Exploring the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest in Damyang
The Korean language is known for its use of loan words— words deriving from foreign languages that are then adopted into the native vocabulary. Many Korean loan words come from English and carry the exact same meanings as their original counterpart; for example, “bitamin” (vitamin) and “tellebijon (television).” However, many other loan words carry their own separate meanings or connotations. One such example of this is the word “healing” (힐링/hilring).
While the word “healing,” in English is used to describe the process of relieving a specific pain or injury, in Korean the term “healing” is used to describe an activity which relaxes and rejuvenates the mind and body. While almost any activity can be “healing,”, the term is most often used to describe outdoor activities. Walking on a beach, biking through a park, or having a picnic with friends can all be considered “healing.” Especially within Korean society, where long working hours and hasty schedules are highly prioritized, surrounding oneself in nature and forgetting the worries of everyday life for just a moment is a valuable endeavor.
Considered all the places I’ve visited in South Korea thus far, the first place that comes to mind when I think of “healing,” is the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest in Damyang.
Built in May 2003, Juknokwon is the most famous bamboo forest in South Korea, sprawling approximately 150,000 meters squared with a variety of walking trails, cultural experiences, and historical sites. With its various winding pathways enclosed within thickets of towering green bamboo, Juknokwon isolates its visitors from the outside world and encapsulates them within a place of serenity. With its stunning year-round visuals and numerous nearby attractions, Juknokwon makes for a perfect day trip. So, without further ado, here’s how to spend a day healing at the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest in Damyang!
Getting There
The best way to get to Juknokwon is from Gwangju. To get to Damyang from Seoul Station or Busan Station, it takes about four to five hours by train or bus. By comparison, it’s only two hours by bus from Gwangju.
From Gwangju, take the Express Railroad shuttle train (통근) from Gwangju Songjeong Station to Gwangju Station. When I went, the ticket for the train was only 1,000 won. From there, exit Gwangju Station and head to the bus stop. To get to the bus stop, head up the stairs located near the main entrance inside Gwangju Station to the 3rd floor. There is a walkway which leads across the station and down to Exit 2. The bus stop is located right in front of Exit 2 on the left.
From there, board Bus 311 for Juknokwon (죽녹원). This bus will take you all the way to the Juknokwon entrance, so it’ll be obvious where you should get off.
When I boarded the bus, the bus driver asked everyone what stop we were going to in order to charge the right amount. Despite me saying I was going to Juknokwon, the driver tried to have me get off at the wrong stop (perhaps he misheard me). So, make sure you’re confident in where you’re going and don’t get off early! Again, the bus will stop right in front of Juknokwon, so it’s easy to know when you’ve arrived! Once you get off the bus, simply cross the street and you’ll be there!
View of Juknokwon entrance from the bus stop
Tickets & Admission
The Juknokwon ticket booth is located at the top of the steps at the entrance. I paid 3,000 won for the basic adult ticket (which, in my opinion, is an absolute steal). Teenagers and veterans can get in for 1,500 won and elementary school students for 1,000 won.
Tickets for the Art Center cost an additional 1,000 won, but I don’t really think it’s a necessary visit, so I’d recommend passing on those.
Trails & Sights
Juknokwon has 8 walking paths: Good Luck Road, Meditation Road, Lover’s Lane, Old Friend’s Trail, Old Memories Byway, Seonginsan Trail, Philosopher’s Road, and Scholar’s Road. I walked in a loop, going from the Old Friend’s Trail, through the Good Luck Road and Meditation Road to Lover’s Lane, all the way to the back before circling down to Philosopher's Road and Scholar’s Road to the entrance.
There are statues and other various structures lining each road. My personal favorite statues were the pandas located along Good Luck Road.
There is also a caricature statue of King Gyeongmun, the 48th king of Korea during the Silla Dynasty. Here is a fun anecdote about him:
King Gyeongmun ruled at a time of intense strife, famine, and rebellion and despite his best attempts to strengthen and unify the kingdom, he was unsuccessful. However, according to Korean folklore, Kim Gyeongmun also had another major problem: he had donkey ears! Embarrassed, the king kept his ears a secret from everyone, including his wife. The only soul that knew was his crown maker who knew better than to tell everyone the king’s secret. However, as the crown maker grew older and approached death, he decided he couldn’t keep the secret in anymore. Out of desperation, he ran deep into a bamboo forest and shouted, “The King has donkey ears!” at the top of his lungs. After that, he was able to die in peace. The bamboo, however, couldn’t contain the secret either and as the winds blew through the forest, the words, “The King has donkey ears…” were carried with it and out into the kingdom. Thus, everyone learned the King’s secret. As the original tale goes, King Gyeongmun, upset, ordered the bamboo forest to be destroyed. On the signs in Juknokwon however, it says that after everyone learned of his secret, the King gained confidence and used his ears to listen better, becoming a great king.
Besides the statues, there are plenty of sitting areas lining the path to rest your legs and take in the scenery.
Throughout the forest, there are signs pointing out various filming locations and historic moments which took place in the park, including the filming of the popular variety show Infinite Challenge and the visitation of President Roh Moo-Hyun.
At the back of the forest, there is a small clearing with a few ponds and several hanok-style buildings.
Here, you will find the filming site of the immensely popular Korean television show “2 Days 1 Night.” Take a break here and sit on the “daecheong maru” (wooden flooring).
