Discovering Suncheon, Jeollanam-do: Where Nature and Memory Meet
- Michaela
- 2 hours ago
- 8 min read
After beginning this journey through Jeollanam-do by the sea in Mokpo, the next stop reveals a completely different side of Korea’s southwest. Suncheon is a city where nature is not simply something to visit, but something that seems to shape the rhythm of the entire destination. Known for its wetlands, gardens, mountains and slower atmosphere, Suncheon offers a refreshing contrast to Korea’s largest cities, yet nature is only one part of its identity.
During my own trip, I had the chance to experience three very different sides of Suncheon: the vast Suncheon Bay National Garden, the nostalgic Suncheon Filming Location and Daesupgol Nongwon, where food and nature come together in one of the most atmospheric dining settings I encountered during the journey. Together, they made Suncheon feel like a destination built around one simple idea: slowing down enough to notice your surroundings.
Suncheon - a city shaped by nature
Located in the eastern part of Jeollanam-do, Suncheon is often associated with ecological tourism. Its most representative destinations are Suncheon Bay National Garden and the nearby Suncheonman Bay Wetland, whose reed fields, tidal flats and wildlife have become symbols of the city. However, what makes Suncheon particularly interesting is that its attractions do not all belong to the same world. One moment you can be surrounded by flowers, water and carefully designed landscapes, and a few hours later you can find yourself walking through a recreated hillside neighborhood from several decades ago.
That contrast made the city especially memorable for me. Suncheon does not try to impress through skyscrapers or constant movement, but instead gives travelers room to explore at a more comfortable pace. Nature, history, food and everyday life seem to coexist naturally here, making the city feel varied without ever becoming overwhelming.
Suncheon Bay National Garden - a city built around green spaces
One of Suncheon’s most famous attractions is Suncheon Bay National Garden (순천만국가정원), designated as Korea’s first national garden. Extending across more than one million square meters, the site is filled with trees, flowers, lakes, bridges, walking paths and themed gardens inspired by different countries and landscaping traditions. Its scale is one of the first things visitors notice, because this is not the kind of garden you cross in twenty minutes before moving on to the next attraction.
Instead, the garden feels like a destination of its own and easily deserves several hours. Some areas are more decorative and structured, while others feel open and relaxed, with wide lawns, water views and quieter paths. The scenery changes with the seasons, with different flowers and colors transforming the landscape throughout the year. Rather than trying to see absolutely everything, I think the best way to experience it is simply to wander and allow the garden to unfold gradually.
For me, visiting Suncheon Bay National Garden was also a good introduction to the city’s relationship with nature. Everything is clearly designed and curated, but at the same time the garden never feels completely separated from the wider landscape surrounding Suncheon. It reflects the city’s identity as a place where green spaces are not just decorative, but central to the way Suncheon presents itself.
Suncheonman Bay Wetland - where the landscape becomes wild again
If the National Garden represents nature shaped and interpreted through landscape design, Suncheonman Bay Wetland (순천만습지) offers its wilder counterpart. The wetland is known for its extensive reed fields, tidal flats and birdlife, including the hooded cranes that have become strongly associated with the area. One of its most famous views is the winding S-shaped waterway seen from the observatory, particularly beautiful in the softer light of late afternoon and sunset.
The garden and wetland complement each other very naturally. Together, they show two different ways of experiencing Suncheon’s environment: one carefully designed and arranged, the other open, wild and constantly changing with the tides and seasons. For travelers with enough time, combining both offers a much fuller understanding of why Suncheon is considered one of Korea’s most important ecological destinations.
Suncheon Filming Location - stepping into another Korea
From wetlands and flower gardens, Suncheon can suddenly take visitors several decades into the past. Suncheon Filming Location (순천 드라마촬영장) was one of the most fun places I visited in the city because the atmosphere changes completely as soon as you enter. Instead of modern Suncheon, visitors walk through streets recreating Korean life from the 1960s through the 1980s, with old-style houses, shops, classrooms, narrow alleys, signs and everyday objects.
The large outdoor set includes areas inspired by 1960s Suncheon, a 1970s hillside neighborhood based on Seoul’s Bongcheon-dong and streets representing the outskirts of Seoul during the 1980s. More than 80 films and television productions have used the location over the years, which gives the place an extra layer of interest for anyone familiar with Korean dramas and cinema.
Walking through the set feels somewhere between visiting a museum and accidentally stepping into the background of an old Korean movie. Even without recognizing the productions filmed there, the location is enjoyable because of how visual and interactive it is. Visitors can explore the streets, take photos, notice small historical details and, in some areas, even try retro-style school uniforms that match the atmosphere.
What I especially liked is that the filming location does not feel like a static exhibition. It creates a sense of movement and imagination, because every corner looks like it could suddenly become part of a scene. For international visitors, it also offers a playful introduction to periods of Korean everyday life that are otherwise often encountered mainly through films and dramas.
