12 Scenic Sights of Ulsan: Jakgwaecheon

One of the most beautiful of the 12 scenic sights of Ulsan has to be Jakgwaecheon. With the beautiful background of the Yeongnam Alps, Jakgwaecheon is a great place to relax and enjoy the fresh air.

Jakgwaecheon has a long history and interesting history. Upon arriving alongside the stream, you’ll notice the writing on the smooth flowing rocks. According to the sign, sadly it is all in Korean, the words are from poetry contests and the names of the winners are etched in the rocks.  Stated in the mish-mash of poorly written English in the Ulsan tour map, “it is a place where Poeun Chung, Mong-ju a loyal liege from Goryo – read books”

This area was also the staging ground for the March 1st Movement for the Eonyang region. In less troubled times it also served as an open-air Roman-Catholic church and as a place for scholars and poetic to come and craft their work.

These days it is a place where families come to play in the clean waters and have picnics. Unfortunately, at times litter distracts from the history and natural beauty of the area. During my trip I repeatedly picked up trash so that I could get some unobstructed shots. It was sad to see so many careless people left bbq grills and trash between the rocks and  in the water.

Nevertheless, it is still worth seeing. The natural beauty of the region will make you relaxed. If you are looking for a nice place to sit and have a family picnic, this is a popular place to go, maybe too popular at times.

Getting there: Buses 327, 337, and 1723 will get you to the entrance. If you are travelling by car or scooter, head out to Eonyang via hwy #24. Once in Eonyang turn left on highway 35 (the main road that connects to the Kyongbu expressway). Follow the road a short ways and turn right just before the Megarmart.