By: Funday Friends
Author: Angeline Chrysanta
 

Everyone knows Jeonju Bibimbap, Jeonju Hanok Village. But have you heard of Jinju? Yes, Jinju, this is not a typo. 

Jinju is a beautiful city located in Gyeongsang province, the south part of Korea. I would say this city is one of Korea’s countryside. The atmosphere is peaceful, the air feels so fresh, and they have so many good foods. If you want to go somewhere far from the city with friendly citizens and good food, Jinju would be a great choice! But first, shoutout to the Funday Korea Team for the trip! It was an honor to join their event! 

My tour was 100% sponsored by Funday Korea, from accommodation, transportation, basically everything. 

Thanks to them, I gained a new exciting experience and just like their name, spent a really fun day exploring Korea. 

Okay, now here’s how my trip with Funday Korea went: first we met at the meeting point, which was the express bus terminal. 

We received an adorable Jinju-themed welcoming set which includes a pen, a guidebook, a leaflet, and a set of stickers. We then receive our tickets and we’re off to go~ 

All the must-visit locations, from popular tourist destinations, fun activities, local food, popular restaurants, and even markets are included in the guidebook. Here’s my personal highlight among the places I visited: 

#1 HWASEONG FORTRESS. 

Everyone knows Gyeongbokgung palace or Hanok Village are great spots for photos, especially when they come in Hanbok. But, they’re always super crowded. So here’s an alternative, where you can take pretty Korean-themed photos but way less crowded. 

I came in autumn, which makes the pictures come out even prettier! If you walk for another 10 minutes, you can take a yacht through the river located near the fortress. 

Enjoy the cool breeze with a beautiful view of Hwaseong Fortress at night! I did not try going on the yacht and I am currently regretting my decisions. 

#2 FOODIES. 
 

I am now in love with grilled eel thanks too YOUJUNG (유정장어). I also had a delicious bowl of bibimbap and tried the grilled small octopus in a place called 고기가득 별난비빔밥. The owners were really friendly, they taught us some Korean words for the side dishes, offered us more when we ran out of side dishes, and even gave us persimmons! 10/10 service! 

Last but not least, the Jinju Jungang Market. Just perfect. 

Affordable price, wide options, super delicious! 

One of the best hotteok I ever ate! I also tried their local honey bread (basically a ball-shaped bread filled with red beans, crispy on the outside, covered with honey, sesame seeds, and some beans). The tteokbokki and fries they sell also look super delicious, but sadly I was too full to get them.
 
#3 FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. 

The environment I am talking about is both nature and people. 

Overall, everyone we met was really kind and friendly! The air was clear and fresh, perfect for a walk around the city. The best thing is, some of the tourist attractions are close by (you can hop from 1 place to another on foot).

I was in Jinju for 2 days and 1 night trip (pretty much 24 hours excluding transport time), it was pretty short. However, if you do have more time, there is way much more to explore in Jinju. 

Here are some places that I (sadly) could not visit this time: Jinju Railbike, 진주 헛제사밥 (Jinju Heotjesabab, a full course traditional Korean meal), Geumhoji reservoir, and Manggyeong Salon (they sell chocolates). That was the highlight of my 2 days and 1 night trip to Jinju. 

It was short but sweet, a healing in the midst of exams and assignments. Thanks to the trip program I got to meet new amazing people from all around the world. Thank you so much to the Funday Korea Team for providing this program! 

Super excited for my next trip with Funday.