Everyone Photographs the Hamel Monument — But Do You Know the Strange Encounter It Marks?
carved into a stone
If you've walked along Yongmeori Coast beneath Sanbangsan while traveling in Jeju, you may have come across a stone monument bearing an unfamiliar foreign name. That's the Hamel Monument. Standing beside the rugged basalt coastline, alongside a structure shaped like a Western sailing ship, it's easy to see why visitors stop for a photo. But surprisingly few people know who this Hamel actually was, or why a monument to him stands here in Jeju at all. It's easy to walk past it as just an exotic photo spot, but there's a fairly interesting encounter packed into this one stone marker. Today GYULI wants to carefully walk you through the story of the Hamel Monument, and the tale of a stranger's encounter with Jeju that's still told today.
Who Was Hamel, and Why Did His Name Stay in Jeju?
Hendrick Hamel is said to have been affiliated with the Dutch East India Company. It's said that around 1653, the ship he was aboard was caught in a fierce storm and drifted ashore on the coast of Jeju. Exactly what route the ship had been sailing, how it ended up off Jeju's coast, or precisely how many people were aboard — these are details I'd rather not state definitively here. What does seem clear is that a group of unfamiliar Westerners unexpectedly setting foot on Jeju, which was Joseon territory at the time, was a fairly rare and remarkable event for that era. These days you can fly or sail almost anywhere in the world, but back then, people from such different worlds crossing paths like this was far from common.
When people who drifted in from that sea out there set foot on this land, that's a kind of bond in itself.
— 🍊 GYULIIt's said that after washing ashore, Hamel and his group stayed in Joseon for a time, and that Hamel later put what he experienced into writing. There's also word that this record went on to play some role in introducing the country of Joseon to Europe, but exactly what it contained or how much influence it had is something I'd rather not spell out in detail here. More than any single fact like that, I find myself more curious about the time that must have passed between these strangers washed up on unfamiliar land and the people of Jeju who had to face them. People who spoke different languages and looked different from one another, sharing this small island for a stretch of time — just imagining it feels like it must have been something quite unusual.
A Monument Left at the Foot of Yongmeori Coast
It's said that the Hamel Monument was built at the foot of Sanbangsan, along Yongmeori Coast, to remember this encounter. Walking along the black basalt shoreline, an unfamiliar Western structure comes into view — nearby, there's also said to be a structure shaped like the ship Hamel's group is said to have sailed in on. Jeju's distinctive volcanic coastline standing side by side with this exotic structure makes for an odd but fitting combination, and it's said to be a spot where passing travelers naturally slow down and take notice. Walking over the black stones with the sound of waves nearby, then suddenly coming across this unfamiliar name — I think that's a feeling this particular spot alone can give you.
A Story That Outlasts the Exact Details
The Hamel story happened so long ago that several different versions of the details are still told side by side. Rather than pin down the exact date, the number of people involved, or every step of what happened afterward, I'd rather carefully note it as 'said to be around 1653' and 'said to have happened' where needed. More than any precise number or date, what stays with me is the fact that traces of people who came from such a distant land are still standing as a monument in a corner of Jeju, still being talked about, centuries later.
As a tourist in Jeju, it's easy to treat Yongmeori Coast as just a pretty photo spot and move on. But once you know that this monument bearing an unfamiliar name stands right beside it, this stretch of coast might start to look a little different. If you have the time, GYULI recommends stopping by the Hamel Monument at the foot of Sanbangsan along Yongmeori Coast and pausing there for a moment, rather than just adding another quick photo to your trip.
GYULI's Tip · Access to Yongmeori Coast beneath Sanbangsan is said to be limited depending on the tide, so it's worth checking tide times and opening hours before you visit. The nearby Hamel Merchant Ship Exhibition Hall is also said to be worth a look alongside the Hamel Monument.