A Rock Standing Alone Like a Candle — Samcheok's Chogok Yonggul Chotdaebawi Trail
The sound of waves breaking beneath the wooden deck reverberates up through the soles of your feet. Salty sea wind touches your face, and at the edge of a cliff, a single rock rises sharp as a candle, standing alone above the blue sea. This is the Samcheok Chogok Yonggul Chotdaebawi Trail — the 20th installment of "How Far Have You Been in Korea?"
At a glance: Location Chogok-ri, Geundeok-myeon, Samcheok, Gangwon Province · Course total 660 meters (512-meter deck path + 56-meter suspension bridge), 30-40 minutes round trip · Hours 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (until 5 p.m. from November to February), open year-round · Admission free · Getting there Bus No. 242 from Samcheok Intercity Bus Terminal, about 30 minutes · Inquiries 033-575-4605
For nearly 60 years, this trail was a military zone off-limits to civilians. Only after the cliffside path — once restricted for coastal defense purposes — was refurbished and opened as a walking trail did the striking rock formations, carved over long ages by the waves, come into public view. The "Yonggul" (dragon cave) in the name comes from a legend of a bay in the rock where an imugi (a giant serpent in Korean folklore believed to be a stage before becoming a dragon) is said to have ascended to the sky as a dragon, while "Chotdaebawi" (candlestick rock) takes its name from the rock jutting up in the shape of a candle at the cliff's edge.
The deck path hugs close to the cliff the whole way, with a sheer rock wall on the right and the East Sea opening up to the horizon on the left as you walk. Waves breaking can be seen through the gaps in the deck underfoot, and at the end of the course hangs a 56-meter suspension bridge that sways gently with every step. Looking down from the bridge reveals the sea's color where green and deep navy blue overlap, and on windy days, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and throwing up white spray grows even louder.
Despite being free, the trail is still not widely known, which is part of its charm — you can walk it far more quietly than famous coastal attractions. With no admission fee and a public parking lot open 24 hours, it's an easy trip requiring no special preparation. Nearby, the Janghohang fishing village experience center also offers transparent kayak experiences, making it easy to combine into a half-day itinerary.
Photos and course reviews from other travelers who have walked the same East Coast trail can also be shared in the Korea Tourism Times open chat room. This 20th destination, not yet visited by many, is worth adding to next weekend's East Coast itinerary.