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Start
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Sogongwon
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Seorak Mountain
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Sinhungsa
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Heundeulbawi
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Ulsanbawi
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Sunrise Park
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Naksansa-1
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Naksansa-2
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Naksansa-3
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Baked Fish
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Jungang Market
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Tourist Hotel
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Gaetbae(ferry) Quay
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Abai Village
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Sindasin Restaurant
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Lighthouse Observatory
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ports
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Beach
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Cheongchoho Lake
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Finish
Abai Village
This place we got on the ferry from Sokcho downton is called Cheongho-dong(靑湖洞) in Sokcho-si. It's called Abai Village.
How it was named is indicated on the tombstone next to the statue.
During the January 4 Retreat in the Korean War, refugees in Hamgyeong-do who followed the soldiers and moved to south did not have a way to go back to their home after the war so they built houses near the closest beach to the Military Demarcation Line, which formed a village. Later, the group had so many old people from Hamgyeong-do and they started to use Abai, their dialect, to call their village.
It made me sad to see too many restaurants to attract tourists in this village rather than displaced old people who are Abai.
Abai Village is a very small village with houses on both sides of one alley located between the beach and Ferry Quay.
The most famous place in this village is not restaurant or scenery, it's this small store. It became so popular among tourists since it was aired on KBS '1 Night & 2 Days'.
This store run by an old lady who has an acquaintance with the singer Lee Seung-gi sells so much stuff spreading out on the floor.
You won't find the things you can buy in the market I bet. The table was piled high with snacked from old times.
I picked up everything I remember from old times and yet it only costs 2,500 won. And the woman gave me one extra snack 'cause I bought so many. Probably this is why she's so loved by people not because she tries to mislead consumers with sales gimmick.
The village was so small that even a little high up I could see the whole village, so it took less than 30 minutes to take a look around. I'd say people come here to eat at restaurants around here than to see the village itselt.
But this is a part of fishing village after all. Open your eyes and look closer, then you'll find small things as a fishing village not just a tourist attraction.
While there are small fishes dried out on the net under the eaves, there are fishermen having a very busy day arranging fishing gear in at the port in one corner of the village.
And fishing boats continued to return to the port through breakwaters while other fishing boats left the port probably with a hope of returning with a full load of fish.
This is the lake in the middle of Sokcho. In this area that connects Cheongchoho Lake and the sea, you'll easily find people who throw a fishing rod to catch seawater fishes.
I could see Geumgang Bridge that connects the north part of the city and this village and Seorak Bridge that connects the south part of the city, which has Express Bus Terminal, so this village is not simply a land or an island.
You could take the stairs and elevator to get on Seorak Bridge to the south of the village and you'll get a very wide view like you're at the observatory including places on Mt. Seorak and east sea on the bridge.
Seorak mountain peaks stood behind your back and boats were running fast on the water making white waves on the flat horizon, which was amazing.
In the middle of the pier, there was a telescope to see far that helps you enjoy this view more real. You'll get the clearest view of Jodo, small rock island that you can see from any beach in Sokcho.
Jodo which is famous for the high number of birds had a dense pine forest even a while ago but the number of birds has increased due to abnormality and the trees fell into disrepair. Even through the telescope, all I could see was birds on rocks.
Inside the village. Now that we've seen the telescope on Seorak Bridge, it's time for us to look around the beach in Abai Village. We headed back to the town through iron stairs.
We saw a few wooden sculptures on the beach. This squid shaped pillar looks so cute, doesn't it?
There are many beaches in Sokcho but this temporary beach is well known for filming site for the drama 'Autumn Tales'.
This beach that looks like a long crescent moon that almost reaches out to Sokcho Port was another world than Pogu on the opposite side. It was pity that the weather was cold to see the long wide beach.
Geographically, this beach and Abai Village serve as a big breakwater that protects Cheongchoho Lake. Plus Abai Village is the first thing that comes into mind in Sokcho so it would be a treasure of Sokcho.
If you're in Sokcho, the wide beach, observatory and ferry quay would be on the must-places at least once. But it was pity that there's nothing to remind us Abai like its name. If people try to correct these things one by one I think it will be an amazing tourist attraction as well as a historical site. Sometimes restaurants trying to attract customers might discomfort you but in order to continue their history and tradition you should visit here at least once and make a good memory.
Address : 1076, Cheongho-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
Telephone : 033-633-3171
Website : click
