Jocheondaek
why
Achieve Your Dream of Living in Jeju, with One Day’s Experience!
The number of the native tourists visiting Jeju is up to ten million, and the number of people moving to Jeju is 20 thousand this year. As the figure shows, there are more and more people deciding to live in or visit Jeju. The TV program ‘Hyori’s Homestay’ in which the couple, Lee Sang-soon and Lee Hyo-ri, invited people to Sogildaek where people can see the lifestyle of the couple has been popular. It might be because to modern people living busy city lives, the story of the couple and the visitors seen on TV seemed like a gift making them feel the warmness of life and can be healed, even for a little while. Everyone dreams of the life in Jeju, however, it is not so easy to execute. Though it’s romantic and exciting to leave forgetting everything, the reality is not so tender, and, among the people who moved to Jeju, there are ones who return to the city where they were from, missing the life in the city. This means that the life in the island is not easy as we think superficially.
The life of Jeju natives is also changing according to the trends of modern times. From having difficult times farming the barren land in the past, and having enjoyed the good times growing mandarins and hanrabong, the young people of Jeju are evolving also by increasing tourism demand in the social media era, appropriately mixing their native culture and the culture of the visitor’s city. Jocheondaek, being introduced in the magazine at this time, is the experience born in Jeju with this idea of mixing classic Jeju feel with modern conveniences.
Blind Whale in Jeju was built and opened in 2014(introduced in the 16th edition of this magazine), and the couple, Kim Yu-jin and Kim Su-jeong, who are accumulating their careers as managers in Blind Whale so far are Jeju natives who grew up in Jocheon and have four children. Having realized the value of the worn down Jeju stone houses working two years in Blind Whale, they remodeled other worn Jeju stone houses beside the Blind Whale inch by inch, and finally completed the place named Jocheondaek to give people a chance to experience the real Jeju life for even just one day. The name Jocheondaek has two meanings. One is that it is the place where the life of the couple has melted in, another is that it is another home of the city people who want to live the life of Jeju natives for even one day.
Entering the front gate of Jocheondaek which is in front of the sea of Jeju, you would think it’s full of comfort. The front court with green grass and the backyard which faces the sea invites adults as well as children to a whimsical world. Being inspired by the Sogildaek made by Lee Hyo-ri and Lee San-soon, a big kitchen and a big table with which a family can enjoy a party are arranged in one house of Jocheondaek made by remodeling a stone house of Jeju. The carefully selected tools for cooking, appliances, and an outdoor bath surrounded by stone walls are the attracting points only Jocheondaek can offer. In case of booking Blind Whale together with Jocheondaek, events like weddings, bridal showers, parties, and any gathering with participants of up to 12 persons are possible. It is also an attractive point of Jocheondaek only that a Jeju style formal meal for breakfast is available for stays booked on Wednesdays. Jocheondaek, which gives you the chance to experience the journey to Jeju to soak up the atmosphere beyond the concept of staying, would be another home in Jeju that would give you the feeling of living your life in Jeju.
The life of Jeju natives is also changing according to the trends of modern times. From having difficult times farming the barren land in the past, and having enjoyed the good times growing mandarins and hanrabong, the young people of Jeju are evolving also by increasing tourism demand in the social media era, appropriately mixing their native culture and the culture of the visitor’s city. Jocheondaek, being introduced in the magazine at this time, is the experience born in Jeju with this idea of mixing classic Jeju feel with modern conveniences.
Blind Whale in Jeju was built and opened in 2014(introduced in the 16th edition of this magazine), and the couple, Kim Yu-jin and Kim Su-jeong, who are accumulating their careers as managers in Blind Whale so far are Jeju natives who grew up in Jocheon and have four children. Having realized the value of the worn down Jeju stone houses working two years in Blind Whale, they remodeled other worn Jeju stone houses beside the Blind Whale inch by inch, and finally completed the place named Jocheondaek to give people a chance to experience the real Jeju life for even just one day. The name Jocheondaek has two meanings. One is that it is the place where the life of the couple has melted in, another is that it is another home of the city people who want to live the life of Jeju natives for even one day.
