Jeongseon (정선)

Jeongseon (정선) is a valley town located in the south-central part of Gangwon-do, South Korea, and is the county seat of Jeongseon County. It’s beautiful in Spring, hot in Summer (albeit cooler than most of Korea), fantastic in Autumn, and the Winter’s dreadfulness stems not necessarily from it’s low temperatures, but instead by the length of the season. Even though the town is small, that does not mean it is without the modern amenities you would find throughout Korea. There is no problem accessing internet, cable television, libraries, or restaurants. You may find it difficult to find all of your favorite western brands, but with a monthly or bimonthly trip to nearby big cities (Gangneung in particular), you shouldn’t want for much. The English ability is about what you would expect it to be – meaning rudimentary.

Jeongseon is roughly 40,000 people large, but you would never think that it is actually that big. Jeongseon is famous throughout Korea for two things: Arrirang, and its Five Day Market. Arrirang is a type of folk song (there are different versions), usually depicting a pair of separated lovers. In a famous song, the man goes to find salt and never returns. The fact that you even know that much information about it will impress all you bust it out on! The five day market is something you will grow to know intimately. The fruit is seasonal and there are more pickled vegetables and seafood than you could ever want. In addition, there are also fried Korean pancakes and other festival fare. The market takes place on any day of the month that ends in a two or a seven.