[Harumanbo] Dongbaek-gil Holding the Painful History of 4·3

11.3km from Muobeopjeongsa to Donnaeko Trail

Editor's NoteJeju Island has various forest trails. The Hallasan Dullegil is literally a path that circles around Hallasan Mountain. Along the trail, there are forest trees and grass, as well as rocks, oreums (volcanic cones), streams, and ranches. It not only offers beautiful scenery but also embodies the culture and history of Jeju. We introduce the Hallasan Dullegil, perfect for walking.

The Dongbaek-gil is a path that walks through Jeju's modern and contemporary history. The Muobeopjeongsa Temple, where this trail begins, was a sacred site of the anti-Japanese movement during the Japanese colonial period. Next, the Shiorum Garrison, which you encounter along the way, holds the painful history of the April 3rd Incident. The trail is beautiful enough just to walk, but reflecting on the history embedded in the path adds meaningfulness to the walk.

There are two ways to enter Dongbaek-gil. If using public transportation, take the 1100 Road line and get off at the entrance of Muobeopjeongsa Temple. The second way is to pass through the 2.3 km forest recreation trail starting from the entrance of Seogwipo Natural Recreation Forest, where the Doloreum Trail ends. As you comfortably stroll through the forest path, you will soon come across the anti-Japanese memorial tower at Muobeopjeongsa Temple.

The anti-Japanese movement at Muobeopjeongsa Temple was the first and largest anti-Japanese movement in Jeju Island. Led by monks such as Kim Yeon-il and Bang Dong-hwa, who opposed Japanese rule at the temple, about 700 believers and civilians united to launch the movement in October 1918. The year 1918 corresponds to the Mu-o year in the sexagenary cycle. It occurred about five months before the March 1st Movement of 1919. It is regarded as a pioneering effort in spreading national anti-Japanese consciousness nationwide. Participants had been preparing for the uprising for about six months. Armed with matchlock guns and clubs, their goal was to drive the Japanese out of Jeju and restore national sovereignty. The Japanese, fearing the spread of this anti-Japanese movement, reportedly imposed heavier sentences on its participants than those involved in the March 1st Movement.

Walking about 5 km from Muobeopjeongsa Temple, you will reach the Shiorum Garrison. It was one of the garrisons established by the Jeju Provincial Police during the April 3rd Incident to cut off connections between armed groups and residents in various mountainous areas of Jeju. It is believed to have been set up in early 1949. The site, built with stones, remains relatively well-preserved in its original form.

Walking the path to Shiorum Garrison, you can see a camellia forest. The camellia tree, a representative species of the subtropical forest region of Hallasan, is distributed along about 20 km from Seogwipo Natural Recreation Forest to the roadside of 5·16 Road. It is the largest colony in South Korea. On the path from Shiorum Samgeori (three-way intersection) to Donnaeko Valley, there is also a cypress tree colony.

Passing through the cypress forest, you will come to Donnaeko Valley. Here, you can see a spectacular view where waterfalls and dense subtropical evergreen forests harmonize. The 5-meter-high Mandarin Duck Waterfall in the middle of the valley is known as a place where Jeju women perform summer water rituals on Baekjung Day, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, every year. It is a folk remedy where people stand under the cold water falling from the waterfall to relieve pain. Rare plants such as Hanlan (Jeju orchid) and winter berries also grow naturally in Donnaeko Valley.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.