My Pohang Travel Guide – Places to Eat and See
Pohang, is an industrial city located on South Korea’s eastern coast. Pohang is home to POSCO, a huge steel industrial factory that dominates the city and is most likely the reason Pohang has grown into the size it is today, it employees a lot of people! There is more to Pohang then its gigantic steel factory. Pohang has one of South Korea’s largest seafood markets, the fun yet terrifying Space Walk at Hwanho Park, the famous Homigot Sunrise Square and nice beaches. The nightlife in Pohang is hopping and the food is incredible. I created this Pohang travel guide to share what I learned while exploring Pohang along with some of my recommendations on getting around town, places to eat and drink, and unique things to do and see.
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Traveling to Pohang - Getting Here
Unless renting a car, the best way to get to Pohang is by KTX train from either Seoul Station or Busan Station or by bus.
Pohang does have a domestic airport called Pohang Gyeongju Airport. This airport offers flights to Jeju Island and Gimpo International Airport.
Pohang Station is just north of the city and is the most convenient and cheapest option. A train ride from Busan is about 1.5-2 hours while a train ride from Seoul is around 3 hours.
For Train information, ticket fares and times, I recommend visiting the KORAIL website.
Once arriving at Pohang Station, the best option to get to your destination is by a local taxi. The taxi’s in Pohang are fairly cheap and abundant.
There is also a bus station in Pohang that serves bus routes to several towns and cities around South Korea. The Intercity Bus Terminal is in the heart of Pohang. There are buses that go between the city of Busan and Pohang. The bus is about 1.5 hours and costs about $10.
You’ve been warned, like the taxi drivers in South Korea, the bus drivers are equally as aggressive when it comes to driving.
POSCO
I can’t write about Pohang without mentioning POSCO. POSCO makes and produces steel and is considered the sixth biggest steel factory in the world.
POSCO began in the late 1960’s as the Korean government at the time nominated Pohang as the site for POSCO.
In my opinion, POSCO is a big eye-sore during the day but at night with all the lights it looks like a huge city. POSCO does pump in a lot of money to the local economy and has funded other attractions in Pohang like the Space Walk.
If interested, you can visit the POSCO website for more information.
Where to Stay in Pohang
There are a lot of great places to stay in Pohang. Based on price, location, and what was around, I stayed at the Hotel Pohang Galaxy.
Hotel Pohang Galaxy was right on Yeongildae Beach. There was an abundance of restaurants within walking distance. The rooms were spacious, unique, and the staff was always pleasant.
Things to Do and See in Pohang
Although Pohang is not on many visitors radar, this city is not to be overlooked. I wouldn’t say it is a must see destination if visiting South Korea, but there is plenty to see and do around Pohang and the surrounding area. In this section of my Pohang travel guide, I have outlines some of the attractions around Pohang that I visited and recommend.
Hwanho Park Space Walk
Located within Hwanho Sunrise Park, sitting on top of the hill overlooking Yeongildae Beach is unique attraction of Hwanho Park Space Walk. This was one of my favorite and most entertaining attractions in Pohang.
Space Walk is both a work of art, means of exercise, and fun attraction. This attraction was designed by German artists, Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth and was built, funded, and installed by POSCO.
This work of art resembles a roller coaster and is free to the public. Pohang’s Space Walk has a total of 717 steps and is around 25 meters at its highest point. I would not recommend walking to the highest point on this attractions if you are afraid of heights. Between the height and the stairs rocking back and forth when windy, it can be a bit unsettling.
For those that are curious, no, the upside down portion is off limits and is gated. Visitors have two options here, once entering you can head right or left and end at the gate before returning. I do recommended walking both sides of the Space Walk.
Space Walk is a great place to visit especially when nearing sunset as you get amazing views of Pohang and the ocean. If you are looking for free things to do in Pohang, I highly recommend visiting Hwanho Park Space Walk.
Pohang-class Corvette
Another great free attraction in Pohang is the Pohang-class Corvette. The Combat Corvette is a class of small warships that were designed by the Republic of Korea as a means to patrol the seas around the Republic of Korea.
One of the 24 Pohang-class Corvettes (ROKS Pohang PCC-756) is docked in the city of Pohang for visitors to enjoy. This 1,200 ton warship defended the waters around Korea for more then 30 years and was retired in 2009. There were a total of 110 crewmembers on board to include 10 officers and 100 privates.
The PCC-756 is open daily from 9:00 until 18:00. Visitors can walk the deck, check out the kitchen area, bunks, and explore various rooms and hallways.
