falls look most dramatic after heavy rain. In dry spells the flow is thinner, so check the weather before you set out.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly into Jeju International Airport, then take the airport limousine bus to Seogwipo, a journey of around an hour and a quarter. From Jeju City, take bus 100 to the bus terminal, where buses leave for Seogwipo about every 10 minutes and take roughly an hour. The last leg to the falls is a short taxi or bus ride from the town centre.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources