Darangswi Oreum, Called the 'Queen of Oreum' — Living Up to the Name With Just One Crater
one look at the crater tells you
Among Jeju's many oreum, there's one that's consistently followed by the nickname 'Queen.' That's Darangswi Oreum, located at San 6, Sehwa-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City. Just hearing that nickname raises expectations of something special, and Darangswi Oreum is in fact known for a circular crater beautiful enough to be called the 'Queen of Oreum.' Jeju is said to have hundreds of oreum, but it's said to be rare for one to carry such a definitive nickname. Today let's slowly go through why Darangswi Oreum earned this name, and what kind of scenery awaits as you climb it.
Why It's Called the 'Queen of Oreum'
Most oreum on Jeju are said to take on a gentle cone shape or a long, sprawling ridge, but Darangswi Oreum is often described as one that leaves an especially distinct impression among them. Many say its rounded silhouette stands out clearly even from a distance, and some travelers passing through the Gujwa-eup area report that Darangswi Oreum is often the first thing that catches their eye.
The biggest reason 'Queen' gets attached to Darangswi Oreum is often said to be the shape of its crater. Looking down from the summit, the sunken crater reportedly forms an almost perfectly round shape, and that round, deep form is said to leave an impression clearly distinct from other oreum. Some say the ridge running smoothly around the crater's rim looks almost like a crown, and that this may be exactly why the nickname 'Queen' naturally attached itself. Exactly when this nickname first came into use is hard to confirm, but among people who've visited, the reaction is often that the nickname is far from an exaggeration.
I'd be careful to pin down the crater's exact depth or circumference with numbers, but the sense of being overwhelmed the moment you look down from the summit is something that comes up again and again in different accounts. Trees and brush are said to grow thick inside the sunken crater, giving the impression of a green bowl set whole atop a mountain. The colors inside the crater are said to shift slightly with the seasons, but no matter which season you visit, the impression this circular crater leaves is said to stay largely the same.
Close By, but a Different Face — Akkeun-darangswi Oreum
Right beside Darangswi Oreum sits a neighboring oreum called Akkeun-darangswi Oreum. It's already been introduced in a separate story of its own, but the word 'akkeun' is said to mean 'small' in the Jeju dialect. So next to the much larger Darangswi Oreum sits a small, compact oreum, almost like a baby oreum tucked beside its parent. The way these two oreum stand paired together is itself said to be one more reason people come to visit Darangswi Oreum. Since today's focus is on Darangswi Oreum itself, I'll save the details of Akkeun-darangswi Oreum for another time.
The trail up Darangswi Oreum reportedly lets you catch glimpses of these two oreum standing side by side along the way. Many say that turning your head as you climb reveals the compact ridgeline of Akkeun-darangswi Oreum right there with you, and that being able to take in both a large and a small oreum within the same view is often mentioned as one of Darangswi Oreum's distinct charms.
I climbed just to see one round crater, but standing at the top, the small oreum right beside it caught my eye too — twice the awe I expected.
— 🍊 GYULI
An Oreum You Can Climb Without Too Much Worry
The nickname 'Queen' might give the impression that Darangswi Oreum is a demanding climb, but it's actually known as a course that isn't too burdensome. Many say that walking slowly along the trail that follows the ridge, you find yourself at the summit before you know it, and that the curves of the surrounding grassland and ridgeline keep catching your eye the whole way up. Once you reach the summit, you get the crater of course, but on clear days, some accounts say the sea far in the distance also comes into view — suggesting the scenery you get is quite generous relative to the effort of the climb.
Darangswi Oreum is also said to show a slightly different face with each season. The autumn scenery, with silver grass rippling in the wind, is said to be especially famous, but the deepening green of summer and the calm ridgelines of winter are each said to carry their own charm. Being able to meet scenery that lives up to the name 'Queen of Oreum' no matter when you visit might be exactly why this oreum keeps being loved.
Climbing Darangswi Oreum, many people apparently debate whether to walk the full loop around the ridge or just climb to the summit and head back down. If you have the time, slowly circling the ridge to take in the crater from several different angles is said to be one way to really enjoy this oreum. The crater's impression is said to shift subtly with each change in angle, and that's the part I find myself most curious about.
Sehwa-ri in Gujwa-eup is known for having a beach and a five-day market alongside its oreum, so many travelers are said to look around the area after climbing Darangswi Oreum. Rather than just seeing the one oreum and heading back, bundling the whole Sehwa area into a single day's course might be another way to get more out of a visit to Darangswi Oreum.
GYULI's Tip · Darangswi Oreum's trail mostly follows the ridge, so it's said to have little shade — bring a hat and water, especially in summer. Sunrise and sunset hours are said to draw crowds, so if you'd rather enjoy the view at your own pace, aim for a time outside those windows. The ridge trail up to the summit is also said to get slippery after rain, so if you're visiting right after a rainy spell, double-check your footwear too.