Entering the front gate of Jocheondaek which is in front of the sea of Jeju, you would think it’s full of comfort. The front court with green grass and the backyard which faces the sea invites adults as well as children to a whimsical world. Being inspired by the Sogildaek made by Lee Hyo-ri and Lee San-soon, a big kitchen and a big table with which a family can enjoy a party are arranged in one house of Jocheondaek made by remodeling a stone house of Jeju. The carefully selected tools for cooking, appliances, and an outdoor bath surrounded by stone walls are the attracting points only Jocheondaek can offer. In case of booking Blind Whale together with Jocheondaek, events like weddings, bridal showers, parties, and any gathering with participants of up to 12 persons are possible. It is also an attractive point of Jocheondaek only that a Jeju style formal meal for breakfast is available for stays booked on Wednesdays. Jocheondaek, which gives you the chance to experience the journey to Jeju to soak up the atmosphere beyond the concept of staying, would be another home in Jeju that would give you the feeling of living your life in Jeju.
people
The Story of the Challenge of the Couple, Kim Yu-jin and Kim Su-jeong
Kim Su-jeong, born in Jeju and employed by Jeju Bank in her high school days, met Kim Yu-jin, her husband, at the bank. After getting married, she started to live in Jocheon, and, taking care of four children, quit her job to start the life of a housewife. Mr. Kim also quit his job and started to work as an engineer operating a mini forklift. It was in 2014 that there came a change in their life, as the project Blind Whale started. Mrs. Kim remembered, “They called me and said that they would tear down a very old stone house. However, they told me they were leaving columns and rafters unbroken rather than doing a complete tear-down. It was a worn stone house that was almost falling down.”
It was Z_Lab that started to fix that hundred-year-old stone house which seemed uninhabitable. Becoming aware of Mr. Kim, Z_Lab had its construction team stay in the stone house where the grandmother of Mrs. Kim lived, and in doing so, they got familiar with Mrs. Kim, naturally. When the construction work had been completed Z_Lab suggested Mrs. Kim to work as the manager of the remodeled stone house. “At first, I could hardly believe. It was just an old stone house where I used to go to throw out the trash. It was hard to believe that the house became a hotel with a daily rate of over 500,000 KRW. Like magic, it had become a reality, and now I’m proud to be working there.”
Since the location Blind Whale opened in 2014, the life of Mrs. Kim has changed gradually. Basically, she started to understand the business of running lodges, starting with cleaning and washing. After that, she grew up to be a manager and managed a small wedding, a 70th birthday party, a first birthday party, and so on. And by experiencing broadcast filming, photographing for pictorials, etc. of entertainers, she got to know about the attraction of Blind Whale, which is a remodeled stone house of Jeju, and realized that the life in Jeju was full of new experiences to the people outside the island, so she started to desire to do the work herself as a participant rather than as an observer.
“We happened to know that the stone house beside Blind Whale was empty. We wanted to plan a Jeju small hotel that bears similarity to Blind Whale. We asked Z_Lab for suggestions and they came to us with the name Jocheondaek.” Jocheondaek had been planned with the idea of wanting to give the experiences of living the life of Jeju natives, even for just one day. Z_Lab found the possibility when seeing the couple running Blind Whale and they thought that Jocheondaek could have value as a real home of Jeju natives because the cooking skill of Mrs. Kim, which they experienced staying in her house when doing the remodeling work, would be the core feature of Jocheondaek. The couple could do the remodeling work for Jocheondaek themselves, but, rather, they asked Z_Lab to design the new dream.
It was Z_Lab that started to fix that hundred-year-old stone house which seemed uninhabitable. Becoming aware of Mr. Kim, Z_Lab had its construction team stay in the stone house where the grandmother of Mrs. Kim lived, and in doing so, they got familiar with Mrs. Kim, naturally. When the construction work had been completed Z_Lab suggested Mrs. Kim to work as the manager of the remodeled stone house. “At first, I could hardly believe. It was just an old stone house where I used to go to throw out the trash. It was hard to believe that the house became a hotel with a daily rate of over 500,000 KRW. Like magic, it had become a reality, and now I’m proud to be working there.”
