Jeongseon is a remote, mountainous county in inland Gangwon Province, threaded by the Dong River and best known today for outdoor adventure tourism, a legendary folk song, and Korea's only casino open to its own citizens.
History
Jeongseon's recorded history stretches back to the Goguryeo kingdom, when the area was known as Ingpyeong-hyeon; it was renamed Jeongseon-hyeon in 757 under Unified Silla. For most of the 20th century the county's economy ran on coal and limestone mining, which drew workers to towns like Sabuk and Gohan. When the mining industry was scaled back sharply under a national rationalization policy in the late 1980s, Jeongseon's population declined along with it. To help revive the local economy, the government permitted a resort casino at Sabuk in 2000 — Kangwon Land — the only casino in the country where Korean nationals, not just foreign visitors, are allowed to gamble. Alongside the resort, the county has leaned into its scenery and its status as the home of Jeongseon Arirang, a folk song recognized as intangible cultural heritage, to build a tourism economy around rafting, rail biking, and its dramatic river-cut landscapes.
Highlights
- Kangwon Land, South Korea's only casino open to Korean citizens, anchoring the High1 Resort ski area (1,345m) in the former coal town of Sabuk.
- Jeongseon Arirang Market, a traditional five-day market (held on dates ending in 2 and 7) in downtown Jeongseon selling mountain vegetables, corn, and local produce.
- Jeongseon Rail Bike, pedal-powered cars that run along a scenic disused stretch of the Jeongseon Line through river-carved countryside near Gujeol-ri.
- Byeongbang-chi Skywalk, a glass-floored platform cantilevered over a sheer cliff at a dramatic bend in the Dong River.
- Hwaam Cave, a limestone cavern with karst formations that also served as a gold mine in the early 20th century.
- Auraji, the confluence of two mountain streams considered the legendary birthplace of the Jeongseon Arirang folk song.
Food
Jeongseon's mountain terrain shapes its table: gondre-bap, rice steamed with dried thistle greens (gondre namul), is the county's signature dish. Look also for kotdeungchigi guksu, hand-pulled buckwheat noodles said to be named for the way the strands strike diners' noses as they slurp them, and olchaengi guksu, chewy corn-starch noodles shaped like tiny tadpoles. Jeongseon's chalgeun oksusu, a glutinous highland corn, carries its own geographical-indication registration.
Annual events
- Jeongseon Arirang Festival (October) — a celebration of the county's namesake folk song, with regional Arirang performances and traditional cultural events.
Getting there
The scenic A-train (Jeongseon Arirang Train) runs directly from Seoul's Cheongnyangni Station along the Jeongseon Line to Jeongseon and on to Auraji. Direct intercity buses also connect Seoul's Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Jeongseon's bus terminal, taking roughly 3 hours.
How long
Jeongseon's sights — the rail bike, the skywalk, Kangwon Land, the market — are spread across a large, mountainous county, so a single day trip means picking just one or two. An overnight stay lets you pair a resort or casino stay with a full day of outdoor activities without rushing between them.