Haesindang Park, Nature reserve in Samcheok, South Korea
Haesindang Park is a nature reserve along the coastline at Samcheok, organized into terraced levels with paved footpaths. Stone steps connect viewing platforms and lead through gardens displaying wooden and stone carvings.
The park grew from the legend of Aebawi Rock, where a woman drowned after her companion could not retrieve her in a storm. When catches failed, a fisherman's act in the water was thought to please her spirit; villagers carved phallic figures and held rites at a building named Haesindang. The ceremony continues twice a year.
The park's name comes from the Haesindang shrine, where a rite for the drowned woman is held twice a year as a traditional folk event. The carvings recall the Legend of Aebawi and Haesindang, and the Village Folk Museum shows sex iconography from various cultures alongside shamanic ritual objects and the history of Korean fishing communities.
The reserve is accessible by a bus ride of roughly 40 minutes from Samcheok intercity terminal, with regular departures throughout the day. Sturdy footwear is recommended because of stairs and elevation changes.
More than fifty wooden and stone carvings depict male fertility symbols integrated into the garden layout. The figures come in different sizes and stand among native plants with views of the ocean.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,335 contributors worldwide.