GYULI Says Gusimul Looks Like a Trough Where Horses and Cattle Drank

When people talk about water in Jeju, the sea or a valley usually comes to mind first, but the water that's said to have stayed closest to Jeju people's daily lives for the longest time is something else entirely. It's yongcheonsu — natural spring water that rises up on its own from underground. Jeju is a volcanic island, and rainwater is said to soak quickly into the porous basalt ground, which made it hard for rivers or streams to form the way they do on the mainland, so villages are said to have settled around wherever spring water happened to rise. Jeju people are said to have given names to these springs and shaped their villages around them, and those stories are said to still quietly remain in villages here and there today. Last time, GYULI introduced the Handam Coastal Trail, a walk along the sea right next to Aewol's café street, but today's story has a different feel. It's about a natural spring called Gusimul, located in Sanggwi-ri, a village a bit further inland within the same Aewol-eup. The name may sound unfamiliar, but the water story behind it is one that holds true anywhere in Jeju, so let's take it slowly.

Spring Water, a Story Unique to Jeju

Yongcheonsu is said to refer to spring water that rises naturally to the surface or through cracks in coastal rocks, fed by groundwater flowing underground. Jeju is an island formed by volcanic activity, and most of its soil is said to be made up of basalt and volcanic scoria — this porous ground is said to absorb rainwater so quickly that surface water rarely stays pooled for long. So instead of villages settling along a large river the way they do on the mainland, villages in Jeju are widely said to have formed around spots where underground water rises back up as springs. Some springs are said to rise along the coastline, while others rise further inland within a village, and their shape and size are said to vary quite a bit from place to place. There's also said to be a kind of wisdom passed down village to village — using the upper part of a spring for drinking water, a bit further down for washing vegetables or dishes, and further down still for doing laundry. For old Jeju people, spring water is said to have meant far more than just a water source — it's said to have been the center of daily life, where people carried water home on their backs in mulheobeok jars, did laundry, washed themselves, and talked with neighbors. Even today, stories about the days of drawing water are said to still come up now and then among Jeju's elders. Now that running water has reached most places, people no longer depend on spring water the way they once did, but the spring sites still remaining in villages are said to carry traces of that era.

Gusimul in Sanggwi-ri, Aewol — A Spring That Has Flowed Alongside the Village

The spring GYULI is introducing today, Gusimul, is said to be located in Sanggwi-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City. Sanggwi-ri is said to be a village sitting along the slopes between Aewol-eup's mid-mountain area and the coast, a place that's said to have long served as farmland and a place to live — and just the fact that a natural spring rises somewhere in this village hints at how much of a place Gusimul may have held here. That said, there isn't much detailed record of exactly when Gusimul came to be used by villagers, how large it is, or how it's managed today. So GYULI would rather be careful here and simply say for certain that it's a traditional spring located in Sanggwi-ri. The word 'gusi' in its name is said to often refer, in Jeju dialect, to a trough carved out of wood or stone — commonly one used to give feed or water to horses and cattle — so it's said there's a chance the name Gusimul came from what the spring once looked like, holding water like such a trough. That said, GYULI would rather not pin this down as the definitive origin, so please take it more as a guess drawn from the name. If the name Gusimul sounds unfamiliar at first, that's understandable, but Jeju is said to be full of springs with such affectionate names scattered here and there. Jeju is said to have plenty of springs, large and small, whose names end in 'mul' besides Gusimul, and Gusimul in Sanggwi-ri is likely just one of those names that's been on villagers' lips for a long time.

What's Worth Knowing When You Come Across Spring Water Today

Springs located within villages, like Gusimul, are mostly said to be far from grand tourist facilities — they're said to be closer to living spaces still tied to daily village life even now. So when visiting Gusimul or any of Jeju's springs large and small, it's probably better to approach with the mindset of quietly peering into an old village well rather than visiting a famous attraction. Many such spots are said to lack signage or parking facilities, so it's worth keeping in mind beforehand that getting a vehicle in or finding parking may not be easy. Spring sites are also said to still be managed or actually used by village residents in some cases, so many say the basic courtesy is to be careful not to leave trash or damage facilities near the water. Details essential for an actual visit — the exact location, access routes, current condition — are the kind of thing that can keep changing, so it's worth checking the latest information through Jeju City, the Aewol-eup office, or a village newsletter before heading out. While preparing this piece, GYULI found herself newly struck by just how deep the bond is between Jeju villages and water, even through a single spring like Gusimul — so rather than expecting something dazzling, going with the mindset of taking a moment to look into that history might make for a more memorable visit. And the next time you come across another spring water story, this one about Gusimul might just come to mind.