Purple Bridge, Tourist attraction in Sinan-gun, South Korea
Purple Bridge is a violet-painted pedestrian bridge in Sinan-gun, South Korea, linking the two small islands of Banwol-do and Bakji-do. It runs low over the water, and on either side the view opens onto the sea and the purple-painted rooftops of the two islands.
In 2015, the local government launched a project to revive the islands of Banwol-do and Bakji-do, which had a past tied to forced labor. The bridge, buildings, and open spaces were repainted and replanted as part of that effort, turning a difficult history into a new identity.
The bridge is painted to match the color of the campanula, a native bellflower that grows across the surrounding islands. Visitors who wear purple clothing can enter for free, which has turned dressing in purple into a small local ritual.
The best time to cross the bridge is early morning or late afternoon, when the light is softer and fewer people are around. A small entrance fee applies, but visitors in purple clothing are let in free of charge.
In 2021, the village around the bridge was named the best tourism village in the world by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. That title is unusual for such a small, remote farming community on the west coast of Korea.
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