Pohang Jukdo Fish Market
If you are like me and love exploring local markets, then the Pohang Jukdo Market is not to be missed. This market is recommended in any Pohang travel guide or things to do list. But there is a reason why. It’s one of the largest markets in all of Korea bringing in fresh seafood daily.
The Jukdo Fish Market is made up of over 200 shops and vendors selling their catch. Many of the restaurants allow visitors to select from a wide variety of seafood outside the restaurant, where the chef will cook up the fresh food of your choosing. Most vendors had similar marine life such as crabs, several fish species, clams, sea slugs, oysters, lobsters, octopus, squid, and even cuttlefish.
The octopus being sold by some of the vendors are huge. I’ve never seen octopus as big as the ones sold at Jukdo Fish Market. Every time, I see the poor octopus in the tiny pools of water, most of the time trapped in nets, I can’t help but feel sorry for them. Especially given how intelligent they can be. But who am I to judge what other cultures eat around the world.
Songdo City Park
South Korea can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. I certainly felt overwhelmed here and there and felt a need to find a peaceful park to escape the crowds and noise.
Just a short walk from the Pohang-class Corvette is the Songdo City Park. This city park is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. You almost forget, that just outside the park is one of the largest steel producers in the world.
What I loved so much about walking around Songdo City Park was the mix of walking trails through pine trees and relaxing activities. There were multiple trails throughout the park, exercise equipment, small streams and pools of water, and reflexology paths.
Walk to the Ulleungdo Passenger Ship Lighthouse
Just south of Yeonlidae Beach is a trail to the Ulleungdo Passenger Ship Lighthouse. This is by no means a hiking trail but it’s a long paved path from the ferry terminal to the light house. Parts of the trail has a reflexology path while other parts have a cushioned floor.
Once you reach the end, there is a small red and white light house that is worth a photo or two. From the walkway, you get nice views of POSCO, Yeonlidae Beach, and the ocean.
Yeonlidae Beach
Yeonlidae Beach in Pohang is a happening place! At all times during the day and night, there will be people here. Whether they are walking the beach, shooting off fireworks, or zipping around on jet skis, Yeonlidae Beach is definitely a must visit place in Pohang. You can walk for hours on this beach and it’s kept clean. Every morning, I saw groups of people clean the beach.
One of my favorite attractions on Yeonlidae Beach was the sand sculptures. The sculptures aren’t really made from sand, but are made to look like it. Regardless if they are made of sand or not, it’s a great addition to the beach.
Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion
Another free attraction in Pohang and one of my favorites was the Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion otherwise known as the “Floating Pavilion.”
The Yeongildae Maritime Pavilion is an observation deck that sits out in the ocean, connected by a pedestrian bridge. From here, you get great views of POSCO, Yeonlidae Beach, the ocean, and surrounding hills. I absolutely loved coming here at night and practicing my slow shutter photos with the calm water and vibrant lights.
Places to Eat in Pohang
What’s a Pohang travel guide without food and restaurant recommendations? I spent two weeks in Pohang eating out every meal and tried a variety of Korean dishes. From trying famous Korean dishes like bibimbap and kimchi to exploring seafood markets and sampling local food caught fresh from the sea. I even tried bizarre foods like sea snails and beondegi which is a silk worm. I really enjoyed the food scene in Pohang and feel it’s an underrated destination when it comes to food in Korea. Here are some of my favorite restaurants and food experiences in Pohang.
Korean Fried Chicken
대구통닭영일대점 (Daegu Tongdak)
Daegu Tongdak was one of my favorite restaurants in Pohang. Korean fried chicken is on another level and Daegu Tongdak knocks it out the park! First, the chicken here is inexpensive, you pay around 20,000 Korean Won or about $15 for two plates of chicken, each plate with 10 pieces. You can go all in and get one flavor or mix and match. The texture of the fried chicken was spectacular. It was crunchy and airy, the flavor was just as good, not dry and super flavorful.
청춘통닭 (196 Whole Chicken)
청춘통닭 (196 Whole Chicken) was the second place I went to for fried chicken while staying in Pohang. I liked this place, but the chicken wasn’t as good as Daegu Tongdak. The style was much different. It seemed like they took out pieces of chicken and hacked it up, so you got random bones in the chicken. The chicken was still really good but I liked the atmosphere more. They had great outdoor seating, perfect for enjoying a nice cold beer in the evening, looking out into the ocean.
Seafood
Tora Tora, Japanese Izakaya
Trying Japanese food in South Korea was not high on my to do list. But Tora Tora was highly recommended, so I decided to give it a shot. It was more of a sushi restaurant then Izakaya. But I ordered a pate of mixed sushi and was blown away. I hate to say it, but the sushi was better then stuff I’ve had in Japan. The plate had 20 or more cuts of thick sushi and each cut was fabulous.
