Gamnang Oreum and Wonmul Oreum: The Twin Oreum Whose Ridges Are Joined

Head toward Donggwang-ri in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, and you'll come across two ridges joined together almost like a single body. Gamnang Oreum, the one GYULI wants to introduce today, is exactly that — its ridge is said to be fused with neighboring Wonmul Oreum, earning it the nickname 'twin oreum.' It's not every day that talking about one oreum naturally leads into the story of another, but Gamnang Oreum and Wonmul Oreum are said to share exactly that kind of rare bond. Just imagining how these two oreum ended up joined side by side like this feels like a story worth telling on its own. Let's slowly unpack the story of this uniquely shaped oreum today.

Where Is Gamnang Oreum, and What Does It Look Like?

Gamnang Oreum is said to sit in the northeastern part of Donggwang-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. It's said to be one of the parasitic cones formed by volcanic activity, with slopes that stay gentle overall, giving off an impression that's easy to walk. Jeju is said to be dotted all over with parasitic cones of all sizes like this, and Gamnang Oreum takes its place among that many. That said, this piece will be careful not to state the oreum's exact height or trail-by-trail hiking time outright — instead, the focus here is on where Gamnang Oreum sits and what kind of place it's said to be.

Gamnang Oreum's crater is said to open toward the northeast in a horseshoe shape. Since one side of the crater isn't fully enclosed but instead opens toward the northeast, walking along the ridge is said to bring an alternating sense of being wrapped in and being wide open. The slope facing the crater is covered in grassland, while the other slopes are said to be forested with cedar and other trees. Having open grassland on one side and a wooded trail on the other, within the same oreum, seems like exactly the kind of thing that makes walking here more interesting.

Crossing from the grassy slope into the cedar-lined slope is said to change the mood entirely. With cedar trees standing in tall, straight rows along the ridge, it's said you can feel the shift into a shaded, wooded walk quite differently from the sunlit grassland section. Being able to encounter two such different scenes — grassland and cedar forest — within a single oreum seems to be talked about as another one of Gamnang Oreum's charms.

Joined Like Twins: Gamnang Oreum and Wonmul Oreum

The biggest reason Gamnang Oreum feels special is said to be that its ridge is fused with neighboring Wonmul Oreum. The two oreum's ridgelines run together as if split from a single body, which is said to be why they're sometimes introduced as 'twin oreum.' Rather than a clear line dividing one oreum from the other, you're said to find yourself walking along the ridge and, before you know it, already on the other oreum — which sounds like a pretty striking thing to experience. Being able to climb one and naturally cross over onto the other is said to be a fairly rare kind of terrain, even among Jeju's many oreum.

In fact, Gamnang Oreum is often talked about together with Wonmul Oreum. The known course is said to be climbing up the pine-forested slope of Gamnang Oreum, walking along the ridge, then naturally crossing over onto the fused ridge of Wonmul Oreum and descending from there. If the Gamnang Oreum side is said to offer the pleasure of a wooded trail, crossing the ridge onto Wonmul Oreum is said to bring a different mood of scenery altogether — so the same course seems to change its face more than once along the way. Being able to walk both oreum in one go seems to be a big part of what makes Gamnang Oreum especially appealing to visitors.

Before You Head to Gamnang Oreum

Gamnang Oreum is said to not yet have detailed, widely known information on exact trail times or difficulty. So rather than stating a specific time or difficulty level outright, this piece has focused on where Gamnang Oreum sits and how it's connected to Wonmul Oreum. Since this is a course linking two oreum, the actual walking distance and time are also the kind of thing that's said to feel different depending on the person and their pace. If you're planning a visit, it's worth checking the latest trail information first through official channels like Seogwipo City Hall or the Korea Tourism Organization.

Since this course covers the ridges of two oreum together, it's said to be safer for first-time visitors to go with company rather than alone. It's best to set out with plenty of daylight left, and since the terrain alternates between open grassland near the crater and cedar-forested slopes elsewhere, keeping an eye on signage and markers along the way should help. Since the grassland stretch and the wooded stretch each bring such a different feel, taking the time to notice that shift as you walk is said to be one of the best ways to enjoy Gamnang Oreum.