I had previously visited Gangneung for a 1-night, 2-day trip in 2022. However, in 2023, I embarked on another trip to Gangneung. The main difference from the 2022 trip was that while the previous one was a casual trip with a close friend, the 2023 trip was with scholars from the U.S. State Department.
There was also a difference in the timing of the trips. In 2022, the trip took place in May, just before spring ended. In contrast, the 2023 trip occurred in midsummer, during August. As a result, even though both trips visited the same locations, they had entirely different characteristics.
“1-night, 2-day Gangneung Trip with U.S. State Department Scholars in 2023”
We conducted a six-week program with scholars dispatched from the U.S. State Department to South Korea. The program focused on Korean language classes and various cultural experiences. Whenever we had free time, we also took trips to Seoul and its surrounding areas. As the program approached its end, we decided to go on a 1-night, 2-day graduation trip to Gangneung.
The trip to Gangneung took place on August 4th – 5th, which coincided with the peak travel season in South Korea. Particularly, the East Coast, where Gangneung is located, tends to be crowded with vacationers no matter where you go. This resulted in the travel time from Seoul to Gangneung taking much longer than expected. Furthermore, since we departed from Seoul on a Saturday, there were even more cars on the road.
The Gangneung trip, which started from Hanyang University in Seoul, ended up departing much later than initially planned, causing a significant delay in the schedule. Consequently, we had to make adjustments along the way, including changing our first meal location to a rest area. Nevertheless, I felt fortunate that the students I was with enjoyed the travel itinerary.
In reality, I used the skeleton of the itinerary from the casual trip with a friend in 2022 and made some changes to visit places that the students would enjoy. Since it was a group trip with students, I felt that we should also visit educational places in addition to sightseeing. As a result, the final places we visited were as follows:
“August 4th, 2023” (Day 1)
- Gangneung Ojukheon: Gangneung Shin Saimdang’s Family Home, Birthplace of Yi I (Yulgok): Ojukheon
- Gangneung Ojukheon & Municipal Art Museum Special Exhibition “Na Han”: Gangneung Ojukheon, Municipal Museum Special Exhibition ‘Faces that Speak to Me’
- Gangneung Gyeongpo Beach “Summer Scenery”: “Gangneung Gyeongpo Beach: Summer Scenery”
- Gangneung Wolhwageori (Moonlit Path): Wolhwa Street, Chunhyangjeon-themed Street in Gangneung
- Gangneung Jungang Market: Gangneung Central Market: Sampling a Variety of Delicacies
- Gangneung Jungang Market “Gwangdeok Sikdang” (Restaurant): Gwangdeok Restaurant, Famous for SoMeori Gukbap at Gangneung Jungang Market
- Pyeongchang Hotel “The White”: “The White Hotel & Resort” in Pyeongchang
“August 5th, 2023” (Day 2)
- Gangneung Chodang-dong “Chodang Halmeoni Sundubu” (Grandmother’s Soft Tofu): Gangneung Chodang Tofu Restaurant: Chodang Grandma’s Soft Tofu Stew
- Gangneung Jumunjin Beach: Summer Scenery at Gangneung Jumunjin Beach
- Gangneung Jumunjin Beach “BTS Bus Stop”: BTS Bus Stop at Gangneung Jumunjin Beach
- Gangneung Yeongjin Beach Bangsaje (Lighthouse): Jumunjin, Goblin Drama Filming Location “Yeongjin Beach Breakwater”
- Gangneung Yeongjin Beach: Jumunjin Beach “Yeongjin Beach”
- Pyeongchang Hanwoo Village Daegwallyeong Branch: Pyeongchang Daegwallyeong Meat Restaurant “Pyeongchang Hanwoo Village”
You can find descriptions for each location by clicking on the links above. Conducting a trip with a group was indeed more challenging than traveling alone or with a friend, especially in terms of visiting multiple places.
When I travel alone or with a friend, the emphasis is usually on exploration rather than visiting many places. Perhaps because I have a hobby of organizing and updating information on websites, I naturally find myself wanting to visit new places to write about. If I hadn’t visited Gangneung in advance last year, it might have been more challenging to plan a trip with students this year. Since it was a group trip that required coordinated movement, including as many pre-surveyed places as possible was helpful for a stable trip.
Concluding the 1-night, 2-day Gangneung trip meant it was time to say farewell to the students I had spent six weeks with. Although it was a bit sad, it was a valuable time where we could make memories together until the very end.
“Gangneung Trip”
- Details: Trip with scholars from the U.S. State Department
- Duration: August 4th – 5th, 2023