Jeju in January: Slow Island Living
Saebyeol Oreum
For the start of the New Year, we followed the Korean tradition of watching the first sunrise of the year. Saebyeol Oreum is a popular place in Jeju to come on January first. Oreums are ancient volcanic cones that are found all over Jeju. Many oruems have hiking trails that are easy to access and well maintained. It took us about 10-15 minutes to walk up, and the biting cold and wind didn’t make it easy. It was very early in the morning but the mountain was crowded with people ready to say hello to the new year. Sadly it was really cloudy so we only got to get a peak of the sun for a few minutes.
Still, was worth it watching the rays light up the tall dry grass. Climbing down the mountain, we were really lucky to see a rare wild Korean roe deer running through the grass. We’ve only had seen this native species once when we hiked Hallasan. It was already a great start to the year.
Flat 4 Coffee Roasters
Flat 4 Coffee is a small coffee shop located in Jeju City. We haven’t gotten into the specialty coffee scene much in Jeju and that was going to change. It is a simple shop with a few tables and good coffee. The aesthetic was rather simple as it had dark brick walls and wooden tables. I assumed that they roasted their own coffee, since they have “roasters” in the name, but apparently not. Instead, they had beans from Finland of all places. I got a matcha latte which was made really well.
It tasted really high quality and was one of the best ones I’ve had. Michael got a pour over that was brewed great as well. Their desserts were really cute so we wanted to try one. Their lemon blueberry pound cake perfectly complimented our beverages as it had a drier texture. It was a great introduction to specialty coffee in Jeju. If you’re interested in a large list of the best coffee in Jeju, we have a whole article about it.
Lyric
Lyric is a Japanese style restaurant located in Jeju City. They offer a variety of dishes but one their main specialty is pork cutlet. The presentation was amazing as the cutlet wasn’t overcooked and it had a beautiful crispy coating surrounding it. As far as tonkatsu goes it’s definitely better than what we usually have in Korea. However, it wasn’t much to write home about. We also tried their second most popular dish, the white ragu pasta. On the first bite I really enjoyed, it but the more I ate the more I realized it wasn’t for me. It was covered in a cream sauce that was drenched in oregano.
If you really love tonkatsu, this is probably a good place to check out, but over all it wasn’t quite our style. I’ve found that tonkatsu in Korea is usually too dry, so this was at least a step up from that. Still, we were happy to check out somewhere new.
Coffee Cave
Coffee Cave is a local coffee shop ran by just one owner and his wife. I read reviews that their coffee is amazing and they make great hand drips. But the outside confused me as I thought I picked the wrong place. Once we went up the stairs and went inside, I felt differently. If I was a book worm, this would be the perfect environment to read. The walls are covered in art and plants that make it bright and inviting. All of their mugs were colorful and unique as well. Michael enjoyed his pour over, and I tried a Jeju mixed grain latte. The mixed grain latte had a nutty flavor and a creamy texture. This is a coffee shop that embraces cozy vibes and intentional beverages, perfect for a cold winter day.
Gwangchigi Beach
Gwangchigi Beach is a quieter beach near Seosang Ilchubung. It is covered with dark sand and rocks coated in green lichen. I was shocked at how vibrantly green the rocks appeared. Compared to the rest of the dormant plant life, it brought a welcome warmth to the cold windswept beach.
We walked around on the stone and stared at the marine life in the tidepools. It’s very pretty beach to take a short stroll around, especially if you’re already in the area of the sunrise peak. I’ve driven by this beach many times, and never thought to stop by. I’m glad we did, because it’s one of the more unique coastal views Jeju has to offer.
Coffee Temple Jeju
Coffee Temple Jeju is a popular coffee shop in the Jeju City area. The cafe is made out of stone surrounded by citrus trees. In the summer, they have a large patio with lots of outdoor seating. However, in the winter indoor seating is limited, so expect a long wait due to the popularity. But don’t worry, they have a nice waiting room nearby that is comfortable and heated. When we finally went inside, they had various beans on display to smell alongside the tasting notes. This shop strictly sells coffee, and one of the few non-coffee drinks was tangerine juice. Of course, Michael got a pour over.
I wasn’t complaining because hallabong juice is what Jeju is famous for. The juice was delicious, and Michael really enjoyed his coffee. Even though it’s a popular cafe, they really care about the quality and this was one of the better coffees he had in Jeju. I also really loved their branding, with bright poppy colors and cute illustrated characters.
Abu Oreum
Abu Oreum is not the largest oreum in Jeju, but has a uniquely round shape. At the center of the oreum is a ring of trees that make it look like an eye from above. The hike was very easy as Abu Oreum is much smaller than the surrounding hills. Sadly, we weren’t able to see the iconic eye from the viewing platform, as the trees had grown too high. Michael wanted to take his drone up to see it from the sky, but the winter gusts made it impossible. Even in January, the 360 view of Jeju will never get old, with the sea and sunrise peak on one side, and Hallasan on the other. This is a very simple hike which is great for families with kids, and it is close to big attractions like Snoopy Garden.
Gimnyeong Sea Walk
In a small neighborhood in the tiny town of Gimnyeong, there is a path that meets the sea. The path doesn’t have a name, and can only be seen when it’s low tide. It’s a beautiful curved path that is surrounded by water making a great place for pictures. It’s a stunning site to see, because he end of the path goes out and disappears into the ocean. Since it was incredibly windy that day, the water was splashing up onto the path so we were doing our best to avoid slipping and getting soaked. At one point, Michael nearly fell in, which honestly would have been pretty dangerous. Luckily, we made it out alive and enjoyed the beautiful views.
Mongtan
Mongtan is a famous barbecue restaurant with two locations, Seoul and Jeju. To visit the location in Jeju a reservation must be made. We used the app Catchtable and made a down payment. The interior is like a dark stone cave resembling the same volcanic rocks as the statues in Jeju. Mongtan is famous for their dry age short rib. Before they prepared it they showed us the cuts and explained everything about the meat. The marbling was so beautiful and I was very excited when the staff grilled it for us.
There are various sauces to dip the meat in, as well as a plethora of delicious banchan. This restaurant is on the pricier end but the experience was really worth it and we wanted to treat ourselves. We also ordered a thinly sliced pork belly which was also prepared for us. They don’t have a dessert menu but we got Korean dessert: kimchi fried rice mixed with the aged beef. We cleaned our plates so well and were very satisfied.
Myoham
Myoham is a cocktail bar located in Jeju City. We wanted to go out at night and celebrate the New Year’s Eve, but when we showed up an hour after it opened, but it was so packed that we couldn’t get a seat. The next day when we tried again even though we came 10 minutes after opening it, was still packed but thankfully we got the last table. During the earlier hours, this small bar doesn’t have many seats available. So plan ahead or come very late. This bar seems more popular for tourists as most of the guessts were not Korean.
While we waited for our drinks, we ate brown cheese ice cream that had a sweet and savory taste. As the owner is the only one that makes the drinks, he takes his time perfecting each one slowly. I got a Bailey’s Milk and Michael got the “Orgasm”. The drinks weren’t our favorite, as we realized we don’t prefer milk based cocktails. However, we could still tell they were professionally made. One of the reasons I picked this cafe is there are special workers who show up to the bar every night to help. They do a great job walking around and modeling in front of the alcohol. It wasn’t my favorite bar ever, but it was pretty unique, and the workers were very, very good.
Final Thoughts
I don’t think Jeju will ever get old. It feel so different from the mainland of Korea, and especially so in winter. Even in the cold and windy January air, you can still feel the Jeju magic in the air. It’s an amazing place to grab a great cup of coffee and relax by the seaside.
