Geoseun-saemi Oreum: A Spring Said to Flow Against the Current, and a Name That's Unfamiliar but Worth the Walk

Songdang-ri in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City is known among oreum enthusiasts as the 'kingdom of oreum,' a neighborhood where an unusually dense cluster of large and small oreum sit close together. Darangswi Oreum, which GYULI introduced last time, and Akkeun Darangswi Oreum right next to it, are both said to belong to this Songdang-ri oreum cluster. And yet, sitting among these well-known oreum, there's one whose very name feels unfamiliar — Geoseun-saemi Oreum. This oreum, whose name alone stands out, is said to carry the unusual story of 'a spring that rises against the current.' Today, let's slowly unpack the story behind Geoseun-saemi Oreum, where it sits within the Songdang-ri oreum cluster, and what it's like to walk through eastern Gujwa-eup.

'A Spring That Rises Against the Current' — the Story Behind the Name

Hearing the name Geoseun-saemi Oreum for the first time naturally makes you wonder what it means. In the Jeju dialect, 'saemi' is said to refer to a spring, a spot where water rises, while 'geoseun' is said to carry the meaning of going against something. Put together, the name is said to mean 'a spring that rises against the current' — and it's said to come from a story that a spring somewhere on this oreum's slopes once flowed in the opposite direction from the usual flow of water. Water on Jeju is generally said to flow from the higher ground near Hallasan down toward the sea, and the spring on Geoseun-saemi Oreum's slopes is said to have flowed in a direction that seemed to go against that current — which must have looked like quite a strange sight to people long ago.

Exactly whether that spring still exists today, or precisely where and how it flowed, is hard to confirm in detail now, so I can only share this carefully. That said, Jeju is known to have no shortage of oreum and villages named after stories tied to the direction water flows or where it rises, and Geoseun-saemi Oreum is often mentioned as one more place that carries the trace of this particular Jeju way of naming things. Just turning the name over in your mind seems to change, a little, how you approach this oreum.

Sitting Quietly Between Darangswi and Yongnuni

When people think of the Songdang-ri oreum cluster, many probably first picture already well-known places like Darangswi Oreum or Yongnuni Oreum. This area really does have large and small oreum lined up like neighbors, and it's said that many travelers who come to see one oreum end up visiting a few more nearby. Geoseun-saemi Oreum also sits within this same cluster, but it's said to be relatively less known compared to its famous neighbors.

A lesser-known name doesn't mean a lesser appeal as an oreum, many say. In fact, some point to Geoseun-saemi Oreum as a place where you can walk at your own quiet pace, away from the crowds gathering at the more famous oreum nearby. Among people who've visited Jeju's oreum several times, some say they first sought out the famous ones, only to later find greater satisfaction at a lesser-known place like this — a sign that the fun of oreum travel doesn't always come down to fame.

Eastern Gujwa-eup, and the Stone Walls Between the Oreum

Since Geoseun-saemi Oreum sits in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, it's often mentioned as one of the oreum representing eastern Jeju. The Gujwa-eup area is known for its wide fields lined with black basalt stone walls and pasture scenery alongside its oreum, and the path up and down the oreum itself is said to feel like passing through this distinctly Gujwa-eup landscape. The sight of black basalt stone walls winding between fields, with oreum rising softly in between, is said to be a view that's hard to find outside Gujwa-eup.

Climbing up near the summit is said to reveal the ridgelines of the other oreum lined up nearby, so just climbing this one oreum lets you get a rough sense of the terrain across the Songdang-ri area, according to some accounts. The crops inside the stone-walled fields are said to turn green at times and yellow at others depending on the season, and looking down at that shift in color from the oreum is said to be one more sight unique to Gujwa-eup.

Worth Knowing Before You Head Out

That said, Geoseun-saemi Oreum isn't known to have trails or facilities as well maintained as places like Darangswi Oreum or Baekyaki Oreum, according to some accounts. Since relatively fewer people visit, some reports mention that signage and parking space may not be plentiful. So if you're planning to make this oreum your destination, many suggest checking the exact location on a map app beforehand and giving yourself plenty of time.

The Songdang-ri area is known to have several oreum worth visiting together besides Geoseun-saemi, including Darangswi, Akkeun Darangswi, and Yongnuni Oreum, all clustered nearby. If you have time to spare, it might be worth planning a day that combines one or two of the famous oreum with Geoseun-saemi Oreum. A day with a few photos at a crowded spot, followed by more time lingering in the oreum's own quiet scenery, sounds like a pretty good balance.