Seongeup Folk Village

A village where traditional Jeju thatched houses and old village layouts survive intact — this is Seongeup Folk Village.

It served as the capital of Jeongui-hyeon for a full 500 years, from 1410 to 1914, back when Jeju was administered under a three-county system. That long history is reflected in the dense concentration of tangible and intangible cultural heritage scattered throughout the village, which the government has designated and protected as a folk village to preserve its traditional character.

Tangible heritage — old homes, a Confucian school, former government office sites, stone grandfather statues (dol hareubang), millstones, fortress remains, and steles — survives here, alongside intangible heritage unique to Jeju's mid-mountain region: folk songs, traditional games, local cuisine, folk crafts, and the Jeju dialect, all still passed down today.

What makes this place especially remarkable is that it isn't a museum-style reconstruction — it's a living village where Seongeup residents still actually live in traditional Jeju thatched houses. You can even see tongsi, Jeju's traditional-style outhouse, and the 500-year-old zelkova and hackberry trees, designated natural monuments, stand as living witnesses to the village's 500 years as a regional capital.

Honestly, though, since this is a real residential space, visitors should stay on the designated route and explore quietly, respecting residents' privacy.

Hands-on programs — Jeju folk song experiences, omegi liquor making, gosori liquor making, natural dyeing — are also offered, so it's worth checking ahead if you'd like to join one; open at all times, with parking available.