[trans. “2 Days 1 Night. Damyang Filming Location: This is the filming site of KBS2-TV’s popular variety program “Happy Sunday,” where the 2 Days 1 Night team visited Damyang and spent the night in Usongdang Hall.]
There is a hanok-style café located in the same area along with restrooms and vending machines. I decided to skip the café here in favor of visiting the one located near the front of the forest. So, after recovering a bit of my energy, I began the trek back. There are a couple of ways of getting back into the forest. I chose to take the Philosopher’s Path which, while pleasant once inside the forest, was a rather steep path coming up from the cleaning.
From the Philosopher's Road, I walked down the Scholar’s Road to Bonghwangnu Pavilion, a 2-story hanok-style observatory located near the front of Juknkwon. The building doubles as a café, serving up a variety of bamboo-flavored drinks.
I originally planned to get the bamboo sikhye (sweet rice drink), but they were sold out, so I opted for the bamboo tea. I had heard that the bamboo tea by itself wasn’t that good, but I personally thought it was tasty! It has the same taste profile as matcha: earthy, a bit grassy, slightly sweet, slightly nutty, etc., but much less strong. If you like matcha you’d like this and if you’re on the fence about matcha, well- maybe try it because you might enjoy it better! If you hate matcha well then...you’d probably not be a fan!
As I sipped on my hot tea, I enjoyed the lovely scenery of Damyang below.
Time
It took me about 2.5 hours to finish walking through Juknokwon. That included me spending extra time at each location to take pictures, so it doesn’t take that long to see everything– especially if you decide not to go all the way to the back of the forest.
Here I will also note that since the bamboo never dies, Juknokwon is open year-round and is said to be beautiful no matter the season- even when it snows. I visited in February and found it stunning.
Food & Nearby Attractions
After tea, head out from Juknokwon and across the bridge towards Noodle Street, a road with restaurants and tables lining the river. Damyang is famous for its noodle dishes, evident by the fact that they have an entire street dedicated to it. The restaurants here are only store fronts; customers order and then pick a table on the other side of the street to eat at. The food is then carried out to each of the tables. Most of the restaurants here serve similar dishes, so find an open table and order away.
I ordered the spicy mixed noodles with young summer radish kimchi (열무비빔국수) and boiled egg with medicinal herbs (한방약계란) from 옛날진미국수. The noodles were absolutely delicious. They were spicy, refreshing, and packed with flavor. I don’t recall the medicinal herbs impacting the flavor of the eggs in anyway, but they still tasted good. The weather was also lovely outside, so eating near the river was really pleasant.
I saw many people order the welsh-onion pancake (파천) as well. It would have been too much for me to eat alone so I didn’t order it, but it looked tasty so if you go in a group I’d recommend getting that too! Damyang is also known for their daetong-bap (steamed rice in a bamboo stem), which you can try at the Bamboo Shoot (Juksun) Food Village next to Juknokwon.
After lunch, you can wander around the stream and peak at the surrounding stores. There wasn’t a whole lot open the day I went (Monday), so I headed over to the Bamboo Shoot Food Village and ended up visiting a café called Algaeng. I ordered their recommended Tropical Punch Ade but found it too overpoweringly sweet, so I ended up just eating the fruit out of it. Nevertheless, the place had a nice view and was rather cozy inside.
If you continue up the road from Algaeng, you’ll find some souvenir shops. All the souvenir stalls in the area sell similar wares: bamboo tea, panda plushies, and a variety of wood items including some locally made bamboo utensils. I bought a bag of bamboo tea for 10,000 won. If you’re still hungry, head to a food stall and try Damyang’s popular bamboo ice cream, bamboo stuffed breads (a local recipe), or sweet rice donuts.
To wrap up your Damyang trip, you can walk along the stream at the Yeongsangang Culture Park. There is a small scooter rental shop near the Bamboo Shoot Food Village which seemed popular among couples. There are also mini “car” rentals for kids and a cycle rickshaw service.
Just a short ways away from Juknokwon is also the Damyang Metasequoia-lined Road. The 8.5-kilometer-long road of metasequoia trees here were planted by the Park Chung-Hee administration in the 1970s. It’s considered one of Korea’s most beautiful walking paths.
Returning
To get back to Gwangju, head back to the front of Noodle Street, that’s where the bus stop is. The buses leaving from Damyang all have similar numbers (311, 311-1, 311-2, 311-3). I believe they have similar routes, but with slight deviances in the stops. I ended up taking the exact same bus as the one I took to get to Damyang, but double check which stop you’re going to before boarding and make sure the bus goes there. Once again, be direct with the bus driver about where you want to go! The buses leaving Damyang take a bit longer to arrive than the ones coming from Gwangju, so keep that in mind when planning. Like that, your Damyang day-trip is complete!
I’ll be honest: I didn’t expect much from Damyang going into the trip. I had just learned about Juknokwon a short while before going and went almost on a whim because I was nearby in Gwangju. That being said, visiting Damyang ended up being a wonderful adventure. From the tranquility and beauty of the forest to the delicious food, to the kind people I met along the way; this trip truly was a “healing” experience. I highly urge you to visit Damyang and Juknokwon if you have the chance. You won’t regret it!
Additional Information
Juknokwon Hours
March-October: 09:00-19:00 (Last admission 18:00)
November-February: 09:00-18:00 (Last admission 17:30)