Climb Dodubong, and They Say You Can See Planes and the Rainbow Coastal Road at Once

Have you ever landed at Jeju Airport and caught a glimpse of a low hill sliding past your window? That hill is likely to be Dodubong, it's said. Located, as it's described, in Dodu-dong, Jeju City, right next to Jeju International Airport, it's known as a very small oreum, and because of its modest size and low height, it's often introduced as an oreum you can climb without much strain. But there's said to be a separate reason this particular oreum is considered special. From the summit, the story goes, you can see planes taking off and landing at low altitude and a coastal road painted in bright rainbow colors, both within the same view. An oreum where you can see a flight path in the sky and a colorful road on the ground at the same time — I found that pretty fascinating the first time I heard about it. Today GYULI wants to talk through what kind of place Dodubong is said to be, and why people make a point of climbing this small hill.

A small oreum right at Jeju Airport's doorstep

Dodubong is said to sit in Dodu-dong, Jeju City, and is described as being very close to Jeju International Airport. So if you've just flown into Jeju, there's a good chance you caught a glimpse of this hill's ridge sliding by right before landing, it's said. Since it's known to be small and low even by oreum standards, it's often introduced less as a course that requires proper hiking boots and more as one you can climb and come back down from as easily as a stroll up the hill behind your neighborhood. I've heard more than once that it's frequently recommended to people climbing an oreum for the first time, or to anyone wanting a quick taste of Jeju's oreum atmosphere in a short amount of time.

What's interesting, though, is that Dodubong isn't only known as an 'easy oreum to climb.' Jeju is said to have countless oreum big and small, but among them, an oreum sitting this close to an airport is said to be rare. That location alone seems to be what gives this oreum a story a little different from the rest.

🍊 More Photos, via GYULI

The combination waiting at the summit: planes and the rainbow coastal road

The scene people talk about most when climbing Dodubong is, unsurprisingly, the view from the top. Since it's a low oreum, reaching the summit is said not to take very long, and at the end of that short climb, planes are said to appear taking off and landing at low altitude up in the sky, while down below, a coastal road painted in vivid rainbow colors comes into view at the same time. Two scenes with completely different colors and movement, one in the sky and one on the ground, overlapping in a single glance — that combination seems to be one of the main reasons this oreum keeps coming up as a photo spot.

I've heard that some people time their climb specifically to catch a plane passing low overhead, hoping to capture it in a photo or video. That said, exactly when and how often planes pass by is said to depend on that day's flight schedule, so I'll be careful not to claim that going at a certain hour guarantees a sighting. The rainbow-colored coastal road, too, is said to sometimes fade a little over time or change slightly after repainting work, so it's worth keeping in mind that what you see can vary a bit depending on when you visit.

A low oreum, but still worth preparing a little

Dodubong is known as an oreum you can climb without much strain, given its low height and short course, but that doesn't mean it's fine to head up with no preparation at all, it's said. Oreum tend to be fairly windy places, so it's worth bringing a light jacket, and since parts of the path leading to the summit are said to be dirt trail or grass, comfortable walking shoes are recommended. If you're hoping to take photos, early morning when the sun is low or around sunset is often suggested, since that's when the colors of the sky and sea are said to deepen and blend, making the rainbow coastal road look even more vivid, according to some reviews.

Hearing all this, it struck me that what makes Dodubong special ultimately comes down to its location itself. No matter how many oreum Jeju has, a place where you can see both a flight path in the sky and a colorful road on the ground from the same spot is bound to be rare. If you have a little extra time on your way to or from Jeju Airport, climbing Dodubong for a moment to see that combination for yourself sounds like it could make for a good memory.

🍊 Real Photos, via GYULI