Yeosu Guhang Marine Park: Ever Stood Where Hamel Left Joseon?
where he once left Joseon
Hi, I'm Sudal. Today I've brought a story about Yeosu Guhang Marine Park, a great spot for a walk along the water in Jungang-dong, downtown Yeosu. It's a quiet park where locals come to rest during the day, but at night, I've heard people come specifically for the Dolsan Bridge night view. There's a lighthouse standing at the end of the breakwater in this park that, once you look into it, turns out to carry quite a weighty history. Today let's take it slow and tell that story.
A Harbor Turned Community Space, Starting in 2001
Yeosu Guhang Marine Park has been maintained since 2001, when the Yeosu Port Authority developed the Yeosu Guhang coastline and turned it over to residents as a place to rest. A site that was once purely a working harbor was transformed into a space where people could walk and sit, so it's interesting that the harbor and the park still feel like one continuous space. Standing in the park, you can look out and see Janggundo Island, Dolsan Bridge, Namhaedo Island, and Agisom Island all at once, so if you love the sea, just walking through here should be a treat for the eyes.
Inside the park there's a large performance venue, a fishing spot, and rest areas, all set among Washington palm trees with a tropical feel and lighting that ties it all together. A beachside park with palm trees does feel a bit exotic, doesn't it? And when night falls, the lights come on across Dolsan Bridge for a dazzling night view. That's why this park is popular not just with locals but with visitors too, as a well-known night-view spot. So if you have a free evening during a trip to Yeosu, it's well worth stopping by.
At night, the dazzling view of Dolsan Bridge draws great popularity from residents and visitors alike.
— 🦦 SudalHamel Lighthouse at the End of the Breakwater — a Name That Stands Out
The real highlight of this park is Hamel Lighthouse, standing at the very end of the breakwater. The name itself sounded unfamiliar and foreign to me at first, but it turns out this lighthouse was built to commemorate Hendrick Hamel, the Dutchman who first introduced Joseon to Europe. The story of one man who drifted off course and found himself stranded in an unfamiliar country now remains at the end of this breakwater, carried forward through the name of a lighthouse.
Hamel drifted ashore on Jeju Island in 1653, setting foot on Joseon soil for the first time, and was later assigned to the Left Jeolla Naval Command in Yeosu in July 1663, where he was made to do manual labor. From Jeju to Yeosu, and then until he finally left, it took a full 13 years. In 1666, Hamel is said to have finally escaped to Japan. And the very spot where Hamel Lighthouse now stands is, in fact, the place Hamel actually left Korea from. Learning this completely changed the way I look at the lighthouse. It's not just a pretty lighthouse — it's the point where one man's long drift and eventual escape came to a close.
The Hamel Lighthouse standing here today was built in March 2005, when Rotarians from the Yeosu area came together to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Rotary International. Rebuilding this spot as a lighthouse to commemorate a history as heavy as drifting ashore and being detained feels genuinely moving to me. Walking past it during the day, it's easy to overlook, but if you stand there thinking about how Hamel once boarded a ship and left from this very spot, I think it'll feel completely different.
SOODAL's Tip · If you're going for the night view, timing your visit right after sunset when the lights come on at Dolsan Bridge is a good idea, and since it can get windy walking out to the end of the breakwater, please stay mindful of your surroundings.