From Gwangnyeong to Gwandeokjeong, Olle Route 17 Walks You Into Jeju's Old Town

Some Jeju Olle routes are said to climb hills or cross oreum, and others run long stretches along the coast — but the route GYULI wants to introduce today, Route 17, is said to bring both of those together in a single course. It's described as beginning in Gwangnyeong-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, and running all the way to Jeju's old town, the area near Gwandeokjeong. The starting point, Gwangnyeong-ri, is known as a quiet village close to Jeju's inland hills, while the endpoint, the old town, is counted among the oldest neighborhoods on the island, so walking this one course is said to mean meeting two very different faces of Jeju in a single day. Along the way, the route is said to pass Dodubong, an oreum GYULI has already introduced separately, and after that, it's said to follow a coastal road before turning back into the alleys of the old town. A single course that takes in village paths, an oreum, a coastal road, and old-town alleys all in one — that variety alone made me curious about what kind of walk this turns out to be. Today GYULI wants to walk through, step by step, the order in which Route 17 is said to unfold, from Gwangnyeong to the old town.

The first steps, from the inland village of Gwangnyeong-ri

Gwangnyeong-ri, the starting point of Route 17, is said to be a village belonging to Aewol-eup, Jeju City. It's not especially far from downtown Jeju, but once you actually step into the village, many say what you feel first isn't a city atmosphere but the calm, unhurried feel particular to Jeju's inland hills. Since most Olle routes tend to hug the coast, starting from a village set back a bit from the sea is said to be one of the things that sets Route 17 apart. Near the starting point, there's said to be a stream and tree-lined paths, though exactly what the scenery looks like is said to shift with the season and the weather that day, so rather than describe it too definitively, GYULI would rather introduce it simply as a course that begins quietly in an inland village. Following the village lanes, the direction is said to gradually turn toward Jeju City, and tracing that flow eventually brings you, the story goes, to the familiar foot of Dodubong.

Past the foot of Dodubong, onto the coastal road

As the walk from Gwangnyeong-ri draws closer to Jeju City, it's said to pass Dodubong, the oreum GYULI has already introduced in a separate piece. What kind of view Dodubong holds has already been covered in detail there, so today GYULI will only touch on it briefly. Among those walking Route 17, this stretch past Dodubong is often mentioned as a welcome pause partway through the course. After passing the oreum, the route is said to turn back toward the coast, and from there, a coastal road stretch with the sea running alongside begins, it's said. Several accounts mention that walking with the sound of waves nearby makes the steps feel lighter before you know it. Exactly how many kilometers the coastal stretch runs, or how long it takes to walk, is said to vary depending on pace and how often you stop to rest, so GYULI would rather just say, carefully, that it comes down to the individual.

Along the coastal road stretch, the scenery across the water is said to add to the enjoyment of the walk. On clear days, some say the view opens right up to the distant sea, while on overcast days, others say there's a calm, quiet mood of its own. Walking along the coast, you're said to pass small harbors and breakwaters here and there, and since these are spaces where local residents actually go about their daily lives, it's worth passing through with a bit of care when taking photos or walking by.

Toward Jeju's old town, where Gwandeokjeong waits

Once past the coastal road, Route 17 is said to gradually turn toward downtown. The steps that had been following the sea are said to shift, before long, into the old town's dense scenery of buildings and alleys — and this old town is said to be the very neighborhood where Gwandeokjeong, which GYULI introduced separately before, stands. The area near Gwandeokjeong, known as a pavilion attached to the Joseon-era Jeju-mok government office, is introduced as the endpoint of Route 17, so finishing the course is said to mean ending your walk face to face with one of Jeju's oldest surviving buildings. Starting in an inland village, crossing an oreum, walking along the sea, and finally arriving before a pavilion that has stood for centuries — that flow really drives home just how many different faces this one course carries. As you get closer to the old town, you're also said to pass old shopping streets and market alleys, which is why it's often mentioned as a good spot to fill up on food once the walk is done.

Hearing all this, GYULI came away thinking Route 17 stands out as a course where the beginning and the end wear very different faces. Starting from a quiet inland village, crossing a single oreum, following one stretch of coastline, and ending up right in the middle of one of Jeju's oldest neighborhoods — that structure feels unusual in a good way. Completing the whole course is said to take real time and stamina, so GYULI would recommend clearing a full day and taking it slow.

🍊 Real Photos, via GYULI