A hillside neighbourhood of pastel-painted houses stacked up a steep slope above the city's western waterfront. The village was built by refugees during the Korean War, many of them followers of a Taoist sect called Taegukdo who settled here in close-knit clusters. The density and the topography — houses climbing one above the other, connected by narrow alleys and painted staircases — give it a look unlike anywhere else in Korea.
Since the mid-2000s, artists and the city government have turned the walls and lanes into an open-air gallery, adding murals, sculptures, and small installations. The Little Prince figure at one of the viewpoints is the most-photographed element, but the neighbourhood itself — with its chaos of rooftops and distant harbour views — is the real draw.
Come on a weekday if possible: weekends in good weather are crowded. Wear comfortable shoes; the terrain is relentlessly steep. The village is a 10-minute walk from Toseong subway station.
story: "Gamcheon's distinctive density has a specific origin: the Taegukdo community that settled here in the early 1950s believed in living physically close together as a spiritual principle, which is why the houses are packed so tightly that neighbours can pass things between windows."