Travel Back In Time In Naganeupseong Folk Village In Suncheon

Having visited the Naganeubseong Folk Village (순천 낙안읍성), or Nagan Folk Village, twice in the past year, it’s high time I write about this charming and very unique folk village in Korea. Considered the best preserved Korean fortress town in the country, this is absolutely something you need to see in Jeollanam-do.

Not only is it the best preserved, but it’s still active! There are 100 households with a bit over 200 residents that live in the traditional thatched roof homes in the village. It’s pretty amazing really. The town has been growing in popularity over the past few years but is still very much a hidden gem in Korea for most travelers so plan your trip before everyone else finds this charming village near Suncheon and Yeosu.

Plan your trip to Nagan Folk Village:

• Basic Info
• How To Get There
• Where To Stay
• The History of Naganeubseong Folk Village
• What To See In The Village Today
• What To Do
• What To Eat

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Basic Info

Hours: November – January: 9:00am ~ 5:30pm; February – April & October: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm; May – September: 8:30am ~ 6:30pm

Admission: Adults: W4,000; Teenagers: W2,500; Children: W1,500

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How To Get There

Address: 30 Chungmin-gil, Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do (전라남도 순천시 낙안면 충민길 30)

By Train: You can take the KTX train from Seoul to Suncheon Station and from there, the folk village is just a 45 minute ride on bus 68 which can be found right outside of the station. This route would take about 4.5 hours in total and is the fastest option.

By Bus: From Central City Bus Terminal in Seoul, you can take an intercity bus to Suncheon Bus Terminal and then take bus 63 just outside of the bus terminal for 40 minutes to get to the folk village. This route would take about 5.5 hours in total.

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Where To Stay

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The History Of Naganeubseong Folk Village

The site of the village has been inhabited since the beginning of the first millennia and became a fortress village in the early 10th century during the Goryeo Dynasty. The Joeollanam-do province was and is an extremely fertile area and so it was often the target of invasion and prone to attacks prompting the need for a fortress town.

The village began to really flourish in the late 1300s during the Joseon Dynasty when there were more than 330 fortress towns across the Korean peninsula. During the Japanese occupation, most of these fortress towns were destroyed or dismantled but somehow Naganeubseong remained untouched and intact. You can check out other recommended folk villages to see in Korea here.

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What To See In The Village Today

Nagan means ‘a place of joy and comfort’ and is a place where Korean history and present day life coexists in a unique harmony found in few places on the peninsula today.

Today, there are 231 houses here that are still in their original condition with thatched roofs, mortar free stone work, no plumbing, and living spaces that are much smaller than the average home today. And what is especially unique about the village is that not only are the homes in their original state, but there are actual residents that occupy the homes and still live a very traditional lifestyle.

In fact, on this last trip to the folk village in the autumn, I noticed that they were re-thatching the homes. There were piles and piles of straw that had been harvested and residents were working to rethatch their roofs before the winter. Every year, the roof needs to be re-thatched and the residents take on this task as well as sweeping the unpaved roads, and other homely jobs that people today don’t even consider anymore.

The town became an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011 and while still very residential, offers a lot to tourists to Suncheon.

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What To Do

I visited in both the summer during monsoon rains and the autumn which is why the pictures in this post vary rather dramatically. It’s a sight to behold in every season though. Even in the rain, it was impressive. Very much a living museum, there are experiences and activities to enjoy while learning about history in Korea and enjoying the surrounding views. Here’s how to enjoy Naganeubseong to the fullest.

Walk Along The Top Of The Fortress Wall

The straw roof homes that you’ll see here, though rare today, were very common historically. And if you walk on the wall, you can see them beautifully displayed.

As soon as you enter through the east gate (where everyone enters from), look right and you’ll find a staircase that goes up to the pavilion on top of the gate and from there you can walk along the wall.

Find The Observatory View

Stop Into A Workshop

Walk around the village to find various houses that host workshops from the blacksmith, to straw crafts, paper art, silkworm breeding, fabric dying, and so on. We stopped into a few and they were very welcoming and kind. The experiences may cost a bit of money so take some cash.

Visit the Nangminggwan Folk Exhibition Hall

If you want to see some of the historical artifacts and relics, then stop in here. All of the information is in Korean, but great things to see inside. My favorite part was the mock representation of a giant tug-of-war. Just wait until you see how giant a traditional Korean tug-of-war was. Squid Game should have kept the tug-of-war game traditional if you ask me.

Enjoy The Views At The Lotus Pond

This is one you should do mostly when it’s warm and there are lotus filling the pond. In the autumn, it’s not so beautiful. But if you’re there in the warmer months, you’ll like the view, I’m sure of it. Take a seat on the nearby steps and just enjoy the calm and quiet surroundings of this historical village.

Find The Traditional Government Buildings

On the northern end of the grounds, there aren’t the thatched roof homes seen everywhere else, but you’ll find buildings that are more akin to the traditional buildings you see elsewhere in the country. The tiled roof pavilions and colorful paint adorn the Nakmin-nu Pavillion, Village School, Old Governmental Office, and Guest House. Step through the gates to see the, somewhat awkward but always humorous, figures and statues that are meant to display what a day in the life looked like.

Play A Traditional Game

No traditional folk village is complete without traditional games. Near the guest house there are hoola-hoops, a giant wooden swing, and other things to play some traditional Korean games.

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What To Eat

There is a strip of restaurants just outside of the folk village but there is also a restaurant inside too. What’s the difference? Mostly what’s available to eat. Both times I went, we ate outside before we entered the village, but having seen what was available inside, the next time I go, we’re definitely eating inside.

Mihyang Restaurant (미향식당) & Wonjo (원조꼬막맛집)

On the main road heading to Naganeubseong, there are a number of restaurants that all seem to serve about the same thing. They focus on cockles which aren’t really my favorite, but they also serve up a ton of delicious side dishes. Be prepared for seafood though if you go this route.

Naganeubseong Restaurants

Inside of the folk village, the options are a bit more basic and easier for foreigners to eat in my experience with bibimbap, various noodle soups, and vegetable pancakes, though they do also have some of those cockle specialties that the area seems to be popular for.

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If you haven’t made it to Suncheon yet, or did and missed this, get to planning now so you can see everything there is to see!

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