Since the location Blind Whale opened in 2014, the life of Mrs. Kim has changed gradually. Basically, she started to understand the business of running lodges, starting with cleaning and washing. After that, she grew up to be a manager and managed a small wedding, a 70th birthday party, a first birthday party, and so on. And by experiencing broadcast filming, photographing for pictorials, etc. of entertainers, she got to know about the attraction of Blind Whale, which is a remodeled stone house of Jeju, and realized that the life in Jeju was full of new experiences to the people outside the island, so she started to desire to do the work herself as a participant rather than as an observer.
“We happened to know that the stone house beside Blind Whale was empty. We wanted to plan a Jeju small hotel that bears similarity to Blind Whale. We asked Z_Lab for suggestions and they came to us with the name Jocheondaek.” Jocheondaek had been planned with the idea of wanting to give the experiences of living the life of Jeju natives, even for just one day. Z_Lab found the possibility when seeing the couple running Blind Whale and they thought that Jocheondaek could have value as a real home of Jeju natives because the cooking skill of Mrs. Kim, which they experienced staying in her house when doing the remodeling work, would be the core feature of Jocheondaek. The couple could do the remodeling work for Jocheondaek themselves, but, rather, they asked Z_Lab to design the new dream.
location
The Sea of Jocheon, Jeju, Blind Whale, and Jocheondaek
Before the appearance of airplanes, Jocheon, Jeju Island, the name having the meaning of facing the mild wind, was the town that was the gate for all to enter Jeju Island. It is a historical place where anti-Japanese activities like the 4.3 Uprising, Manse Hill event, and other democratization activities occurred. As it’s a town with a long history, the old streets and side streets have been preserved in good condition, and it is rich in quantity of legacies such as houses where historical figures lived, head houses, stone houses, and more.
In Jocheon, the quality of the life of people in town is high and the living environment is well managed. The houses of head families (Tile-Roofed House) and the houses having histories are comparatively well managed. However, influenced by the investment from outside, there is a gradual increase in empty houses in town, and in case of stone houses, there are cases of being damaged or left unmanaged due to negligence. In this situation, the start of Blind Whale showed a new possibility.
Staying as Jocheondaek provides one with a unique experience of a place worthy of the name Jeju, protecting the integrity of the town by maintaining the original shape of the worn stone house, while simultaneously making it modern and applying the concept of receiving one set of guests at a time. The stone house of Jeju has been re-analyzed to be a resource for reproducing the culture of Jeju beyond simply being the place to reside. As a place for weddings, birthday parties, as well as enjoying the journey, it provides people with the chances to have special experiences in Jeju. It also meets the requirements of various situations like small weddings, wedding photo shoots, drama filming, etc. together with the scenery of the town, Jocheon. There, I saw the possibility of it being a cultural place fitting the value of the times.
Seeing these processes, Z_Lab thought that Jocheondaek might be an important base in networking in the region, upgrading Blind Whale to a new level. Beyond being a small hotel, it has been planned such that it is a place where people can really enjoy the experiences like that in Sogildaek on TV for even a day, and can wholly experience the life in Jeju enjoying the various events like cooking, parties, music, healing, etc. The crucial factor in determining to combine the two places was the sea of Jeju. The scenery changing as the sea water comes and goes, the scenery of the small and quiet town, daylight and moonlight, and the night scenery made by the lighting of boats fishing, were sufficient to engrave magic feelings in people’s minds.
In Jocheon, the quality of the life of people in town is high and the living environment is well managed. The houses of head families (Tile-Roofed House) and the houses having histories are comparatively well managed. However, influenced by the investment from outside, there is a gradual increase in empty houses in town, and in case of stone houses, there are cases of being damaged or left unmanaged due to negligence. In this situation, the start of Blind Whale showed a new possibility.
