Mugdha Sanjay Attarde, Mumbai, Maharashtra

The main lead packs their bags and travels thousands of kilometers to relieve themselves from everyday stress and to bloom their love. Where have we watched this scene? All the K-drama fanatics have seen this scene in dramas and they never fail to fascinate us with the scenic beauty of Jeju Island. We can see a glimpse of Jeju Island in some K-dramas like Legend of the Blue Sea, Something in the Rain, Playful Kiss, Secret Garden, and Boys Over Flowers.

Jeju Island located in Jeju Province is the largest island in South Korea. The resident registration population is about 670,000. The island was usually known as Quelpart to Europeans, Saishū to the Japanese, Tanana, and Juho and Tamna to Koreans. The island lies in the Korean Strait, below the Korean Peninsula and it is run by local inhabitants instead of politicians. The Island covers an area of 1833.2 km².  It was formed approximately 2 million years ago by the eruption of an underwater volcano. The northern end of Jeju Island is Kimnyeong Beach, the southern end is Songak Mountain, the western end is Suwolbong, and the eastern end is Seongsan Ilchulbong. The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes are natural world heritage sites. Jeju Island belongs to the temperate climate, and it has a moderate climate in winter, the temperature rarely falls below 0 °C (32 °F). Jeju’s handwriting color matches Jeju’s basalt color. They believe in preserving Jeju’s traditions. 

Jeju has a humid subtropical climate and it has four seasons. It has cool winters with moderate rainfall and hot and humid summers with high rainfall. The main Universities of Jeju Island are North London Collegiate School Jeju, Korean International School Jeju, Branksome Hall Asia, St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, Jeju National University, Jeju International University, Cheju Halla University, Jeju Tourism University, and Korea Polytechnics. The island’s power grid is connected to mainland plants by the HVDC Haenam–Cheju, and electricity is also provided by generators located on the island.

The island has Jeju International Airport in Jeju City and is also accessible from Busan by ferry. The island has a public bus system but no railway facilities. It is dominated by Hallasan volcanic mountain which is 1,950 meters. Got away Forest occupies 12% of the Jeju-do. This forest is the main source of groundwater and thus the main water source for the half million people of the island and it is under the Ramsar Convention but not declared as a Ramsar site.

Jeju Island boosts the economy with its tourism facilities. It hosts 15,000,000 visitors per year and it has its own local distinct dialect. Unlike South Korean citizens, Chinese citizens do not require Visa. In 1962, the South Korean government established the Korean National Tourism Corporation (KNTC) to monitor and regulate internal and external tourism, and it was later renamed the Korean National Tourism Organization (KNTO). Initially, Chinese travelers accounted for 80% of foreign travelers but due to the installation of the THAAD (The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in Korea to shield against North Korean missiles, Chinese travelers have dwindled drastically. It is one of the most popular surfing spots in Korea.

Jeju Island has small islands named Udo, Gapado, and Marado which visitors can visit by boat. Udo is famous for its peanut ice cream and boat tours. Some other places of Interest are Manjanggul Lava Tube which is  8 km long with a 1 km publicly accessible portion, Seongsan Ilchulbong also known as Sunrise Peak, the island’s central dominant peak named Mount Hallasan, Mount Songaksan with a low, flat grassland, Seongeup Folk Village, Jeju Teddy Bear Museum, Figure Museum Jeju, Jeju Maze Park, Mysterious Road, O’Sulloc Tea Museum, Jeongbang, and Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls, Ecoland Train Trip Theme Park, Jungmun, Hyeopjae, and Weoljung Beaches, and Natural Recreation Forest Jeolmul. In 2005, the Jeju Science Park was created which attracted 117 IT and biotech companies and it is home to the Daum Kakao Corporation headquarters. Due to extensive tourism, the pollution of beaches, traffic, and overconsumption of underground water has become a serious problem. But the local government of Jeju aspires to be carbon-free by 2030.

Jeju Island is an ideal place for a nature lover to spend valuable time with your loved ones as it is endowed with magnanimous mountains, fresh air, and clean beaches. You will also see Haenyeo which are Jeju female divers and they harvest oysters, abalone, clams, seaweed, and other marine life. So aren’t you eager to visit Jeju?