Free and easy in Sokcho, the seaside city

12 November 2014

Our plan for the afternoon was to visit the attractions in Sokcho, namely the Fisheries Market, Abai village, Sokcho beach and then have seafood dinner before returning to our hotel.

We took the local bus ( No. 7 or 7-1) from the entrance of Seoraksan National Park into Sokcho city. We alighted near the end of the blue Geumdangdaegyo Bridge and made our way to the Dongmyeong-hang port, under the bridge. 

Fishing boats at the Dongmyeong-hang port, beneath the blue Geumdangdaegyo Bridge.

Restaurants lined the side of the road by the port. Most seemed to be closed and the port seemed deserted.
Restaurants at the Dongmyeong-hang port.

Drying lettuce outside a restaurant.

I loved walking along a wharf or pier. There were so much to see and shoot.
Stacks of fishing nets.

Rows of lamps on a fishing boat. This will be brightly lit at night to attract fish and squid.

Moving along, we were lucky to see a boat unloading their catch.

Fishermen at work, unloading their catch.

I am not sure if it was a co-incident. Most of the folks doing the hard work seems to be the adjummas and ahjussis (elderly Koreans). Where are the younger Koreans?
Women at work.

Getting fish out from the net.

Part of the catch.

We also saw rows of squids, hung out like laundry, drying in the sun and wind.
Squid drying in the sun and wind – not a single housefly seen.

If we did this in South East Asia, the squids would be covered with swarming flies. Here in Korea, not a single fly was seen. Amazing. Must be the weather. So, the dried seafood that we bought yesterday must be clean and safe to eat. Ha ha.

The waters at this area were crystal clear and I could see some starfishes at the bottom. Surprising, since I expected dirty waters in a built-up area like this.

Starfish could be seen in the clear water by the Dongmyeong-hang port.

Continuing down along the port, we soon saw the Gaetbae boat with the red Seorakdaegyo Bridge in the background.

Gaetbae boat with the red Seorakdaegyo Bridge in the background.

The boat was featured in a popular K-drame “Autumn in my Heart” and crossing over using this boat would bring us to the Abai Village.

As we still have unfinished business on this side of the bay, we did not do the crossing now. We would be back later.

We made our way inland, in search of the Fisheries Market.  We found a local market instead and bought some of snack foods sold within, included the famous Dak-gangjeong (deep fried chicken with sweet sauce). I loved visiting local markets when I travel. This is where you get to taste and see the local foods, culture and people.

On the way to a local Sokcho market.

Finally trying the deep fried prawns in batter. It was not as delicious as we expected.


Medicinal herbs and roots, including ginseng that Korea is famous for.

We went back to the main road in search for the Fisheries Market. Along the way, we saw the Bronze Ox at the Hwangso (Ox) Plaza. It reminded me of the ox we saw in New York City, but the design of the ox is different.
Bronze Ox at the Hwangso (Ox) Plaza in Sokcho.

Typical street scene in Sokcho. Modern shops in this seaside fishing city.

Then we finally found a market selling seafood – dead and alive. I found the sea critters that were on sale quite amazing and some quite strange looking. One could pick and buy whatever seafood and then bring that to the restaurants behind the stalls to have them cooked for immediate eating.

Fisheries Market in Sokcho.

Live Octopuses in nets.

Stack of Red Snow Crabs.

Stalls selling all sorts of sea critters.

Vendor outside the market with strings of dried fish.

Fruit sellers outside the fisheries market.

Live Red  Snow Crabs.

Some sort of fish with big suckers on the bottom. Looked yucky!

Having seen what we came to see in the town area, we made our way back to the Gaetbae Boat to make the crossing to the Abai Village.

More about the Abai Village in the next post.