Staying as Jocheondaek provides one with a unique experience of a place worthy of the name Jeju, protecting the integrity of the town by maintaining the original shape of the worn stone house, while simultaneously making it modern and applying the concept of receiving one set of guests at a time. The stone house of Jeju has been re-analyzed to be a resource for reproducing the culture of Jeju beyond simply being the place to reside. As a place for weddings, birthday parties, as well as enjoying the journey, it provides people with the chances to have special experiences in Jeju. It also meets the requirements of various situations like small weddings, wedding photo shoots, drama filming, etc. together with the scenery of the town, Jocheon. There, I saw the possibility of it being a cultural place fitting the value of the times.
Seeing these processes, Z_Lab thought that Jocheondaek might be an important base in networking in the region, upgrading Blind Whale to a new level. Beyond being a small hotel, it has been planned such that it is a place where people can really enjoy the experiences like that in Sogildaek on TV for even a day, and can wholly experience the life in Jeju enjoying the various events like cooking, parties, music, healing, etc. The crucial factor in determining to combine the two places was the sea of Jeju. The scenery changing as the sea water comes and goes, the scenery of the small and quiet town, daylight and moonlight, and the night scenery made by the lighting of boats fishing, were sufficient to engrave magic feelings in people’s minds.
MAKING STORY
The construction work for Jocheondaek has been carried out by Mr. Kim himself. He remembered that, as a forklift operator, he was sure that he could do the work for tearing down the stone house keeping the columns and rafters intact better than anyone but he was not confident about doing the remaining processes of construction. In proceeding, Z_Lab transferred to him the details of the methods of construction for each step. Except for the roof of Blind Whale. Jocheondaek has been completed in a similar way to making cars, where they can make different models from the same platform. While Jocheondaek and Blind Whale share many characteristics, Jocheondaek is a house that maintains the original shape of old houses most common in Jeju.
To comply with the first principle, the shape of the existing asbestos slate roof was maintained when replacing it with blue colored steel plates. The replacing work for the roof was done very promptly such that the frame of the roof had been completed at the same time with the completion of tearing out. For the columns and rafters inside the house, rotten materials were replaced with new ones (utilizing the materials for columns and rafters from other Jeju houses previously torn down) to ensure the structural completeness. The gate room, to maintain its original purpose, was made to function as a gate, not a room, adding to the characteristics of being the symbol of a Jeju house.
To comply with the first principle, the shape of the existing asbestos slate roof was maintained when replacing it with blue colored steel plates. The replacing work for the roof was done very promptly such that the frame of the roof had been completed at the same time with the completion of tearing out. For the columns and rafters inside the house, rotten materials were replaced with new ones (utilizing the materials for columns and rafters from other Jeju houses previously torn down) to ensure the structural completeness. The gate room, to maintain its original purpose, was made to function as a gate, not a room, adding to the characteristics of being the symbol of a Jeju house.
The couple, Mr. and Mrs. Kim, requested Z_Lab for planning and designing Jocheondaek. Z_Lab proceeded planning considering the synergy with Blind Whale and minimizing the budget as much as possible. That was the work that would make momentum in the life of the couple who were born and have never been away from Jeju. They endeavored to create new experiences for guests in which the convenience instead of inconvenience makes the harmony with the older building, utilizing the possibilities of the old Jeju stone house. At first, Z_Lab set the principle regarding what should stay and what should be changed.
They wanted to give a first impression of comfort with the three houses arranged in the shape of the Korean character ‘ㄷ’. Entering the front gate, the courtyard with green grass and the backyard opened to the sea made me feel comfortable. The round net roofs in the traditional style of 1970s have been improved with slate roofs, however, the beauty of the Jeju houses has still been maintained. As a principle to comply with, they tried to maintain the original shapes regarding the height of the roof, internal structures and rafters, outer shapes, etc. The roof materials have been replaced with new materials but they tried to maintain the ratios of the existing roofs, and the folding door which when opened are used to make it look as if the inside is integrated into one with the courtyard.
