Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). At 10 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, Sokcho (속초) is 18°C with a few clouds. Today's high was 21°C and the low was 18°C, and the chance of precipitation stayed as high as 98% all day long. Early this morning a high seas advisory took effect across all waters of the central East Sea (동해), and the Gangneung (강릉) Coast Guard Station has had a “Caution” level coastal safety accident risk forecast in place since 6 p.m. yesterday. Even so, as of this hour the waves off Sokcho are 1.6 m and the water temperature is 23.9°C. Considering the waves that were pounding the breakwater before dawn, things have calmed down quite a lot in half a day.
And today, one number came out quietly in Sokcho. It is the announcement that cumulative use of “Seorak Hyanggiro” (설악향기로) in Seorakdong (설악동) has passed 641,886 people. It is not common for a walking trail that opened a little over two years ago to post a number like this. On top of that, this path costs 0 KRW for both admission and parking. Thinking that this is the most useful information for anyone weighing tomorrow's plans tonight, today we will put the weight here and walk through the current situation in Sokcho together.
Sokcho right now, checked first through the numbers
- Weather 18°C, a few clouds / today's high 21°C, low 18°C, chance of precipitation 98%
- Sea water temperature 23.9°C, waves 1.6 m
- Crowding Daepo Port (대포항) Observatory “Congested” / Cheongchoho (청초호), 테라크랩팜 (Terra Crab Farm), Daecheongbong Peak on Seoraksan (설악산), Sinheungsa Temple (신흥사), and 켄싱턴호텔 설악 (Kensington Hotel Seorak) “Moderate”
- Access roads Misiryeong-ro (미시령로) toward Seoul, Donghae-daero (동해대로) along the coast and downtown, and Seoraksan-ro (설악산로) toward Seorak are all flowing freely
The fact that the Daepo Port Observatory is the only spot registering as “Congested” at 10 p.m. means Sokcho scattered indoors during the day because of the rain and has not fully loosened up again yet. All three access roads are clear, so if you have travel plans right now, there is no need to worry about traffic.
The sea is at 23.9°C — the 24-degree line has broken
Only two days ago the water off Sokcho was 24.2°C. Today it is 23.9°C, and the 24-degree line has come down this week. The beaches all closed at the end of August, so going into the water is not possible anyway, but a falling water temperature is a signal that several things actually change in Sokcho.
- The fish on the stalls change. When the coastal water temperature drops, the stars of the fishing grounds shift from summer species to autumn species. Once mid-September passes, the name tags on the stalls at Daepo Port or Dongmyeong Port (동명항) look noticeably different from last month. If you visited the same harbor in August, this time you will be served a completely different spread.
- Mornings and evenings feel much colder. Today's low was 18°C. Sea wind feels two or three degrees colder than it does inland, so if you plan to walk the coastal trails early in the morning or at night, you must bring a light outer layer. Around this time of year we really do see a lot of people head out in short sleeves and turn back within ten minutes.
- The sea shifts from a place you go into to a place you walk along. The reason the Daepo Port Observatory is the only spot registering as congested tonight is the same. People still head toward the sea, but instead of getting in the water they go to look and to eat. That is why in September in Sokcho, satisfaction comes down to how well you picked your walking course.
Today's number: 641,886 people on Seorak Hyanggiro
According to figures released by the city of Sokcho today, cumulative traffic on Seorak Hyanggiro in Seorakdong stands at 641,886 people as of the end of August this year. By year, it breaks down like this.
- 2024 (from the July 19 opening through the end of the year) 198,838 people
- 2025 267,432 people
- January–August 2026 175,616 people
What is worth noting is the monthly distribution. The months that drew the most people to this path this year were not midsummer but April (35,775 people) and May (35,538 people). August was 32,298 people. That means more people came when the weather was good for walking than when the sea was at its peak. Now, in September, with daytime highs down to 21°C, the data says this is the closest match to the path's peak-season conditions. If you have been putting it off all summer, now is the time.
Sokcho Mayor Lee Byung-sun also said today that “surpassing 640,000 cumulative visitors two years after opening is an achievement that shows the possibility of tourism in Seorakdong taking off again.” Seorakdong was once the center of tourism in Sokcho before falling into a long slump, and what turned that trend around was not a cable car or a large facility but a single walking trail — which is interesting in itself.
Why walk it: a skywalk and a suspension bridge, free of charge
Seorak Hyanggiro is a 2.7 km loop trail that opened on July 19, 2024. About 10 billion KRW was invested in it, and the course contains a skywalk up to 8 m high and a 98 m suspension bridge. Yet walking these facilities costs nothing.
