A guide to South Korea’s Gangwon province: K-Drama locations, mountains, regional delicacies and more

When you step out of Incheon airport in Seoul, you expect to drive into the city and be catapulted into scenes you have seen in a host of city-slicker K-Dramas and films — an impressive skyline, chaotic, yet orderly traffic, convenience stores on every street corner, and some rain for that cinematic effect. 

We are however whisked away in another direction where a long highway awaits, to lead us to Gangwon. One among the three self-governing provinces in South Korea (the other two being Jeju and Jeonbuk), this vast province made up of seven cities and 11 counties does not always feature high on first-time tourist itineraries which focus on Seoul, Busan, and Jeju. We however want to tread differently, and in viral travel vlogspeak — are here to explore some hidden gems that the country has to offer. 

With less than 48 hours here, the sight of a bright blue sky studded with cotton candy clouds and a pleasant chill in the air has us enthused, and we forget any residual flying exhaustion as we make our way. It helps that we are munching on juicy strawberries we pick up from one of the many rest stops we pass by on our way here, with large food courts, scores of shops selling cute fashion accessories and most importantly, sparkling clean bathrooms.   

On location, K-Drama style

Less than two hours away from Incheon, we arrive at Nami Island in Chuncheon, a scenic tourist destination that has a self-declared micronation for tourists. A short ferry ride takes us to the island, which has beautiful walking trails framed by rows of majestic, tall trees, peacocks, and a smattering of cafes and restaurants for visitors. The location rose to prominence after it was featured in the 2002 K-Drama Winter Sonata, and brought in Japanese tourists in hordes who came here on a pilgrimage of sorts to see and recreate scenes from their favourite show. The tour guide, knowing I am a K-Drama fan, encourages me to strike a Winter Sonata pose, which I contemplate and then decide against. On a weekday, the island is calm, the air feels refreshing, and the trails are perfect for slow walks. For the more adventurous, there are bikes to rent, or even a zipline to try. 

Diving into a bowl of Makguksu

All the walking has made us hungry. There might be a chill in the air but for lunch, we try Gangwon’s regional speciality, makguksu. Buckwheat noodles, spicy sauce and boiled eggs in large bowls are drenched with a chilled, flavourful broth poured from aluminium kettles. “You try the noodles first and then add a soy sauce, spicy mustard or vinegar depending on your palate,” says Kim So Hee, a marketing manager with the Gangwon Tourism Department who guides us through how to try this regional delicacy. There is plenty of banchan, or Korean side dishes that fill up the table, and the unlimited refills have us thrilled for every meal in the coming days. 

A cable car with a view

A group of elderly women kitted out in hiking gear briskly walk past us as we guiltily wait to get on a cable car to take us up the Samaksan mountain, a hiking hotspot. At 3.61 kilometre, this mountain cable car is the longest in South Korea, and our glass cable car gives us stunning views of Uiamho lake. The observatory deck from the top of the mountain meanwhile, has a panoramic view of the lake and Chuncheon city. The best part? Enjoying the views while comfortably seated at an Ediya coffee outlet there, and sipping on a sweet potato latte, a drink I discover in Korea and already cannot seem to get enough of. 

A spicy regional favourite

We stroll through a narrow alley filled choc-a-block with dakgalbi restaurants in Chuncheon, another regional specialty which is so beloved that the city hosts a festival dedicated to this spicy stir-fried chicken dish annually. At the restaurant we walk into, tables are set with large, steaming hot plates of dakgalbi on charcoal stoves, containing a saucy gochujang mixture of diced chicken, potatoes, and pieces of noodles. We wear aprons all ready for the hearty meal, and it is not long before we get the hang of neatly wrapping up pieces of dakgalbi in perilla leaves, and washing it down with chilled bowls of maekgoli or rice wine. As the Koreans dive into a good meal, they say: Masuke Juseyo!(eat well!)

A deep dive into Korean history

Around four hours away from Chuncheon, we drive through scenic Goseong, with its rolling hills and occasional sightings of the sea to reach the Goseong Unification Observatory. We are in the northernmost part of South Korea now, and a short but steep walk up leads us to the observatory, a massive curved structure from where we can see the DMZ, the Hwajinpo beach in the East Sea, and a tiny glimpse of North Korea. There is also a DMZ museum there, for stories of the country’s past. 

Mountains for the photos

We are now on our way to the beautiful coastal city of Sokcho, and make a pitstop to take in the sprawling Seoraksan mountains. There are locals here in large numbers, and many of them are senior citizens who have come to hike up the mountains. We once again take a cable car up, this time a short 10 minute ride to the Gwongeumseong Fortress, which has stunning views of the mountains all around. This is the place for all those contemplative Instagram poses, I realise. There are scores of tourists attempting to strike a pose, some just taking in the views, and many others digging into spicy down below, having chosen not to do the final climb to the viewpoint. 

To market, to market

In Sokcho, the fisheries market is nothing like a noisy classroom. Long brightly lit corridors have shops selling every imaginable regional snack, stacks of artfully arranged kimbap ready for dinner service, an array of banchan which includes kimchi varieties, stir-fried greens, seasoned anchovies and more, and fast food stalls selling everything from ice creams to crepes for the tourists — the place feels like an orderly, sensory explosion of the best kind. Even when we are led to a designated area where the fresh catch is sold, it is all spanking clean minus the unmistakable stench of drying seafood. We dig into some sticky sweet fried chicken from one of the food stalls, and buy puffed rice cakes by the dozen, eager to eat it when on the road in the coming days. 

At our final pitstop for the night in Sokcho, we are treated to unmatched views of the sea all around. There is an odd calmness that falls over the city once the sun sets, and the roaring of the sea is all what you can hear. Some fresh fish, an array of banchan, and stir-fried deodeok, a root vegetable tossed in gochujang, sesame and scallions with a side of soju now await us. I could get used to this Korean life. Where are my charming, slice-of-life seaside K-Drama lovers at?

The writer was in South Korea on invitation from Korea Tourism Organization.