They wanted to give a first impression of comfort with the three houses arranged in the shape of the Korean character ‘ㄷ’. Entering the front gate, the courtyard with green grass and the backyard opened to the sea made me feel comfortable. The round net roofs in the traditional style of 1970s have been improved with slate roofs, however, the beauty of the Jeju houses has still been maintained. As a principle to comply with, they tried to maintain the original shapes regarding the height of the roof, internal structures and rafters, outer shapes, etc. The roof materials have been replaced with new materials but they tried to maintain the ratios of the existing roofs, and the folding door which when opened are used to make it look as if the inside is integrated into one with the courtyard.
SPACE
Jeju House, Full of Attractive Sequences
Jocheondaek is the house bearing the attraction of sequence. The term sequence frequently used in movies means the structure of consecutive scenes. Jocheondaek has the attractive composition in that the consecutive scenes being seen when opening the gate and getting in seems to tell a story. Opening the heavy gate of Jocheondaek, you can feel the comfort given by the composition of three houses surrounding the courtyard with deep green grass. Passing through the side street between two houses, you get to the backyard where the sea of Jocheon is seen. Seeing the scenery of the sea change throughout the day and night, hearing its sounds, you get inspired, forgetting life in the city for a while.
Jocheondaek is composed of the gate room, sleeping house, and kitchen house. The kitchen house has a big table and an open kitchen so that maximum of 10-12 persons can have a party enjoying foods in a comfortable atmosphere when booked together with Blind Whale. How is the kitchen worthy of the name of Jeju? The wood plate on the basalt provides warmness. Appliances and containers were selected carefully to the point that anyone who likes cooking would enjoy its visual pleasure. Opening the folding door fully on a fine day, you can enjoy a party seeing the courtyard with green grass and taking in Jocheondaek as the background.
The sleeping house of Jocheondaek is for only one team and it presents a cozy atmosphere. There are yards in front and back, and the rafters and columns inside the house, bearing traces of the house’s long history, makes Jocheondaek more special. The arrangement of flat beds in two rows being separated by columns between them and the opened two sinks makes the comparatively compact space sufficient for six people. It seems practical. The beds made utilizing old materials and the objet furniture made by Matter & Matter adds warmness, and the Aesop amenity and books and music fit for the emotions of Jeju make the place elegant.
Outside the sleeping house, there is an outdoor bath along the stone wall. Enjoy the outdoor bath sitting inside the stone wall, seeing the stars, and have a warm tea with your precious mate at the observatory in the backyard, seeing the sea, and you will feel something special. The highlight of the Jocheondaek sequence is walking to the shelter of the path formed as the sea water recedes, starting from the end of the side street between Blind Whale and Jocheondaek. On an especially fine day, just seeing Jocheondaek and Blind Whale taking in Mt. Halla and Jeju Oreums, volcanic cones, and the scenery of the falling sun and the following red sky as backgrounds will make anyone happy. Enjoying the place following the hidden stories, you would find the real taste of the journey to the town of Jeju, a journey to soak up the atmosphere of the region.
Jocheondaek is composed of the gate room, sleeping house, and kitchen house. The kitchen house has a big table and an open kitchen so that maximum of 10-12 persons can have a party enjoying foods in a comfortable atmosphere when booked together with Blind Whale. How is the kitchen worthy of the name of Jeju? The wood plate on the basalt provides warmness. Appliances and containers were selected carefully to the point that anyone who likes cooking would enjoy its visual pleasure. Opening the folding door fully on a fine day, you can enjoy a party seeing the courtyard with green grass and taking in Jocheondaek as the background.
The sleeping house of Jocheondaek is for only one team and it presents a cozy atmosphere. There are yards in front and back, and the rafters and columns inside the house, bearing traces of the house’s long history, makes Jocheondaek more special. The arrangement of flat beds in two rows being separated by columns between them and the opened two sinks makes the comparatively compact space sufficient for six people. It seems practical. The beds made utilizing old materials and the objet furniture made by Matter & Matter adds warmness, and the Aesop amenity and books and music fit for the emotions of Jeju make the place elegant.
