Jeju: Moments in Color

By Fatin Maketab

It was my mother’s dream since watching a Korean drama called Lie to Me, starring Yoon Eunhye and Kang Jihwan, to visit Jeju Island and see all the breath-taking sights featured in the drama. Known as the “Hawai’i of Asia” due its mild climate all year round, Jeju Island is the perfect place to see beautiful mountain and sea views.

Although it is possible to fly to Jeju from Seoul, as we have been to Seoul quite a number of times, we decided to make this trip our first one to the second largest metropolitan city in South Korea - Busan.

Located at the southeast coast of the peninsular, Busan is famous for its seafood, beaches and rough but charming dialect. Also heavily featured in K-dramas and movies such as Haeundae Lovers and New World, it was a city we were curious about and were happy to finally plan our trip around.

There are two ways to get to Jeju Island from Busan - either by ferry or by plane. We chose to take a flight to Jeju, due to the fact that taking a ferry would be an overnight trip. I chose to book with East Star Jet, as it was comparably cheaper than the other airlines, especially with an additional discount that came with a free membership.

As soon as we touched down in Jeju, after passing through all the formalities, we went straight to a car rental counter. Now, there is a pretty decent public transportation system on the island, but based on reviews, it could cost you a lot of time. Therefore, the most popular choice to get around on Jeju is by renting a car.

The process is relatively easy - you just need a valid International Driving Permit, as well as your own driver’s license from your country. The only thing that could possibly become an issue is having to adjust to how the locals drive on the right side of the road. It is a wonder how us Malaysians are one of the few countries that drive on the left side.

The cars generally come with a GPS navigation system (make sure you ask for one in English!) that are easy to use. They even come with features that can help you decide where to go next. However, the GPS tablets will make a lot of noise if you drive faster than the speed limit so better be careful not to.

This trip marked my 4^th time to South Korea - although it was my first time to Busan city and Jeju Island. I have been self-teaching myself Korean (now learning Korean as a third language officially here at UiTM) for about 8 years now. A notable difference seen this time round was that I was considerably more confident and self-assured in my ability to communicate in Korean.

See, the thing about Koreans is despite how they learn English just as Malaysians do in school, we rank higher than them when it comes to comprehension and vocabulary. Most Koreans freeze when foreign tourists approach them, because they are insecure about their ability to communicate.

By getting rid of the language barrier, Korean locals became significantly less hesitant to allow me to approach them when asking for directions. Although there may have been hiccups in getting the message across, I was more enthusiastic to engage with Koreans in their language this time.

Before, I was always worried that they would laugh at me for misusing their language. However, I discovered that to most of them, it was always a massive relief when they didn’t have to presumably embarrass themselves trying to use English. However, there are exceptions, of course, being Koreans who worked hard to study English to be able to communicate with tourists better.

Top 10 Jeju To-Do List

   1.       Hike up to Seongsan Sunrise Peak - On the east side of the island lies a dormant volcano that takes from 30 minutes to an hour to conquer. Due to its position, it is a favorite spot for both tourists and locals to watch the sun rise.

   2.  Walk along the Olle trails - Inspired by the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the Olle trails are long-distance foot paths mostly by the coast of the island, aimed at allowing its trekkers to view Jeju’s most amazing views while getting a little bit of exercise.

33. Get to the top of Mount Halla - South Korea’s highest mountain, Mount Halla has numerous trails that differ in difficulty and in time spent. While only two trails make it to the top, Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak, the latter is recommended for beginner hikers.

   4.    Meet the “haenyeos” of Jeju - Mostly aged above 50, the lady free-divers of Jeju are the pride of the island. You’ll be able to tell where they are from the bright orange buoys floating on the ocean surface.

   5.       Get a taste of Jeju cuisine - It is a pretty well-known fact that seafood tastes best by the sea, which is true of Jeju seafood. While abalone porridge is a must-have, don’t forget to try their award-winning citrus fruit, the Hallabong.

    6.       Experience Jeju history at a traditional folk village - Seongeup Folk Village and Jeju Folk Village are two such examples, where painstakingly reconstructed buildings and preserved artifacts are out on display. With specially planned experience programs, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

    7. Enter Asia’s longest lava tube - Jeju’s Manjanggul Cave is as stated, although only a kilometer of its 13.4 kilometers in length is open to the public, it is worth checking out.

      8.   Kick back and relax in a cafe - Due to its rising population of young folks escaping city life, there has been a significant mushrooming of cafes with splendid views - varying from the rustic and quaint to the savvy and sleek. A rainy afternoon is best spent indoors at one of these cafes, with relaxing ambient music playing.

     9.      Awe at the odd lava rock formations - Jeju Island is stood on volcanic rock, so there are tons of different lava rock formations to look at. My recommendations are the Jusangjeolli Cliffs that are hexagonal in shape, as well as Dragonhead Rock, which is (you guessed it) formed like a dragon’s noggin.

    10.   Visit any or all of the unusual museums and theme parks - Notably, Jeju is home to Love Land, a sculpture park located outdoors that features scandalous and risqué art pieces meant to titillate its visitors. The Teddy Bear Museum is also worth visiting, where stuffed teddies from all over the globe are situated in different settings to marvel over.