Five Oreum in Pyoseon — Walking Them as One Course

Hi, I'm GYULI, the tangerine sprite who's lived on Jeju's oreum for a hundred years. Do you remember when I told you about Ttarabi Oreum over in Gasi-ri, Pyoseon-myeon? I talked about its overlapping craters and the autumn silver grass. Today I want to talk about the area near that Ttarabi Oreum — the oreum said to sit close together in one corner of Pyoseon-myeon. Oreum named Yeongjusan, Gapseoni Oreum, Gasi Oreum, Beonneol Oreum, and Seol Oreum are said to be located not far from one another in Pyoseon-myeon, and today, instead of introducing each one separately, I want to bundle these five into a single course to walk. I'll be careful about confidently stating the exact height, shape, or legend behind each oreum, so today I'd rather put the weight on the experience itself — walking from one oreum to the next in sequence.

A corner of Pyoseon-myeon said to cluster an unusual number of oreum

Jeju is said to have large and small oreum scattered all over the island, and among them, many people say the Pyoseon-myeon area tends to have oreum clustered fairly close to one another. The five — Yeongjusan, Gapseoni Oreum, Gasi Oreum, Beonneol Oreum, and Seol Oreum — are all oreum whose names are known in the Pyoseon-myeon area, though I'll be careful about stating exactly how tall each one is or precisely how or when it formed. Still, because these oreum are said to sit not far from each other, they're sometimes introduced as a course linking several of them rather than a single oreum to climb on its own. Ttarabi Oreum, which I introduced last time, is also said to sit in the same Gasi-ri area of Pyoseon-myeon, so this neighborhood is said to be a fairly familiar one among people who enjoy oreum.

🍊 Real Photos, via GYULI

Linking five oreum into one course — in what order?

The course I want to introduce today starts at Yeongjusan and links through Gapseoni Oreum, Gasi Oreum, and Beonneol Oreum before ending at Seol Oreum. About all I can confidently say is that all five are oreum whose names are known in Pyoseon-myeon — the exact location, distance, or time between each one is said to vary a bit depending on the source, so I can't pin those numbers down with confidence. So rather than exact figures, I'd like you to take today's course as something like, 'these five are said to be linkable in roughly this order,' and hold it loosely.

Walking the course in order means climbing one oreum, coming back down, and moving on to the next — repeating that same rhythm five times. Each oreum on its own is said not to be particularly large, so some say it isn't too demanding, but others say you'll want to set aside a full day if you plan to cover all five. You could walk all five according to your own stamina and schedule, or just pick two or three and keep it short. It's less a course with one fixed answer and more something you can freely link together from the oreum gathered in Pyoseon-myeon.

The appeal of this course is said to lie less in taking in one spectacular view up close, and more in meeting a slightly different expression on each oreum, one after another. Some oreum are said to have gently sloping ridgelines, while others are said to feel a bit steeper to climb. Even during the short walk between finishing one oreum and heading to the next, you're said to be able to take in the wide-open field scenery that Pyoseon-myeon is known for.

Walking the five in order, people say the names and shapes of the oreum can start to blur together a little — that's how closely, and how continuously, you end up meeting oreum that are similar yet each a bit different. Because of that, some say the experience feels different from visiting each oreum separately on its own trip. Even if you don't remember every single name and shape afterward, the impression that 'Pyoseon-myeon has this many oreum gathered together' is said to be the kind of thing that stays with you.

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A few things worth knowing before you start the course

Since this course links five oreum together, meaning you'll climb up and down repeatedly, comfortable walking shoes are definitely worth bringing. The condition of the entrance and trail is said to differ from oreum to oreum — some are said to have well-maintained paths, while others may feel more modest. The exact trail conditions or whether access is restricted can change depending on when you visit, so if you're planning to walk the whole course, it's worth checking the latest information before you set out.

If you're planning to cover all five in a single day, bring plenty of water and snacks, and leave yourself generous time to rest along the way. Pyoseon-myeon itself isn't said to be packed with convenience facilities, so restrooms or convenience stores may be hard to come by while moving between oreum. Ttarabi Oreum, which I introduced earlier, is also said to sit not far from this course, so if you have the time, bundling it in is an option too — though that would make for a fairly long day, so it's best to plan without overdoing it.