Outside the sleeping house, there is an outdoor bath along the stone wall. Enjoy the outdoor bath sitting inside the stone wall, seeing the stars, and have a warm tea with your precious mate at the observatory in the backyard, seeing the sea, and you will feel something special. The highlight of the Jocheondaek sequence is walking to the shelter of the path formed as the sea water recedes, starting from the end of the side street between Blind Whale and Jocheondaek. On an especially fine day, just seeing Jocheondaek and Blind Whale taking in Mt. Halla and Jeju Oreums, volcanic cones, and the scenery of the falling sun and the following red sky as backgrounds will make anyone happy. Enjoying the place following the hidden stories, you would find the real taste of the journey to the town of Jeju, a journey to soak up the atmosphere of the region.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
INTERVIEW
An Interview with Jocheondaek Soo-jung Kim
stayfolio
Jocheondaek
Could you please briefly introduce yourself?
I’m Kim Su-jeong, living in Jocheon, Jeju with my four children and husband. I’m a Jeju native who was born and went to elementary, middle, high school in Seogwipo, and then worked for Jeju Bank for 17 years. After getting married to my husband, I have been living in Jocheon as an ordinary housewife, with the parents of my husband. After quitting my job at the bank, I wanted to work again but couldn’t get a chance. Then, I had a luck to meet Z_Lab, and they gave me the chance to work in Blind Whale, and based on two years of various experiences, I decided to open Jocheondaek.
What made you to think about opening Jocheondaek?
Frankly, in reality, Blind Whale business was so successful that we wondered, “What more can we do?” So we started to think about it. (Laughing) We hope in our mind to make something of our own, utilizing our life as the subject, in our town. Fortunately, we could lease the house of one of the friends of my husband, and there we could dream our dreams. The life of Sogildaek also deeply inspired us to dream of Jocheondaek.
Was there a particular memorable experience running Blind Whale and Jocheondaek?
I think the wedding of Kim Na-young was the most impressive one. She booked as a guest, and proceeded with her wedding not letting us know of that key detail. At that time, the concept of small wedding had not been clearly defined, and so we thought it was a bit strange. Starting with that, there have been continuous inquiries regarding the wedding photo and future guests having a small wedding in Blind Whale and Jocheondaek. Once, a guest who did a small wedding gave me flowers thanking us, the amount was greater than any I have received in all my life. That remains in my mind as the most impressive one also. These days, I feel satisfied giving happiness to others, doing my job in a good place.
What do you think as a Jeju native is being worthy of the name of Jeju?
It seems not easy to answer the question from myself regarding what is worthy of the name of Jeju. It’s because I also am an islander living ordinary life not having the experience of living in any other place than the island. It seems that seeing nature that is always there and eating foods made of the seasonal materials from here are ordinary life to me. However, to people who come here for journey, the life of eating, seeing, sleeping, feeling, and living like Jeju natives appears special. I myself think it regrettable that the sceneries of Jeju of which I know disappear these days because of construction developments. I hope that the meaningful places like Jocheondaek continue to appear and the stone houses and head houses in town also remain being succeeded from age to age.
Please tell me about the attraction of Jocheondaek only.
I think it’s the blue colored roof which is the symbol of Jeju houses. In times of the New Community Movement in the past, many projects removing the old net roofs and replacing it with slate roofs were carried out. I remember it was in the 1970s. After then, due to the negative images regarding asbestos slates, projects removing it with colored steel plates were carried out. We can say the sceneries of Jeju houses were mostly made at that time. I remember that the blue roof of Jocheondaek also was repaired so at that time. However, the life in it was not so comfortable. It was a place with lots of inconvenience. Having remodeled that place like this, I have new thoughts regarding Jeju houses, and these days, I look at the stone houses, which I used to pass by without paying attention, with interest. I think the attraction of Jocheondaek is that the values contained in the original house such as old materials, comfortable yards, etc. have been fully expressed, maintaining the attraction of an old house.