Maddangjib
Maddangjib was one of the more unique restaurants I visited. As a foreigner, this place was a bit intimidating and overwhelming. But I figured it out and really enjoyed this restaurant. It’s a seafood restaurant specializing in cooking clams and oysters. Honestly, I just asked what the waiter recommended and they brough me out a whole tray of clams and oysters to grill on the center piece of the table. The meal also included a crab, soup, and several sides. The food was delicious, it was fun to try the variety of clams and oysters.
영일만회센타 (Yeongil Manhoe Center)
While at Pohang Jukdo Fish Market, we had to try a local restaurant. Most restaurants here had you choose the live critter you want and they cook it for you. We stumbled into one place called Yeongil Manhoe Center, selected two crabs, and feasted! Surprisingly, with the thousands of crabs at the market, it was pricey. About 50,000 Korean Won per crab. But we had to do it at least once. Once the crab was ready, they just set it on the table and we ate it. The legs were first, then they mix the meat and juices from the crab’s head with rice and serve it. The meal was very good, but I think once was good enough for me!
Korean BBQ
Pogaljib
You can’t come to Korea and not have Korean BBQ. It seems like there is a Korean BBQ restaurant on every street corner. Pogaljib was recommended to me and was well worth the hype. This Korean BBQ restaurant seemed to be pretty popular with the locals. Pretty typical, you sit down, the waiter sets down a bunch of small sides and they bring you raw meat that you order. The quality of the meat was great and it was delicious. I like to eat the meat as is or wrap it up in a lettuce leaf with garlic and sauce.
More Restaurants in Pohang Worth Trying
족발야시장 영일대점 (Jokbal Night Market Yeongildae Branch)
If you love Pork, then I highly recommend trying Jokbal Night Market Yeongildae Branch. This restaurant is all things pork and the portions are huge. We ordered the No.1 recommended dish which seemed to be pork shoulder spread out on a huge dish. Half the dish was a sweet sauce while the other side was spicy. The pork was fatty and flavorful. Come hungry and it’s best to go with more people.
Omakgol
Near the military bases, is the restaurant of Omakgol. Omakgol is a great lunch spot offering Japanese type dishes like tonkatsu, hamburg, and omurice. The food here was always fresh and delicious. The restaurant has really good coffee as well.
Tomatillo Pohang
After eating Korean food nonstop, I needed a little something different and more solid. I walked by a Mexican style restaurant that served u tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. They were known for their shrimp tacos with mango salsa. That is exactly what I ordered and it hit the spot. If you are looking for other options in Pohang for food, I recommend coming to Tomatillo and trying their shrimp tacos.
Craft Beer in Pohang
At first, I found it difficult to find any good beer in Pohang. For a few days, I was stuck drinking Cass and Terra. Cass and Terra are the Budweiser’s of Korea.
Once I got more comfortable in Pohang, I started to venture out more and started to discover the world of craft beer in Pohang.
For starters, their convenience stores (emart and CU) have an extensive selection of craft beers from around the world. I found myself grabbing a few pint cans here and there from breweries from countries like Germany, Lithuania, Austria, and the United States.
For my Pohang travel guide, there are two places that sold craft beer that I frequented and highly recommend.
Bronx Brewery
I found Bronx Brewery on accident, walking further up the beach then expected and spotted a huge sign off in the distance then read BREWERY! As I got closer, I noticed it was the Bronx Brewery. At first I found it odd to see a brewery called Bronx Brewery in Pohang, come to find out they are indeed from the Bronx and have breweries in South Korea. Beer wise, I liked their traditional IPA and the Strawberry Chocolate Stout.
Poktanju Ajumma (Poktanju Auntie’s Brewery)
By far the best bar and beer spot in Pohang is Poktanju Ajumma or as Google translates it, Poktanju Auntie’s Brewery. This place became a nightly place for us to go to for a night cap.
The real reason I fell in love with this place is the women running the show. She is known as Poktnaju Ajumma. Poktanju is a popular drink in South Korea where soju is poured in a glass and mixed with beer.
Poktanju Ajumma is famous for her bar and serving style. When she is around, it’s always a party. We saw Poktanju Ajumma several times and each time, although not intentionally involved, we became part of the party.
Poktanju Ajumma puts on a show and lines up several glasses, performs a few tricks to open the bottles, to quick for my eyes to capture and she begins pouring drinks for the table. Be warned, you will get soju splashed on you and beer sprayed in your mouth.
This bar is one of my favorite places in all of South Korea. It’s been a while since I’ve had so much fun in one place!
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