Uljin, North Gyeongsang: The East Coast Escape Worth the Journey

Uljin-gun, on the North Gyeongsang stretch of the East Sea coast, is quietly one of the most scenically loaded destinations on the Korean peninsula — and late autumn is genuinely the right time to go. The county is actively promoting its natural and cultural draws for the season, and the lineup is specific enough to plan around.

The tvN variety program 'Mat-ttara Gil-ttara Daemyeong-ittara' recently filmed at Jiksangang (직산항) in Pyeonghae-eup, which is reason enough for K-ent fans to add it to the itinerary. The port has the kind of unhurried fishing-village atmosphere and coastal air that you can experience in person.

The Haeparang-gil coastal trail runs along Uljin's shoreline and is highlighted as a late-autumn walking destination. Along the route sit Wolsongjong and Mangyangjeong — traditional pavilions with sea and pine forest views — plus Hupo Deungisan, where the Deungisan Skywalk offers an elevated look over the East Sea. The Hupo area also has a harbor where you can eat fresh seafood straight from the source.

For the inland leg, the Geumgang Pine Forest Trail (금강소나무숲길) is the standout. The forest is made up of centuries-old Geumgang pines — the kind that stay green year-round — and in autumn the fall foliage layers in against the evergreen canopy. It's the kind of place that earns the trip on its own.

On the events side: a KBS 'Jeonkuk Norae Jarang' (전국노래자랑) public recording for the Uljin edition is scheduled at a special outdoor stage at Hupo Marina Port on November 14, starting at 2PM. Local residents perform as contestants, and invited singers are also on the program. If you happen to be in the area that day, it's a free live performance with a genuinely local crowd — the kind of thing you can't plan from abroad but will remember if you stumble into it.

Near Jukbyeon Port — where the 2026 Jukbyeon Port Seafood Festival ran November 6–8 — Jukbyeon Lighthouse and Heart Beach are within walking distance and worth the detour even outside festival season.