Please tell me about the ‘Jocheondaek formal meal’ which could be called as the identity of Jocheondaek only.
Once, Ailee and Amber visited Blind Whale for broadcast filming, and at that time they requested to provide the morning meal for staffs, so I provided the morning meal, and people having the meal liked it much more than I expected. That made me think about providing morning meals in Jocheondaek. Originally, it was provided as a special service for the first customers when opening Jocheondaek. However, the response was so positive that I provide it for the customers booked on Wednesdays at 8,000 KRW per person. Living near the sea, in Jeju, people put octopus, top shell, and brown turban shell, caught by themselves on the table for memorial services. My skill has been accumulated preparing for the memorial services, and it is surely the hard work including the processes of ensuring the materials and preparing them for cooking. I started providing it hoping that the guests take it thinking of the effort taken in the course of providing, and guests liked it so much, and so I’m happy also.
Is there any café, restaurant, things to see, or things to buy you would recommend?
I would recommend Jocheon Manse Hill where you can see the history of Jocheon and Seowubong Oreum which you should climb once you come to Jeju. Hamduk beach which is famous and is about just 3km from Jocheondaek, so it’s very good to visit in summer. Hamduk beach is famous for its beautiful emerald colored water. For restaurants, I would recommend Selfish Table which opened this year. They’re a pleasant neighbor and we also send many customers to them.
STAY’s recommended
Local Destination
Jocheon Manse Hill
The meaningful place where we can see the history of Jocheon
Seowubong Oreum
The Oreum near Jocheondaek
Hamdeuk beach
The sea resembling the blue Jeju sky in color
Selfish Table
Fusion foods made of materials from Jeju, with tidy look as well as the good taste
STAY
At Least Today, I’m also a Jocheondaek!
I took a journey to Jeju with members of my wife’s family, so I needed a place to feel Jeju island passing time pleasantly with family members rather than carrying out a busy schedule. I selected Jocheondaek together with Blind Whale. Jocheondaek was just next to Blind Whale. Neighboring to Blind Whale across a side street, having a blue roof, Jocheondaek is a nice place having the space in which a whole family can enjoy a party in addition to the space for staying, while Blind Whale is dedicated to having the best stay. Opening the gate and proceeding passing a small warehouse space, there was a courtyard and two houses arranged around it.
Such arrangement is the most typical in Jeju, and it has been formed according to the residential pattern of Jeju that, when a son in a family gets married, the son moves to a house separated but near or next to the one he has been living in. One is his father’s and the other is his own. I was more interested in Jocheondaek, being of similar structure but having an attraction of its own. Especially the kitchen house, being dedicated to parties and dining, and being open toward the courtyard, is very good for enjoying parties using it together with the courtyard. That was also the place I loved to use together with Blind Whale and made many of memories with my family there.
There is a small backyard in Jocheondaek. It’s a place having scenery connected to the sea and it might also be a playground for children. Having wine in the kitchen house would be nice, but I would rather recommend enjoying soju with sliced raw fish just brought from ‘Jocheon Seafood’ nearby, sitting in the backyard hearing the sound from the sea. I miss the taste of soju I had sitting there while the children were sleeping. Enjoying bathing in the outdoor bath at night, having the children sleeping, was particularly good. I would recommend to bring a swimming suit with you to enjoy it together with your companions.
The sleeping house was impressive in that it’s compact and so has an attraction different from that of Blind Whale. Heavy furniture made by Matter & Matter, quiet atmosphere, a comfortable wide flat bed, all was good. Particularly, I felt impressed when first entering the place in that, though being operated unmanned, there was a warmness as if someone had been there, and there was music, fragrance, lights, all presented pleasantly. The most lovely memory in Jocheondaek might be the time we imagined, “Could we have this kind of house to live in some time?” while preparing meals together, talking to each other. Though the attraction of the city is good, I think that the time being with nature and the sea, the whole family being together, for even just a single day, was precious.
