Chungju: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Chungju sits where the Namhan and Dalcheon rivers meet, and that junction has drawn kings, musicians and armies for fifteen centuries. Its best-loved hill is named after music, and its saddest memory is a battle fought at the water's edge. This walk follows the hill and the riverside park, then crosses to the old markets in the centre. Half a day; Tangeumdae is shady, the markets are busiest in the late morning.
A short history of Chungju
Chungju lies in the centre of the Korean Peninsula, on the Namhan River, and so the ancient kingdoms of Korea fought over it. The city has a memorial stone from the Goguryeo kingdom, from the 5th century, the only one of its kind found within South Korea. In 1592, at the start of the Japanese invasion, General Shin Rip tried to stop the Japanese here at the Battle of Tangeumdae, and was defeated and killed. In 1985 the Chungju Dam, one of the largest in the country, was completed on the river, creating a large lake that became a holiday area.
The ten best sights in Chungju
-
1Tangeumdae
A wooded hill over the river, with a musician's legend and a battlefield
2JungangtapThe tall Silla pagoda in a riverside park, 15 minutes north-west
3Chungju MuseumNext to the pagoda; a good first hour on the region's three kingdoms
4Chungju Goguryeo SteleThe only Goguryeo stele in South Korea, in its own exhibition hall
5World Martial Arts MuseumWeapons and costumes from martial arts around the world
-
6Mireuk-daewon
A Goryeo temple site with a stone Buddha in the hills of Woraksan
7Cheongpung Cultural Heritage ComplexOld buildings saved from the valley the lake drowned; 40 minutes east
-
8World Martial Arts Park
Riverside park where the martial arts festival is held
9Chungju DamThe huge concrete wall of the lake; viewpoint by the road
-
10Chungju Naru
Pier for boat cruises on Chungju Lake
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Chungju →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Chungju:
Free walking tours in Chungju
The zither and the river
Chungju sits where the Namhan and Dalcheon rivers meet, and that junction has drawn kings, musicians and armies for fifteen centuries. Its best-loved hill is named after music, and its saddest memory is a battle fought at the water's edge. This walk follows the hill and the riverside park, then crosses to the old markets in the centre. Half a day; Tangeumdae is shady, the markets are busiest in the late morning.
- Tangeumdae · Ureuk, the musician of the Gaya confederacy credited with creating the gayageum, the Korean twelve-string zither, is said to have played here after he came over to Silla in the 6th century. Tangeum means playing the zither.
- Tangeumjeong · In 1592, at the start of the Japanese invasion, General Sin Rip drew up his army on the flat ground below this cliff with the river at its back, hoping cavalry would stop the enemy. Konishi Yukinaga's musketeers broke it, and Sin Rip threw himself into the river.
- Memorial to the Eight Thousand · The memorial is for the soldiers who died with Sin Rip at Tangeumdae, traditionally counted at eight thousand. The defeat opened the road to Seoul, and King Seonjo fled the capital days later.
- World Martial Arts Park · Chungju is a centre of taekkyeon, a flowing traditional Korean martial art of kicks and sweeps, which UNESCO listed as intangible heritage in 2011. The city has held a world martial arts festival in this park since the late 1990s.
- Muhak Market · Traditional markets in Korea are called sijang; many of them grew up after the Korean War around open-air stalls, and were later roofed over with arcades.
- Chungju Jayu Market · Chungju is one of Korea's best-known apple regions, thanks to warm days and cold nights by the lake; in October and November the market stalls are stacked with them, and the city sells apple juice and dried apple everywhere.
The centre of the peninsula
For centuries Chungju was the frontier where Korea's Three Kingdoms met and fought, and each of them left a mark on the river plain north-west of the town. This short drive links a Silla pagoda, a Goguryeo stone and the museum that explains them, ending on a quiet island in the Namhan. Half a day by car; the stele hall and museum close on Mondays.
- Chungju Museum · The region changed hands between Baekje, Goguryeo and Silla before Silla took it for good in the 6th century and made it one of its secondary capitals, Jungwon, the middle plain.
- Jungangtap · The seven-storey stone pagoda dates from the 8th century and, at about 14.5 m, is the tallest stone pagoda of the Silla period. Its nickname, the Central Pagoda, comes from the tradition that it marked the middle of the kingdom.
- Chungju Goguryeo Stele · Villagers had long used the weathered stone as a marker until scholars read it in 1979. It is a 5th-century Goguryeo inscription, the only Goguryeo stele found in South Korea, and records Goguryeo's power over Silla at the time.
- Goguryeo Stele Exhibition Hall · The hall beside the stone shows rubbings and a replica of the great Gwanggaeto Stele, which stands in today's China and records the conquests of King Gwanggaeto, whose successors set up the Chungju stone.
- Goguryeo Astronomy Science Center · The centre takes its name from Goguryeo's astronomers: Joseon's famous star map of 1395, the Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido, was carved from an older Goguryeo chart.
