Jeju Island Travel Diary - Day 1

1. Why I Went to Jeju Island

In September 2025, I finally completed my Data School course. With the certificate in hand, I thought I'd get accepted wherever I wanted in no time.

It was like I was certain the world would finally recognize my efforts, even just a little.

But the wall of reality was higher than I thought. I applied to several places, but I couldn't even land an interview. In the end, I decided I couldn't just sit around, so to at least continue my career in data, I joined a data labeling company. So, from October until the project ended in early March of the next year, I quietly did labeling work for about 5 months, waiting for my next chance.

Even amidst the repetitive work, I longed for growth. Then, I heard news that the company that ran my course was hiring a teaching assistant. The thought that I could now play a role in helping someone else grow made me apply without hesitation, and thankfully, I received a final acceptance notice.

With a new beginning just around the corner, I was desperate for some time that was purely my own before I officially started. So, I impulsively threw myself on a plane for a 4-day trip to Jeju Island.

2. Healing

Maybe because I'm a romantic, I even brought a fishing rod to Jeju, one that I'd never even cast before. I imagined myself coolly casting my line while gazing at the blue Jeju sea, but reality was harsh. To cut to the chase, I didn't get to do any goddamn fishing, not even once. That heavy fishing rod just took up space in my trunk like a piece of useless luggage for the entire trip.

The reason it's packed like that is because they said the fishing rod needed a box or case to be checked in as luggage. I didn't have one, so I had to rush to the post office at Gimpo Airport, pay for a box, and pack it there.

At first, I dreamed of a motorcycle trip, riding with the Jeju wind against my whole body. But I found out that to rent a bike over 125cc, you need to prove your experience, and more importantly, the rental cost was way more expensive than I thought. In the end, I compromised with reality and rented a cute little Ray, and it turned out to be a godsend. Because from the middle of the trip, it started pouring rain like crazy in Jeju.

If I had gotten the motorcycle, forget romance, I would have just suffered like a drowned rat. Every time I drove in the cozy Ray, listening to the sound of the rain, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, 'Thank god I rented the Ray.'

My first day's destination was 'Snoopy Garden (Saebyeok Friends)'. To be honest, I didn't choose it for any grand reason. While looking around for places to go nearby, I just had a gut feeling that this place would be the most fun, so I just went where my feet took me. After all, the concept for this trip was strictly an 'unplanned, unconditional P-style' trip.

Of course, having no plan had its clear downsides. Since I didn't plan an efficient route and just moved as I pleased, I had to drive a ridiculous amount on this vast island of Jeju. I couldn't help but laugh bitterly every time I looked at the remaining distance on the navigation, but who cares? This was also part of the charm of an unplanned trip, and my own way of truly enjoying my escape from reality.

This is what the entrance looks like.

As soon as I entered, the first thing I saw were sheep roaming freely.

The special thing about this farm was that almost all the animals were free-roaming and you could touch them.

There were not only sheep, ducks, and goats, but also many other animals like alpacas and peacocks.

They even had black pigs roaming around, and in the center of the farm? there was a retriever, too. It was so cute.

Do you know about the old black pig bristle brooms? I used to get hit with them a lot, so it was nice to be reminded of that memory. The bristles were really stiff.

The most popular animal among the kids was the duck.

There's also an experience where you can feed parrots for free.

It was great to heal like this for the first time in a while. Once I was inside, I was very satisfied; it was so free and you could see the animals up close that I didn't feel like it was a waste of money at all.

For sure, the most common combination was couples + kids.

3. The Failed Guesthouse

The guesthouse was a real failure. I originally booked a cheap guesthouse with the mindset of saving money, but I had no idea it would be this run-down.

It was filled with a musty, un-aired smell, and I had originally booked a 4-person room, but it was suddenly changed to a 2-person room. The other person in the room snored from 5 PM to 3 AM. It was so loud.

They said I couldn't get a refund, so I just decided to stay. Still, the saving grace was that there was a crappy electric blanket on the bed, so it was nice that I could sleep without being cold. (Jeju in March is very cold).

4. The Food

After dropping my stuff off at the guesthouse, I was wondering what to eat for dinner when I heard there was a restaurant famous for Momguk nearby. Wanting to feel the local vibe, I stepped inside. Everyone says you have to try it at least once when you come to Jeju, so I was extremely curious what it would taste like.

The Momguk I ordered came out, and I finally took my first bite. If I had to describe the taste of Momguk in one phrase, it would be 'a rich pork soup base with the subtle taste of ocean-scented seaweed.' The combination of the thick, heavy meat broth and the chewy texture of the gulfweed was strangely charming, and I could kind of understand why people seek it out as a local Jeju dish. The warm soup seemed to relieve some of the fatigue from driving.

But the problem was the sundae I had boldly added as a side. It looked normal on the outside, but as soon as I took a bite, the gamey smell of pork mercilessly assaulted my nose and mouth. I'm usually good with most kinds of pork offal and parts, but this sundae was on another level. The smell was so bad that the whole time I was eating, I wondered, 'Am I eating sundae right now, or am I chewing on a giant tonsil stone?' It was a taste of immense shock and horror.

Since it was sort of a cheapskate trip, with the guesthouse and only being able to eat gukbap, I had regrets, thinking that next time I should save up a bit more money and eat things like raw fish or grilled black pork.

Anyway, after eating gukbap and taking a shower, I just lazed around, and that's how Day 1 in Jeju ended.