🎧 Yul's Korea Audio Guide
Gangneung: Gyeongpo, Coffee Street & Ojukheon
Narrated in English with Korean phrases by YUL of KVIBE IDOLS.
🎵 Background music: Still in That Spring (그 봄에 머물러) — KVIBE IDOLS · Listen to the full song →
Full transcript
Annyeong, yeoreobun! Yul here. Smell that? Ocean breeze and fresh coffee. Welcome to Gangneung, on Korea's east coast, a city of beaches, cafes, and one very famous family.
First stop, Gyeongpo. There's a calm lake, a long sandy beach, and on a little hill, Gyeongpodae Pavilion. It was first built in 1326, during the Goryeo dynasty, and moved to this spot in 1508. Locals love an old romantic saying: on a moonlit night here, you can see five moons. One in the sky, one in the sea, one in the lake, one in your cup, and one in the eyes of the person you love.
Next, coffee! Along Anmok Beach there's a coffee street, with cafe after cafe facing the waves. Some of Korea's first-generation coffee masters opened their roasteries in Gangneung, and since 2009, the city has hosted the Gangneung Coffee Festival.
And now, the twist. Take out your Korean money. On the 5,000 is Yulgok Yi I, one of the greatest scholars of the Joseon dynasty. On the 50,000 is Shin Saimdang, a brilliant artist and poet. Here's the thing: they're mother and son! And both were born in the same house, Ojukheon, right here in Gangneung. Ojuk means black bamboo, and it's one of the oldest homes in Korea. One family, two banknotes. Daebak!
Yul's tip! Visit Ojukheon in the morning, enjoy coffee by the sea at Anmok in the afternoon, and walk around Gyeongpo Lake at sunset.
That's it for this journey. See you at our next stop around Korea. Annyeong!
