I have a soft spot for Sokcho (속초). I first went on a high-school class trip, and then kept coming back for weekends with friends all through my twenties — it's that kind of place. Sitting on the East Sea coast in Gangwon province, right where the mountains of Seoraksan tumble down to the ocean, it's where Koreans go when they want peaks and a beach in the same trip.
It's also full of comfort food and a few quiet K-content moments. Here's how to spend your time.
Sokcho's headline act, and one of the most spectacular places in the whole country. Seoraksan National Park is famous for its jagged granite peaks, the towering Ulsanbawi rock ridge, the temple of Sinheungsa with its great bronze Buddha, and a cable car that lifts you toward the Gwongeumseong fortress viewpoint without a full climb. In October the slopes catch fire with Korea's earliest and most famous autumn foliage.
Local buses run from Sokcho to the Seorak-dong entrance. Not a hiker? The cable car gives you big views for little effort. Autumn weekends are gorgeous but very busy — go early.
A village with a moving history: it was settled by refugees from the Hamgyong region of North Korea who fled south during the war and never made it home. They brought their food with them, so this is the place to try abai sundae and squid sundae — hearty northern sausages you won't find elsewhere. You reach it on the gaetbae, a flat ferry pulled across the channel by hand, made famous by the classic drama Autumn in My Heart (가을동화).
The gaetbae costs a small fare and is half the fun. Eat abai sundae right in the village.
Sokcho's buzzing central market is a feast. Its signature is the city's own style of dakgangjeong — sweet, crunchy glazed fried chicken — which draws long queues at the famous stalls. Around it you'll find fresh seafood, fishcakes, stuffed squid and every kind of snack. It's the easiest, happiest meal in town.
Come hungry, and grab a box of dakgangjeong to take to the beach. Expect a wait at the most famous stall.
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For the sea side of Sokcho, head to Yeonggeumjeong, a little pavilion set on rocky outcrops where the waves crash right below — a favourite sunrise spot. Nearby, Sokcho Beach gives you a wide sandy stretch and the Expo waterfront with its observation tower. It's the perfect calm counterpoint to the mountains.
Come at dawn for sunrise over the East Sea, then walk the waterfront promenade.
Just south of Sokcho, Naksansa is a serene seaside temple with a great white Gwaneum (Goddess of Mercy) statue gazing out over the East Sea — one of the loveliest temple-and-ocean views in Korea. Pair it with Daepohang, a working fishing port near Sokcho where you pick fresh raw fish or grab a paper cone of crispy fried seafood by the water.
Short bus or taxi from Sokcho. A sea-view temple plus a seafood lunch makes an easy half-day.
How to get there & get around
Sokcho doesn't have a train line yet, so the easiest way from Seoul is the express or intercity bus — about 2 to 2.5 hours from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, running very frequently. Once you arrive, local buses and taxis link the market, Abai Village, the beaches and the Seoraksan entrance, so you won't need a car (though one makes the coast easy to roam).
Planning a wider Korea trip around it? Here's a handy starting point for tours and tickets:
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The bottom line
Sokcho is mountains, sea and comfort food in one easy package — climb (or cable-car) Seoraksan, ride the hand-pulled ferry to Abai Village, queue for dakgangjeong, and catch a sunrise on the rocks. It's at its absolute best in October for the foliage, but it's a lovely escape any time of year.
Heading down the coast too? See our Gangneung travel guide — Sokcho's laid-back neighbour to the south.
Planning more? See my guide to Korea's best small cities and grab a T-money card for the buses.