Daesupgol Nongwon - eating inside a bamboo landscape
One of my favorite discoveries in Suncheon was not a museum or major attraction, but a restaurant. Daesupgol Nongwon (대숲골농원) is located among bamboo, turning a meal into an experience that feels closely connected to the surrounding landscape. The restaurant is particularly known for charcoal-grilled chicken, while other dishes include grilled duck and pork, chicken or duck baeksuk and other Korean-style meals meant to be shared.
The setting is what immediately makes it memorable. Tall bamboo surrounds parts of the area, creating a green and almost hidden atmosphere that feels very different from eating in a typical restaurant in the city. Before or after the meal, visitors can also walk along the bamboo path, which gives the place the feeling of being somewhere between a restaurant and a small nature retreat.
For me, this was another example of what made travelling through Jeollanam-do so enjoyable. Some of my strongest memories were created not only around famous landmarks, but also around tables, through local dishes and in places where food felt inseparable from the surroundings. Sitting down for a meal surrounded by bamboo became one of those simple moments that stayed with me long after the visit.
Aretjang Market and Suncheon’s local flavors
Travelers interested in discovering the everyday side of Suncheon can also stop at Suncheon Aretjang Market (순천 아랫장), located close to Suncheon Station. It is a traditional five-day market held on dates ending in 2 and 7, selling agricultural products, seafood and other goods from Suncheon and nearby areas. A night market also operates on selected evenings, adding street food and a livelier atmosphere after dark.
Food is an important part of Suncheon’s identity, particularly because of its proximity to the wetlands and tidal flats. Among the dishes associated with the area are cockle dishes and jjangddung-eotang, a spicy soup made with mudskipper. Whether through a traditional market, a local seafood restaurant or a place such as Daesupgol Nongwon, food offers another way of understanding the region and its strong connection to geography and seasonal ingredients.
Seonamsa Temple, tranquility in the mountains
Another important destination around Suncheon is Seonamsa Temple (선암사), located on the eastern side of Jogyesan Mountain. Surrounded by forest, the temple is known for its peaceful approach through nature and for Seungseongyo, its elegant arched stone bridge. Seonamsa is also one of the Buddhist mountain monasteries included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea. For travelers already drawn to Suncheon because of its slower rhythm, the temple fits naturally into the journey.
The walk through the forest, the traditional architecture and the surrounding mountain scenery make the experience as much about atmosphere as about reaching the temple itself. It is the kind of place where the journey becomes part of the visit, with the sound of water, shaded paths and the gradual transition from forest to temple grounds creating a sense of calm before you even arrive. Seonamsa offers another perspective on Suncheon’s connection with nature, this time through spirituality, history and the quiet beauty of a place that has existed in close dialogue with its landscape for centuries.
Naganeupseong, another journey into Korea’s past
For visitors staying longer in Suncheon, Naganeupseong Walled Town (순천 낙안읍성) offers another historical experience, although one very different from the filming location. While the film set recreates Korea’s relatively recent past for television and cinema, Naganeupseong preserves a historic fortress settlement surrounded by stone walls, with traditional houses and elements of everyday life still maintained within the village.
The contrast between the two places is interesting because one recreates memory while the other preserves it. Together, they show how Suncheon can appeal not only to travelers interested in landscapes, but also to those curious about Korean architecture, history and the way daily life has changed across different periods.
How to get to Suncheon from Seoul
Suncheon is relatively easy to reach from Seoul by train. KTX services operate between Yongsan Station and Suncheon Station, with the journey usually taking around two and a half to three hours depending on the service. Slower conventional trains are also available, while express buses connect Seoul and Suncheon in roughly four hours depending on traffic.
Once in Suncheon, visitors should keep in mind that many of the main attractions are spread across different parts of the city. Local buses and taxis are therefore useful, especially when combining the National Garden, Suncheonman Bay Wetland, the filming location and destinations outside the central area. Travelers trying to see several places in a short time may also find local city tour options useful.
Why Suncheon is worth visiting
Suncheon is one of those destinations that expands the idea of what a trip to Korea can look like. There are no flashing districts or enormous shopping streets at the center of the experience. Instead, there are gardens that seem to stretch endlessly, reeds moving beside the wetlands, retro alleys that transport visitors into old Korean dramas, bamboo forests surrounding restaurant tables and traditional places that continue to preserve the region’s history.
What stayed with me most was that these experiences never felt repetitive. At Suncheon Bay National Garden, I discovered the city through nature and landscape. At Suncheon Filming Location, the atmosphere shifted completely as I walked through reconstructed memories of Korea’s past. At Daesupgol Nongwon, the journey became something simpler: sitting down for a meal surrounded by bamboo.
After Mokpo introduced Jeollanam-do through the sea, Suncheon introduced it through green spaces, memory and stillness. It is a destination that does not need to be loud to be memorable, and perhaps that is exactly why it stays with you. For travelers who want to discover Korea beyond its most familiar routes, Suncheon is a beautiful place to slow down, look around and let the journey unfold at its own pace.
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