Welcome to Kosigol 01: Slow Days, Fire Nights!
Seoul, Busan, Jeju. Done them all? The Korea most travelers never see is in the countryside.
Sigol (시골) means countryside in Korean. For one night, we'll take you to a mountain village at the foot of Jirisan, the highest mountain on mainland South Korea and the country's first national park. By day, we walk an old hanok village at its own pace and eat what the mountain grows. By night, we sit by a campfire under a sky full of stars.
No tour bus. Just up to 6 guests and a licensed local guide who takes care of the trains, the language and the menus.
This is our very first pilot trip, so it comes at 60% off. All we ask is your honest feedback afterwards.
This Is for You If…
You've seen Korea's big cities and want to know what the rest of the country is like.
You've wanted to visit rural Korea, but the Korean-only websites, phone bookings and train connections kept stopping you.
You miss quiet: no traffic, no neon, just a fire and the stars.
You eat plant-based and are tired of asking "is there fish sauce in this?"
You're traveling solo and would rather share a fire with a few new friends than wander alone.
You want a slow weekend, not a checklist. Every part of this trip runs at village pace.
Highlights
🏡 Omi Village, one of Korea's luckiest places to live For centuries, Koreans have called this valley a perfect site: Jirisan behind it, the Seomjin River in front. Inside Unjoru, an 18th-century noble house, stands a wooden rice chest with four characters carved on it: "anyone may open it." Hungry neighbors could take rice without asking. We'll walk the village slowly and tell you its stories.
🎋 Ssangsanjae, a hidden forest garden An old family hanok whose back gate opens onto a quiet garden in the forest. Time to sit, breathe and do things at village pace.
🔥 A campfire night under the stars Dinner outdoors with Gurye produce, then the fire. Koreans have a word for staring into the flames: bulmeong (불멍). Far from city lights, the sky here is full of stars.(Real starlight picture from Gurye)
🍵 Morning tea at Hwaeomsa A temple in the Jirisan forest, founded in 544. After a walk through the grounds, learn to brew and enjoy Korean tea the traditional way.
🚐 Zero transport stress We pick you up at Guryegu Station and drive you everywhere in our van until we drop you back for your train.
Itinerary
Day 1 · Fri 6 Nov · Slow day, fire night
12:00 Pickup at Guryegu Station (구례구역). Running a little late? Message us beforehand and we'll work it out.
13:00 Lunch at Deulnyeok Bapsang (들녘밥상), a table of seasonal namul (mountain greens)
14:00 An unhurried walk through Omi Village, with Unjoru and Gokjeonjae, two historic hanok houses
16:00 Ssangsanjae and its hidden forest garden
17:00 Check in to our traditional hanok stay and rest
18:30 Outdoor BBQ dinner with local ingredients, then the campfire and stargazing
Day 2 · Sat 7 Nov · Temple tea and river lunch
10:00 Hwaeomsa temple visit and Korean tea class
12:30 River-to-table lunch: soft tofu stew with daseulgi (freshwater snails) from the Seomjin River
14:30 Drop-off at Guryegu Station
Getting to Gurye: Take the KTX from Yongsan Station in Seoul to Guryegu Station (about 2.5 hours). Tickets can be booked on the Korail website or app with a foreign card. Tell us your train and we'll be there to meet you.
Food & Vegan Options
Three meals, all built around what Gurye grows: a namul table for lunch, a campfire BBQ with local produce, and a river-to-table lunch on day 2.
🌱 Vegan or vegetarian? We've got you. The campfire BBQ comes with a complete vegan menu, not a side salad, and we'll arrange a plant-based swap for the river lunch (soft tofu stew without the snails). Just tell us your diet and any allergies when you book.
[IMAGE: 들녘밥상 나물 밥상]
What's Included
3 meals: namul lunch, campfire BBQ dinner, river-to-table lunch
1 night in a traditional hanok stay
All entrance fees, including the Hwaeomsa tea class
A licensed, English-speaking local guide for the whole trip
All transport from Guryegu Station/Jeonju/Gwangju pickup to drop-off
Not included: your train to and from Gurye, travel insurance (please arrange your own), personal expenses.
Rooms
Booking with a friend or partner? You'll share a room together.
Coming solo? You may share a room with another solo guest of the same group.
Prefer a private room? Add ₩20,000.
Pilot Price
Regular ₩250,000 → ₩100,000 per person (60% off)
This is Kosigol's very first trip, and we're shaping it for our official launch. The pilot price is for guests who agree to share honest feedback after the trip through a short survey (about 15 minutes). Your thoughts will directly shape every trip after this one.
FAQ
I don't speak any Korean. Is that okay? Absolutely. Your guide speaks English and will translate everything, from menus to village stories.
I'm coming alone. Will it be awkward? Not at all. Solo travelers are very welcome, and with only 6 guests around one fire, nobody stays a stranger for long.
How fit do I need to be? If you can walk for an hour at an easy pace, you're fine. There's no hiking, just gentle village and garden walks.
What should I bring? Comfortable shoes, a warm layer for the evening (early November nights in the mountains get cold), and an overnight bag with your toiletries.
What if my train arrives later than 12:00? Message us before the trip. We can usually arrange a later pickup and have you join along the way.
Good to know
· Travel insurance is not included. Please arrange your own. · The detailed schedule and order of activities may change depending on local conditions.