울기등대

Introduction of Daewangam Park Daewangam Park is steeped in the legend of King Munmu, who unified Korea’s Three Kingdoms. After the King’s death, he was buried in an underwater tomb off the coast of Gyeongju. According to legend, when the Queen died, she joined him in the afterlife and became a dragon guarding the East Sea. Daewangam Park is also one of the Twelve Scenic Places of Ulsan City. Beyond the tale of the Queen and the dragon, the park is rich with other mythical stories. Today, let’s dive into Daewangam Park and uncover its secrets, some of which are over a thousand years old. Let’s get started!

Yonggul Cave(Daewangam Park) If you walk past the Daewangam Stairs that lead up to the Jeonseolbawi-gil Trail, you’ll reach a place called “Haekkaebi,” located between the outer and inner “Makgujigi” borders. In the past, mysterious will-o’-the-wisp lights were often observed here. The term “Makgujigi” is a compound of “Mak,” meaning dead end, and “Gujigi,” meaning corner in the local dialect. At the inner Makgujigi, a drum-like sound can be heard when a large wave crashes against the cliff. Interested in knowing the source of this sound? Beneath the cliff lies a mysterious cave associated with the legend of the blue dragon. One day, a blue dragon appeared in the area and began to harass the fishermen. Furious at the dragon’s behavior, the Dragon King blocked the cave entrance with a massive boulder, trapping the dragon inside. According to legend, whenever a large wave hits the cliff, the dragon inside the cave thrashes against the boulder. That’s the source of the mysterious sound.

Minseom(Daewangam Park) If you look across the inner Makgujigi, you’ll see a rocky island that acts as a natural breakwater for Ilsan Bay. From certain angles, the island resembles a beautiful lady lying down. Interestingly, nothing grows on the island, and there is a story behind this. A long, long time ago, the seven angels of the Great Jade Emperor would cross a rainbow bridge once a year to visit Earth. Each time, the Emperor warned them sternly that if they did not return before sunset, the gates of heaven would close. One year, the seven angels arrived near Daewangam, where they met Geobukbawi, head of the royal guard protecting the Dragon King. Geobukbawi, brave and handsome, transformed into a turtle-shaped rock by day and became a man by night. Min, the youngest of the angels, fell in love with Geobukbawi and disobeyed the Emperor’s decree. She chose not to return to heaven, deciding instead to stay on Earth. Once the Great Jade Emperor found out about Min and Geobukbawi, the infuriated Great Jade Emperor turned Min into a rocky island. Barren and as smooth as a bald head, the island became known as “Minseom.” Heartbroken over losing his beloved Min, Geobukbawi’s heart grew cold and hard, and he eventually lost the ability to transform into a person. Minseom stands as the center of this tragic love story between Geobukbawi and Min. How about taking a walk along the beach and sharing this story with your loved one?

Ulgi Lighthouse(Daewangam Park) At the end of Jeonseolbawi-gil Trail, you’ll find the final destination of this magnificent path, the Ulgi Lighthouse. For over 100 years, this lighthouse has stood in the same spot, guiding travelers across the sea. After the Russo-Japanese War in 1906, the Japanese began calling this location “Ulgi,” meaning the “end of Ulsan.” However, when the municipal government celebrated the lighthouse's centennial anniversary, they changed the Chinese character for “gi” from meaning “rough” (崎) to “energy” (氣) to remove traces of the colonial era. As a result, Ulgi gained a new meaning, “the energy of Ulsan.” The lighthouse emits a sound known as “Musansori,” symbolizing how fog scatters and disappears into thin air. Today, Ulgi Lighthouse continues to serve as a guiding beacon for passing vessels. In 1987, the government built a new lighthouse next to Ulgi Lighthouse. According to legend, two brothers separated in childhood were reborn as these two lighthouses. It is said that on foggy days, they call each other's names, and this sound is known as “Musansori”. This seaside trail starts from Jeonseolbawi-gil and is part of the Haeparang Trail Course 8 in Ulsan. Following the coastline past Daewangam Park, it takes roughly forty minutes to reach Seuldo Island. It’s a wonderful trail for a leisurely walk along the coast. The Four Seasons Trail Course is popular among tourists, especially families and couples.

A lighthouse lighting the sea at the tip of the City of Ulsan Ulgi Lighthouse was the first lighthouse to be built on the east coast of Korea. It went into operation on March 22, 1906. Ulgi Lighthouse was built by the Japanese with the aim to dominate the sea after the Russo-Japanese War. It’s a white octagonal structure with a height of 6 meters, and it was originally named as such because it’s located at the tip of Ulsan. The second Chinese character of the name changed to mean gi, which means energy in Korean, after its 100th anniversary in 2006 with the intention to portray the message that it's where the energy of Ulsan rises to the sky. The site was originally a horse farm during the Joseon period until the Russo-Japanese War, after which the Japanese Navy planted more trees. As a result, there is now a forest of more than 15,000 pine trees today. By 1972, the pine trees grew too tall to block the view of the lighthouse, so a 3-meter extension was built onto the lighthouse. However, the trees continued to grow, so a new lighthouse with the shape of a candle stick was built about 50 meters from the original lighthouse in 1987. As a result, there are two lighthouses at the site. The old lighthouse, which has been in operation for more than 80 years, was listed as a National Registered Cultural Heritage in 2004. And in 2007, it was designated as one of the 16 Scenic Lighthouses of Korea and a Lighthouse Cultural Heritage. Today, Ulgi Lighthouse is more than just a light tower, as it has a 4D Experience Hall, Trick Art Fountain, and photo zone inside. The dense pine grove, Daewangam Park, and Tanggeonam Rock around Ulgi Lighthouse make a great tourist destination.