Gongsanseong Fortress

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! Yul here in Gongju. Look at this stone wall, winding over the hills above the Geumgang River like a sleeping dragon. Welcome to Gongsanseong Fortress!

Let's go back to the year 475. The kingdom of Baekje is in big trouble. Goguryeo, from the north, has overrun its capital, Hanseong, near today's Seoul. Baekje has to move south, and it picks this spot, then called Ungjin: mountains on one side, a river on the other. Perfect for defense! Ungjin stayed the capital until 538, and here Baekje slowly got strong again.

The walls stretch more than two and a half kilometers. And nearby, in 1971, workers fixing drainage accidentally found the untouched tomb of King Muryeong, one of Baekje's greatest kings, packed with treasures. Daebak!

But the fortress has another story. In 1624, a general named Yi Gwal rebelled, and King Injo of Joseon fled here. Legend says the worried king leaned on two trees, so a pavilion called Ssangsujeong, the two trees pavilion, was later built. And another legend: a local man named Im brought the hungry king some rice cake. The king loved it so much that it was called Im-jeolmi, which became injeolmi, the soybean-powder rice cake you can still eat today. Tasty legend!

Yul's tip! Walk along the top of the wall for river views, especially at sunset. In 2015, Gongsanseong became part of the UNESCO Baekje Historic Areas. And in autumn, look out for the Baekje Cultural Festival.

That's all for now. More stories from all over Korea next time. Annyeong!