- Admission free
- Parking free (use the Seorakdong parking lot)
- Course a loop, so there is no need to double back the way you came; about 1 hour at a slow pace
There is no need to time your entry at dawn as with the regular Seoraksan hiking trails, and no need to buy a ticket and take a waiting number as with the cable car. When you have come all the way to Seorakdong but Daecheongbong feels like too much and the line at Gwongeumseong (권금성) is long, it amounts to one more option you can step right into as long as you have comfortable shoes. It is a course that works especially well as an answer for families with children and for those bringing their parents along.
Open until 10 p.m., with lighting until 11
The most practical piece of information about this path is its operating hours. From March through October, on the summer schedule, it is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the nighttime scenic lighting is on from just after sunset until 11 p.m. When the firefly lighting and gobo lighting installed along a 205 m stretch come on, it becomes a completely different path from the daytime one.
In other words, the hour at which you are reading this is, unfortunately, just after today's entry closed. Instead, it opens again at 6 a.m. tomorrow. For tomorrow, Thursday, September 10, Sokcho is forecast to be mostly clear as the rain that has continued through today moves out. Since it is a weekday and the day after the rain clears, the air is likely to be washed clean and the outline of the Seorak ridgeline clearly visible. Judging by conditions alone, it is the best day of this week.
Good things to have ready before you go
- Address and inquiries 803 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho (Seorakdong), 033-639-2077. Access can be restricted for maintenance or weather reasons, so checking once before you set out can save you a wasted trip.
- Shoes The route mixes deck and dirt paths and has ups and downs. Tomorrow, the day after rain, the wooden decking can be slippery, so we recommend sneakers over flat-soled slippers.
- Time of day 9–11 a.m. has the fewest people and the best light. If you want to see the night lighting, we recommend arriving after tomorrow's sunset at 6:42 p.m. and doing a loop around 8.
- If you are afraid of heights You do not have to force yourself across the suspension bridge and skywalk sections — the loop course itself still connects.
- Combining your visit It is close to Seorakdong Sogongwon Park and Sinheungsa Temple. As of tonight, crowding at both Sinheungsa and Daecheongbong on Seoraksan is “Moderate,” so the entire Seorak area still has room to spare.
For reference, the city of Sokcho announced that it will begin construction at the end of this year to convert the former red ginseng experience center building next to Seorak Hyanggiro into a complex cultural center, finishing the interior in the first half of next year and opening it in the second half. Right now it is just one “walking path,” but from next year on it is likely to change into a setup where you can spend a whole half-day in Seorakdong. 속초어때 will put together and pass along each of these changes as soon as they are confirmed.
Tomorrow's Sokcho timetable (Thursday, September 10)
- Sunrise 06:03 / Sunset 18:42
- High tide 02:59, 14:02
- Low tide 08:01, 21:13
- Seorak Hyanggiro opens 06:00, closes 22:00; night lighting from after sunset until 23:00
If you have plans near the sea, let us point out just one thing. The waves have come down to 1.6 m today, but the Gangneung Coast Guard Station's “Caution” level coastal safety accident risk forecast is a stage that stays in place until the weather advisory is lifted. If you are planning rock fishing, a walk on the breakwater, or heading out to sea, please check the status of the weather advisory and the coast guard's guidance one more time right before you leave. Waves settle a beat later than they appear to.
This week and this month: events that would be a shame to miss
- Friday, September 11: the 해(海)뜰날 (Haetteulnal) direct seafood market Held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the event grounds of 속초농협 하나로마트 엑스포점 (Sokcho Nonghyup Hanaro Mart Expo Branch). Six local seafood processing companies will sell ojingeo sundae, jeotgal, and semi-dried seafood at 20–50% off, along with hands-on making sessions and tastings. That is the day after tomorrow.
- Chuseok holidays This year Chuseok falls on Friday, September 25, with the holiday running from Thursday the 24th through Saturday the 26th. As of today there are 15 days left until the holiday begins. Sokcho, Yangyang, and Goseong have expanded their local currency discount rate to 15% ahead of Chuseok, so it is to your advantage to load up your grocery budget in advance.
- The 61st Sokcho Seorak Cultural Festival Runs from October 2 to 4. It falls on a weekend that overlaps with the start of the autumn foliage season on Seoraksan, so we recommend looking into accommodation starting now.
Beyond this, Sokcho has been named one of Gangwon Province's “recommended travel destinations for September,” the blueprint for the Sokcho Childcare Complex Support Center has been finalized, and other news spanning both travelers and residents keeps coming. This year again we are reminded that this is not a city that goes quiet once summer ends, but one that actually gets busier in September.
Today we looked at Seorak Hyanggiro, which has passed 640,000 cumulative visitors two years after opening, the real-time situation in Sokcho as of 10 p.m., and the timetable you need to plan tomorrow — was it useful? We will be back next time with even more useful information.
