By Aisylu Akhmetzianova
Video = Lee Jun Young 

Yangyang-gun County, Gangwon-do Province

I moved to Korea more than four years ago, but as a Russian, I still struggle with the humidity and heat of the Korean summer. The summer temperature in my midwestern Russian hometown of Kazan ranges from 25-27 degrees Celsius, a far cry from 35-38 in Korea, and the sensory temperature in Seoul is even higher. I thought of where to go, and of course, the beach came to mind. 

Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and not knowing which to choose, I asked my Korean friends. They recommended the East Sea off the coast of Yangyang-gun County, Gangwon-do Province. With little hesitation, Korea.net staff and I on June 22 left for the county to escape the scorching heat in Seoul and learn why this place is so popular among young people. 

Surfyy Beach is located in Hyeonbuk-myeon Township of Yangyang-gun County, Gangwon-do Province. (Anais Faure)

The clear blue sky and water crashing on the beach also featured surfers riding on the waves and people simply soaking in the sunlight or drinking cocktails under parasols. I thought this scene was possible only in Hawaii or the South Pacific, but this was the beach in Yangyang-gun. 

Having spent three summers in Korea, I couldn't believe that I'd never known of such a charming place. As a result, I found another reason to visit Korea. The place was closer to Seoul than the more famous Jeju Island and Busan but with its own distinct flavor, thus Yangyang-gun felt extremely pleasant. 

The most popular surfing venues in the county are Yangridan-gil and Surfyy Beach. The former is located at Ingu Beach, which has many surf facilities like schools and stores, beautiful cafes and restaurants. Surfyy was once a military zone off limits to the public until 2015, but has since gained fame through social media as a hot spot.

Korea.net staff arrived at the beach to find not only many surfing instructors but a beautiful seaside scene reminiscent of more famous ones abroad. People were sunbathing and relaxing on bean bags under parasols. An exotic sunset bar had many enjoying pizza, hamburgers and cool drinks and relaxing with family or friends. 

Choi Seo-yeon, an office worker from Seoul who visited the beach with two friends, said, "This was my first time learning to surf and it's so fun, so we decided to come again next month."

Busan is located 325 km from Seoul and Jeju Island 455 km. Yangyang-gun County, on the other hand, is just 155 km from the capital, making it a more convenient getaway for Seoulites. (Anais Faure)

About a decade ago, this was a quiet fishing village where the average resident age was 50. Today, the beach is mostly filled with people in their 20s or 30s and vibrant both day and night. So what happened here over the past 10 years?

Alex Jung Hyup-sung, who in 2009 opened the first surfing school Blue Coast in Yangyang-gun, provided insight on the county's surging popularity. 

"It's near the capital region, the waters are shallow, the waves are high and the water is clean, making it perfect for surfing," he said. "The waves are the best in summer in Busan and Jeju Island, while they're good in Yangyang-gun from autumn to spring since they come from the north."

On what county resident thought when they first saw surfers, he said, "There were initially many arguments."

"The older residents angrily asked us why we were walking around barely clothed, and even reported some of us to police. But over time and after discussions, we tried to understand each other and made rules. So now, we get along and are close."

Yangyang-gun County has seen phenomenal growth in surf stores and tourists. (Anais Faure)

Yangyang-gun's optimal natural conditions have helped make it a national surfing hub, with the number of visitors learning to surf there rising every year. Relevant businesses are thus thriving amid the brisk growth of tourists. The number of surf shops in the county has skyrocketed from just five in 2012 to 102 this year. The county population is only 27,000 but an estimated 2.5 million tourists visited the beach last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Surfboards come in varying lengths and shapes and are categorized as short, long, fun, fish and gun depending on a surfer's skills, body type and goals. Longboards are the most stable and buoyant of the bunch and thus recommended for beginners. (Anais Faure)

On what makes surfing appealing, he said, "When you ride a surfboard, you feel a few seconds of a sixth sense indescribable in words," adding, "This incredibly special feeling is possible only when surfing."

Visitors to Ingu Beach learn how to surf. (Lee Jun Young)

The atmosphere in Yangyang-gun sees a 180-degree turn after sunset. Beach parties run through 2 a.m. and bars are open throughout Ingu Beach. Cafes by day transform into bars after 10 p.m. Visitors can surf by day and party at night, thus making the beach extremely popular among young people. 

A slew of foods like pizza, hamburgers, and fish and chips as well as beer and cocktails are offered at the sunset bars of Surfyy Beach, creating an exotic experience for visitors. (Anais Faure)

Yangyang-gun is a must-visit place for people seeking to escape the suffocating city, experience the essential thrill of surfing and feel the vibe of the MZ generation comprising millennials and Gen Z. So in addition to K-pop, shopping and Hansik, don't forget to try surfing in this county when visiting Korea.