Suncheon

Suncheon (순천,順天) is in South Jeolla province on the south coast of the Korean Peninsula. Suncheon is a middle-sized town of 280,000 people (2022) near the sea, and is an important center of industry and agriculture. It is about 1 hour from the major city of Gwangju.

The downtown of Suncheon has an old town (구도심) and a new town (신도심). You can experience some historical traces of modernization and industrialization of a small city of Korea in the old town. And in new town, you can feel the general life style of small city of Korea. You can also visit more historic places in the suburb of Suncheon, an hour's bus ride away.

KTX trains connect Yongsan Station in Seoul with Suncheon Station (순천역). Check current schedules and fares on Korail.

There are a number of buses from the Express Bus Terminal (고속버스터미널) in Seoul. It takes 3 hours 50 minutes from Seoul.

Like many other Korean cities, Suncheon is not a very bike-friendly place. But riding a bike through the Dongcheon stream to Suncheon Bay is recommendable. Suncheon has a well managed public bicycle service.

Almost every city bus in Suncheon passes the Suncheon station and bus terminal. Some useful bus lines are shown below. City bus 77 is the most useful and frequent line that connects the old town with the new town by crossing the city.

• 34.96921127.482931 Sunchon National University Museum (순천대학교박물관), 255 Jungang-ro (Seokhyeon-dong) (On the Sunchon National University campus), ☏ +82 61 750 5041. Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00. The university museum exhibits archaeological finds and other cultural heritage from eastern South Jeolla Province. Free.  (updated Oct 2026)
• Maesan-road (매산길). There are some historical buildings built by Christian missionaries in early 20th century. (updated Dec 2015)
• Munhwauigeori (문화의거리, Cultural street) (connected to Jungang-dong (중앙동)). Small street that has traditional tea shops, cafes, restaurants and handicraft shops. (updated Dec 2015)

• Suncheon drama open set (순천드라마촬영장) (ride citybus 77, get off at 'Drama set' stop). 09:00-18:00. Many Korean films and dramas based on the age 60s to 80s were shot in here. ₩3,000. (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.928092127.504442 Suncheon Bay National Garden (순천만국가정원), 47 Gukgajeongwon 1-ho-gil (Bus 66 from Suncheon Station to the National Garden East Gate), ☏ +82 61 749 3114. A large park with Korean and international themed gardens. Check the official website for seasonal opening hours. Adults ₩10,000; teenagers ₩7,000; children ₩5,000.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 34.90717127.3401713 Naganeupseong Castle (낙안읍성) (by citybus 61, 63, 68, from Suncheon-station and bus terminal, every an hour). A Joseon dynasty era castle built in 1397 and one of the most well preserved in Korea. It takes an hour from downtown.  (updated Sep 2015)
• 34.9075127.581114 Suncheon Waeseong Castle (순천왜성, Suncheon Japanese Castle). Suncheon Japanese Castle was built during the second Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597.  (updated Sep 2015)

• 35.002222127.2761115 Songgwangsa Temple (송광사). Dating from 867, this is one of Korea's oldest temples. It takes an hour and 30 minutes from downtown.  (updated Sep 2015)
• 34.996127.3316 Seonamsa Temple (선암사), Address 450, Seonamsa-gil, Seungju-eup (by citybus 1, from Suncheon-station and bus terminal, every an hour), ☏ +82 61-754-5247. A large temple complex dating from 861, with natural tea fields cultivated for many hundreds of years. It takes an hour from downtown. One out of seven Korean mountain monasteries to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.  (updated Sep 2015)
• 34.8836127.51187 Suncheon Bay Wetland (순천만습지, 순천만, Suncheon Bay Ecological Park), 513-25 Suncheonman-gil (Check the official website for current bus routes from Suncheon Station), ☏ +82 61 749 3114. Nov-Feb entry 08:00-17:00; Mar-Apr and Sep-Oct entry 08:00-18:00; May-Aug entry 08:00-19:00. A coastal wetland with reed beds, tidal flats and migratory birds. Walking paths pass through the reeds; see the official website for current visitor information. Adults ₩10,000; teenagers ₩7,000; children ₩5,000.  (updated Oct 2026)

• 34.95374127.494671 Jukdobong Park (죽도봉공원), 113 Jungang-ro, ☏ +82 61-749-3209. With 30 minutes walk there is a nice view of the old town of Suncheon. You can start from Origolmok (오리골목, Duck-dish street) in Jogok-dong or Railroad official residence village (철도관사마을) in Jogok-dong.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.94983127.493652 Dongcheon (동천, East stream). Ride a bike or walk through Dongcheon.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.96847127.484113 Suncheondaehakro (순천대학로, Suncheon univ. street) (Almost every city bus passes Suncheon univ.). Experience the night life of the small regional college students of Korea. Quite old-fashioned but has its own unique atmosphere.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.95504127.481844 Hanokgeulbang (Hanok library, Korean-style library, 한옥글방) (in the Munhwauigeori (Cultural street)), ☏ +82 61 749 4033. Read a book in a small library in Korean style Building (Hanok, 한옥). But bring your own books unless you read Korean, as the library owns no foreign-language books. Free.  (updated Dec 2015)

• 34.95487127.484011 Suncheon Ssinae-mall (순천씨내몰). Underground arcade shopping mall in old town. Mainly sells usual clothes, but you can also find some souvenirs here.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.95496127.48472 Jungang-dong (중앙동). Suncheon version of Myong-dong (명동). Glimpse the fashion styles of Suncheon. Street foods are also available here.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.9588127.485193 Utjang (웃장, upper market). Every 5 days that ends in 5 or 0. One of the two big old markets in Suncheon. Famous for pork stew.  (updated Dec 2015)
• 34.94555127.494754 Araetjang (아랫장, lower market) (10 minutes by walk from bus terminal, 15 minutes from Suncheon station.). Every 5 days that ends in 2 or 7. The biggest old market in Suncheon and one of the biggest in the whole country. You can find every kind of seafood, vegetables, fruits and various street foods.  (updated Dec 2015)

• 34.920058127.4812331 Byeok-dong (벽동), Expansion to 75 Sangsaho-gil, ☏ +82 61-743-5569. Mon to Sat 11:00 to 21:00. Barley rice restaurant.  (updated Dec 2022)

• 34.95876127.485212 Pork stew street (돼지국밥골목), 40, Bukmun-gil (you can walk from provincial medical center (의료원)). Ut-jang (웃장) market has a pork stew street. ₩6000.  (updated Dec 2015)
• Mudskipper soup (짱뚱어탕, Jjangdungeotang). A local spicy soup made with mudskippers from the tidal flats around Suncheon Bay. (updated Oct 2026)
• 34.95592127.495263 Duck dish street (오리골목, Origolmok) (from Jogokgyo-bridge of Dongcheon-stream, walk towards Bonghwa-tunnel, you can see the sign with duck characters). South-Jeolla province is famous for its duck dishes. It produces 50% of the duck meat in Korea. Many restaurants serve duck stew and/or duck barbecue.  (updated Dec 2015)

• Reed tea (갈대차, Galdaecha). Try a cup of tea made with the reeds of Suncheon Bay. (updated Dec 2015)
• Ipsaeju (잎새주). The regional soju of South-Jeolla province can be drunk at almost every restaurant and bar in town. (updated Dec 2015)

There are some guesthouses near the Suncheon station. Or you can find a motel around bus terminal and the new town. And there is a brand new high class hotel in the new town.

• Yeosu is about 40 minutes to the south