Buan-gun is a coastal county in North Jeolla Province occupying most of the Byeonsan Peninsula, where mountains and sea meet inside Korea's only park combining both landscapes in one protected area.
History
Buan was formed as a unified county in December 1416, when the Joseon government merged two smaller districts, Buryeong-hyeon and Boan-hyeon — the county's name is a portmanteau of the two, taking 'Bu' from Buryeong and 'an' from Boan. It took its current administrative form as Buan County in 1895 under reforms enacted during the reign of King Gojong. The peninsula's mix of mountain and coastal terrain shaped the county's traditional economy around fishing, salt production, and rice farming, an identity still visible today at Gomso Bay, where a working salt field sits beside one of Korea's largest markets for jeotgal, salted and fermented seafood.
Highlights
- Byeonsanbando National Park, Korea's only national park combining mountain and coastal terrain in one designation, established in 1988 and known collectively as the 'Eight Scenic Views of Byeonsan.'
- Chaeseokgang, a stretch of layered sedimentary rock cliffs along the coast, shaped by tides into striking horizontal strata.
- Naesosa Temple, a historic Buddhist temple set within the national park's mountain section.
- Gomso Port, home to a large traditional salt field and a major jeotgal (fermented seafood) market, with around 130 fishing boats working out of the harbor daily.
- Gyeokpo Port, a coastal harbor on the peninsula's western tip, a jumping-off point for ferries to Wido Island.
Food
Buan's coastal identity centers on Gomso Bay, whose jeotgal (salted, fermented seafood) market is among the largest and most famous in Korea, alongside salt harvested from adjacent traditional salt fields — both staples of the county's fishing and farming economy.
Getting there
Buan has no train station of its own; the nearest rail access is Gimje Station on the Honam Line. The Buan Bus Terminal offers direct service from Seoul as well as from Daejeon, Gwangju, Jeonju, and neighboring Jeolla towns, and is the standard way in for most visitors.
How long
Byeonsanbando's sights are spread along the peninsula's coastline and interior, so an overnight lets you pair a sunset at Chaeseokgang with a relaxed visit to Gomso's market the next morning — a day trip is workable but means choosing between the coast and the market rather than seeing both unhurried.