Home to one of South Korea’s most famous temples, Hapcheon is a small town at the heart of Hapcheon County. In addition to its renowned sacred site, it lies on the doorstep of Gayasan National Park’s magnificent scenery and the working film studio of Hapcheon Image Theme Park.
Things to do in Hapcheon-gun
Admire the national treasures enshrined within the Haeinsa Temple, considered one of the most important of its kind in South Korea. Founded in 802, it features the sacred Iljumun Gate, grand sanctuary of Daejeokgwangjeon and ancient printing blocks of the Tripitaka Koreana.
Haeinsa Temple is nestled on the slopes of Gayasan Mountain, a national park renowned for its stunning scenery. Admire its 1,000-year-old pine trees while hiking through the Hongryudong Valley, with the landscape igniting with cherry blossoms in the spring and changing foliage during the autumn months.
Interested in Korean film and TV dramas? Head to Hapcheon Image Theme Park, one of the largest film and television studios in the country. Seoul landmarks, such as the Bando Hotel and Seoul Station, are recreated in the KBS studio, while the streets of Sogong neighbourhood will transport you back to the 1970s in the MBC studio.
Spend an afternoon strolling around tranquil Hapcheon Lake, which is backed by Hwangmae Mountain. Hapcheon is also renowned as one of the best places to go paragliding in South Korea, with stable air currents and safe landing sites at Hang Riverside Beach.
Getting around Hapcheon-gun
Hapcheon is around two hours by train from Daegu International Airport or four hours from the centre of Seoul. Buses travel throughout the town and connect with surrounding towns and villages.