- Binae Island · This sandy island in the Namhan river is covered in reeds and silver grass, and it has a stamp booth on the national cross-country cycle route along the Namhan, which riders follow from Seoul towards Busan.
The lake and the pass
East and south of Chungju the mountains close in: a vast lake made in the 1980s, hot springs, and the first road the Koreans ever cut across their mountain spine. This is a car day of about 120 km, with a boat trip or a cave in the morning and a walk on the pass in the afternoon. Book the lake cruise in season, and bring a jacket for the cave.
- Chungju Dam · Completed in 1985, the dam is the largest concrete gravity dam in South Korea, and its lake reaches far upstream, past Jecheon towards Danyang.
- Chungju Naru · The lake flooded dozens of villages, and their people were resettled; upstream, at Cheongpung, old houses, a government pavilion and stone monuments were moved uphill before the water rose.
- Hwalok Cave · For most of the 20th century this was a mine for talc and white stone, dug from the early 20th century. After it closed, the tunnels were opened to visitors, with boats on the flooded lower level.
- Suanbo · Suanbo's alkaline springs come out of the ground warm enough for bathing without heating, and the town has long been known for pheasant, cooked as hot pot, dumplings and grilled meat.
- Mireuk-daewon · A stone Buddha of the future, Maitreya, stands in this Goryeo-period temple site facing north, unusual in Korea. Legend links it to Maui, the last crown prince of Silla, who is said to have passed this way into the mountains after his kingdom fell in 935.
- Haneuljae · The Samguk Sagi records that a road over this pass was opened in the year 156, which makes Haneuljae the oldest recorded road across the Baekdudaegan, the mountain spine of Korea.
Getting to Chungju and getting around
- Chungju Station · Fast KTX-Eum trains run north towards the Seoul area
- Chungju Bus Terminal · Express and intercity buses to Seoul, Suanbo and Danyang
- Cheongju International Airport · About an hour by car; domestic and some Asian flights
Cheap eats in Chungju
Chungju eats like the heart of the country it claims to be: mountain vegetables, river fish, noodle soups and, in autumn, its famous apples. The cheapest meals are in the markets and the old diners near the centre, where a bowl of noodles costs less than 10,000 won. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; markets prefer cash.
- Old Olchaengi Haejangguk · Tadpole noodles and hangover soup, about 8,000-10,000 won
- Gimbap Cheonguk · Chain diner: gimbap and simple stews, 3,500-9,000 won
- Aria Kalguksu · Knife-cut noodle soup, about 9,000 won
- Dongmyeong Dasil · Old-style tea room; coffee or ssanghwa tea, 3,000-6,000 won
- Baeknyeon Dabang · Another retro dabang downtown, 3,000-6,000 won
- Eonjena Mil · Neighbourhood bakery, breads 2,000-5,000 won
- Chungju Jayu Market · Tteokbokki, hotteok and apples, 2,000-6,000 won
Museums in Chungju
- Chungju Museum · Three Kingdoms history by the pagoda; closed Mondays
- Goguryeo Stele Exhibition Hall · The real stone under glass, with explanations
- World Martial Arts Museum · Martial arts from around the world
- Cheongpung Cultural Heritage Complex · Houses and pavilions moved from the flooded valley
- Mungyeong Saejae Open Set · A historical drama set over the mountains, 40 minutes south
Nature and day trips near Chungju
- Woraksan National Park · Rocky peaks; the summit climb is steep
- Suju Palbong · Eight rock peaks over the Dalcheon river
- Jongdaengi-gil · Lakeside forest trail, two hours
- Binae Island · Reeds and silver grass on the river
- Haneuljae · Old pass road through the forest
Things to do in Chungju with kids
- Hwalok Cave · Boats, lights and cool air in an old mine
- Chungju Lake cruise · Boat trips from the pier near the dam
- National Chungju Weather Science Museum · Hands-on weather exhibits; free
- Goguryeo Astronomy Science Center · Planetarium and telescopes; book evening sessions
- World Martial Arts Park · Lawns and paths by the river; demonstrations during the festival
Where to eat in Chungju
- Cheongjin Pyongyang Naengmyeon · Cold buckwheat noodles and seafood kalguksu
- Seolwon Chik Naengmyeon · Arrowroot cold noodles
- Baekse Boribap · Barley rice with a spread of vegetable side dishes
- Hanwoo Ilbeonga · Korean beef grilled at the table
- Halmae Sundubu · Soft tofu stew in Suanbo
- Yeonghwa Sikdang · Local dishes in the Suanbo spa streets
Frequently asked questions about Chungju
What is there to see in Chungju?
The top sights in Chungju are Tangeumdae, Jungangtap and Chungju Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Chungju?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Chungju without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Chungju?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Chungju, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The zither and the river.
How do you get to Chungju and get around?
The main ways are Chungju Station, Chungju Bus Terminal and Cheongju International Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Chungju, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Chungju that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Chungju for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.