Asia > South Korea > Gangneung
Gangneung is the east-coast Korea that Seoul does not give you: pine-backed beaches, old scholar houses, seafood markets, and a slightly self-contained local culture shaped by the Taebaek Mountains behind it. It was one of the host cities for the 2018 Winter Olympics, but its best days are still ordinary ones: a walk around Gyeongpo Lake, coffee at Anmok Beach, then the sea turning dark blue in the evening.
The city has a serious cultural side. Ojukheon preserves one of Korea's oldest wooden houses and is tied to Yi I and Shin Saimdang, faces familiar from Korean banknotes. Seongyojang shows how a wealthy Joseon family lived, with broad courtyards and low roofs that make more sense when you see them in the landscape.
Gangneung is also Korea's coffee city. The beachfront cafes of Anmok Coffee Street can feel busy and polished, but the idea is simple and good: drink carefully made coffee with the East Sea in front of you. Add Gyeongpo Beach, the lake, and the spring cherry blossoms, and Gangneung easily earns a day or two on an east-coast trip.