The hall is right next to Jeongbang Waterfalls and I almost came here instead of going to the waterfall.
On this day, I had a little time before dinner, so I headed over there.
The exhibition is made as a goodwill between China and Jeju. Afterall, the name Seogwipo is suspected to come from a court sorcerer (Seobok or Xu Fu in Chinese), who under the orders of Emperor Qin, went to searched for an elixir for eternal life.
He made an inscription on the rock near Jeongbang Waterfall that he (Seobok) is going back (gwai), after a failed attempt to get the elixir from Hallasan.
The hall is mainly in the Korean and Chinese language and talks about his first and second journeys.
There are paintings and models.
He made landing in Jeju!
The marking was probably from his first trip back. According to legend, he said a giant sea creature blocked his path and thus failed to secure the elixir.
On the second attempt … he never returned.
You can also get a nice view of the coast. I saw people going in after the exhibition closed… I wondered if it was free after 6pm.
At the far corner is also his statue. As the legend continues, some people say it would be silly for him to go back the second time so he and the 3000 boys and girls as well as craftsmen of all types that he brought with him, settled in Japan.
Ironically, he never went home.
Here is the supposed words he inscribed.
Admission is 500 won and estimated time of visit is about 30-40 minutes.