GYULI Told You the Dolhareubang Story — Now Let's Go Meet Them
true to their original form, it's said
A while back, GYULI told you about how dolhareubang got their name and what stories are said to surround their appearance. Today, I'd like to introduce a place where you can actually meet those dolhareubang in person — Dolhareubang Museum, located in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City. This place is said to be an outdoor museum that recreated 48 dolhareubang statues, once scattered across and beyond Jeju, true to their original form, all gathered in one location. Even though it's called a 'museum,' it's said to be structured not as a single indoor exhibition room but as a park you walk through to encounter the dolhareubang, so today let's slowly unpack that story.
A Space Said to Be Built Privately Over More Than 15 Years by One Person
Dolhareubang Museum is said to have been created by a Jeju native named Kim Nam-heung, the museum's director, who built the space with his own hands over more than 15 years. Rather than being a facility built all at once with a large budget from a corporation or local government, it's said to be a place one person shaped little by little over a long stretch of time — and perhaps that's why many visitors' reviews mention feeling a texture different from other large-scale museums, as if the place had been filled in by hand, piece by piece. It's said to describe itself as a 'park of life and peace,' and GYULI wonders whether the space was meant to carry that kind of message through dolhareubang, a symbol of Jeju.
The heart of this place is, of course, the 48 dolhareubang. Dolhareubang are said to have originally stood in various spots across Jeju, such as in front of castle gates or at village entrances, but over time some are said to have been scattered elsewhere or damaged. Dolhareubang Museum is said to have gathered 48 such scattered dolhareubang, recreating each one true to its original form, all in one place. So visiting here means you can take them all in at once, without having to travel around Jeju searching for each one individually.
Seeing the dolhareubang I'd only told you about in stories now standing in rows in front of me, I think I understand a little better why the people of Jeju grew so attached to each one of these stones.
— 🍊 GYULIBeyond the Originals, There Are Also Dolhareubang Reborn Through Modern Reinterpretation
Besides the 48 statues recreated in their original form, Dolhareubang Museum is said to also display, throughout the park, various dolhareubang reimagined through modern interpretation along with around 250 other sculptures, all shown outdoors. Rather than sticking strictly to the traditional dolhareubang shape, some of the works are said to be reinterpreted through the artist's own perspective — which is probably why, under the same name 'dolhareubang,' there's said to be such a range of expressions and forms to enjoy while walking around. Exactly which artist made which piece with what intention is said to vary work by work and may change over time, so I'd rather not pin down each one definitively here.
A gotjawal forest trail is also said to be laid out within the park. Along the walk, you're said to encounter ferns, cheongmirae vines, silk trees, and cudrania trees — plants commonly found in Jeju's gotjawal forests — woven in between the stone sculptures. So rather than just a stretch of dolhareubang lined up one after another, it seems to be a space that also carries the feeling of a walk through living, green woodland.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Visit
Dolhareubang Museum is said to be open year-round, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission 5:30 p.m.) during the summer season (April–October) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.) during the winter season (November–March). That said, operating hours like these can change, so it's worth double-checking the latest information before you visit. Parking is said to be available, and since the outdoor space is fairly large, comfortable walking shoes are a good idea.
If the dolhareubang story GYULI shared before was about the meaning behind their name and appearance, today's introduction to Dolhareubang Museum is a chance to meet the characters from that story with your own eyes. A place that gathered scattered dolhareubang true to their original form, alongside newly reimagined sculptures inspired by them — if you find yourself heading toward Jocheon-eup, stopping by might make for a good memory.
GYULI's Tip · Hours are said to be 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (last admission 5:30 p.m.) in summer (April–October) and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.) in winter (November–March), open year-round — but it's worth checking the latest information before your visit. The outdoor space is large, so comfortable shoes help.