Sesim Area Villages in Gyeongju – Autumn Cultural Heritage작성일 | 2025-09-30
Sesim Area Villages in Gyeongju – Autumn Cultural Heritage
Gyeongju’s Sesim Region is home to Oksan Village and Sesim Village, where you can find the UNESCO World Heritage site Oksan Seowon and over 200 nationally designated treasures. The villages are like open-air museums. Together with Sesim Village, you can also visit lesser-known spots such as the Royal Tomb of King Heungdeok, Yangdong Village with its open panoramic views, Ungok Seowon famous for its ginkgo trees, and garden cafés nearby.
Sesim Village
Heritage Sites: Oksan Seowon, Dokrakdang, Jeonghyesa 13-story Stone Pagoda
Sesim Village is home to the UNESCO-listed Oksan Seowon, Dokrakdang, and the 13-story pagoda of Jeonghyesa Temple Site. With more than 200 state treasures preserved here, the whole village resembles an outdoor museum.
At the entrance stands Oksan Seowon, a Confucian academy from the Joseon Dynasty. After passing through the Yeokrakmun Gate, you reach a courtyard shaded by ginkgo trees. In front of the academy flows Oksancheon Stream, where you can find stepping stones and a small waterfall known as Sesimdae. In autumn, fallen leaves add to the atmosphere.
About a 10-minute drive deeper into the village is Dokrakdang, meaning “House of Enjoying Solitude.” Designated as Treasure No. 413, it is today used as a traditional guesthouse and became known as a filming location for the Korean movie Fengshui. The interior is not open to visitors, but you can look around the entrance and surrounding grounds.
From Dokrakdang, a 15-minute walk takes you to the 13-story Stone Pagoda at Jeonghyesa Temple Site, built during the Unified Silla period using an unusual construction method. It is considered a must-see in the village. In autumn, golden ginkgo leaves remain, making it even more worth visiting.
Sesim Village also offers various hands-on experiences, from traditional games (archery, shuttlecock kicking, ring toss) and food programs (making noodles, pounding rice cakes, tofu making) to cultural and seasonal activities such as trying an old-style “civil service exam,” kimchi making, natural dyeing, and harvest programs (potatoes, sweet potatoes). These programs are available for groups of 10 or more with advance reservation.
Experience Information
Minimum group size: 10 people (reservation required)
Contact: +82-10-2082-6148
Jaegi making: 3,000 KRW
Archery: 5,000 KRW
Ring toss: free
Rice cake pounding: 5,000 KRW
Wearing hanbok & etiquette lesson: 10,000 KRW
Civil service exam role-play: 18,000 KRW
Spinning top game: 3,000 KRW
Pottery making: 20,000 KRW
Candle tower ritual: 5,000 KRW
Baekdong ritual: 8,000 KRW
Dice game with ancient cube (Juryeonggu): 3,000 KRW
Operating hours: year-round
Accommodation Information
Sesim Village offers two hanok guesthouses and a Sesim Experience Center that can accommodate up to 20 people.
Hanok guesthouse: max 6 people / 150,000 KRW (weekday), 200,000 KRW (weekend & July–August peak season)
Sesim Experience Center: max 20 people / 250,000 KRW per night
Address & Contact
20-9 Sesim-gil, Angang-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Tel: +82-10-2082-6148
Website: sesimmaeul.co.kr
Oksan Village
Oksan Village works to preserve and share traditional culture. The village community center runs a Character School, focusing on Confucian values such as filial piety.
Popular food and craft experiences include making three-color hand-cut noodles, rainbow rice cake cakes, yakgwa (traditional honey cookies), and tea ceremonies. Visitors can also join a flower carriage ride through the village. The village operates a local food hall where traditional seasonal meals are served with fresh local produce. Clean and comfortable accommodation is also available.
Experience Information
Group size: varies by program
Contact: +82-54-763-0101
Rainbow rice cake cake: 10,000 KRW
Yakgwa making: 10,000 KRW
Three-color noodles: 10,000 KRW
Tea ceremony: 10,000 KRW
Flower carriage village tour: 5,000 KRW
Accommodation Information
Byeolnim Room: max 6 people / 50,000 KRW (extra 10,000 KRW per person over 4)
Taeyang Room: max 6 people / 50,000 KRW (extra 10,000 KRW per person over 4)
Baram Room: max 30 people / 200,000 KRW (extra 10,000 KRW per person over 20)
Hanok: max 15 people / 150,000 KRW (extra 10,000 KRW per person over 10)
Meeting Hall: max 40 people / 200,000 KRW (additional 100,000 KRW for expansion)
Address & Contact
14 Jungbu 2-gil, Angang-eup, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Tel: +82-54-763-0101
Website: sesim.kr
Nearby Attractions
Royal Tomb of King Heungdeok
Located among pine groves in Angang-eup, this is one of only eight Silla royal tombs where the occupant is identified. It is one of the best-preserved tombs, with its stone guardians, statues, and stone pillars intact. Small but quiet, it is ideal for a peaceful walk.
Address: 190-26 Yuktong-gil, Angang-eup, Gyeongju-si
Hours: open year-round
Yangdong Village
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yangdong is the largest and oldest traditional clan village in Korea. With more than 54 tiled-roof houses over 100 years old and over 110 thatched-roof houses, it offers a view into aristocratic life of the past. The village is still inhabited, but visitors can tour the village experience center, traditional houses, and main lanes. It takes about one hour to see the highlights.
Address: 125 Yangdong-ri, Gangdong-myeon, Gyeongju-si
Hours: daily 09:00–18:00
Admission: Adults 4,000 KRW / Youth & military 2,000 KRW / Children 1,500 KRW
Ungok Seowon
Famous for its giant 350-year-old ginkgo tree, Ungok Seowon is especially popular in autumn. Located just 15 minutes by car from Sesim Village, both the tree and the seowon are worth a short visit.
Address: 79-13 Sara-gil, Gangdong-myeon, Gyeongju-si
Hours: open year-round
Wildflower Diary Café
A garden café near Sesim Village where visitors can enjoy coffee surrounded by flowers and wild plants. The café interior is decorated with greenery, and the connected garden features a small walking path with outdoor seating.
Address: 332-6 Ogeumkeun-gil, Gangdong-myeon, Gyeongju-si
Hours: 11:00–21:00 (closed Mondays)
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