Such arrangement is the most typical in Jeju, and it has been formed according to the residential pattern of Jeju that, when a son in a family gets married, the son moves to a house separated but near or next to the one he has been living in. One is his father’s and the other is his own. I was more interested in Jocheondaek, being of similar structure but having an attraction of its own. Especially the kitchen house, being dedicated to parties and dining, and being open toward the courtyard, is very good for enjoying parties using it together with the courtyard. That was also the place I loved to use together with Blind Whale and made many of memories with my family there.
There is a small backyard in Jocheondaek. It’s a place having scenery connected to the sea and it might also be a playground for children. Having wine in the kitchen house would be nice, but I would rather recommend enjoying soju with sliced raw fish just brought from ‘Jocheon Seafood’ nearby, sitting in the backyard hearing the sound from the sea. I miss the taste of soju I had sitting there while the children were sleeping. Enjoying bathing in the outdoor bath at night, having the children sleeping, was particularly good. I would recommend to bring a swimming suit with you to enjoy it together with your companions.
The sleeping house was impressive in that it’s compact and so has an attraction different from that of Blind Whale. Heavy furniture made by Matter & Matter, quiet atmosphere, a comfortable wide flat bed, all was good. Particularly, I felt impressed when first entering the place in that, though being operated unmanned, there was a warmness as if someone had been there, and there was music, fragrance, lights, all presented pleasantly. The most lovely memory in Jocheondaek might be the time we imagined, “Could we have this kind of house to live in some time?” while preparing meals together, talking to each other. Though the attraction of the city is good, I think that the time being with nature and the sea, the whole family being together, for even just a single day, was precious.
4 POINT OF VIEW
ORIGINALITY
A Jeju Experience Made by Jeju Natives
Everyone dreams to live in Jeju, but executing the dream is not so easy. So, Jocheondaek being introduced today is the place made by a couple of Jeju natives, Kim Yu-jin and Kim Su-jeong, who tried to execute the way of living which pursue the slow life, being inspired by Sogildaek the show featuring the Jeju life of the couple Lee Sang-soon and Lee Hyo-ri. The couple, born in Jeju, remodeled the old Jeju house while maintaining its original look. They provide sincere services of Jeju made by Jeju natives, including a Jeju style formal meal made with their whole heart using seasonal ingredients. Together with Blind Whale, Jocheondaek is newly writing the history of the value of being worthy of the name of Jeju in modern times, being engraved in the minds of people as a place for parties, photo shoots, weddings, and beyond being a place for just staying a night.
DESIGN
New Analysis of a Jeju House
After Blind Whale, Z_Lab, the company which handled the remodeling of Jocheondaek, suggests various solutions regarding the way of economically remodeling the farmhouses in Jeju which are considered legacies. Jocheondaek, as a house, has been transformed, from a weak building which is most ordinary and might be removed under the name of development, to a strong offering showing the possibility of being a house which has meaning in economic value and in various cultural reproductions. It seems that we see the essence of un-designed design in such processes like maintaining the roof and the internal arrangement, removing inconvenient parts, making the line of flow including the yards, making sequences, etc. Jocheondaek, which is the next project to Blind Whale, suggests the points which have meaning in utilizing resources already existing in the town, beyond being an isolated individual work.
Hospitality
Jocheondaek Life Being the Momentum in Life
The couple, Kim Yu-jin and Kim Su-jeong, who run Jocheondaek provide the chance to experience the life of Jeju natives feeling Jeju as it is, even just for one day. The couple themselves in the Jocheondaek life which gave them momentum in life also dream a new dream. Change was pleasure for them. They said, “The life facing other people and giving them happiness in the town which is our ground for living is good, and also, enjoying the journey to places outside the island with children admitting new cultures we began to have more open minds.” Though the life of the Jocheondaek couple has gotten busier, at least in the space where they provide the environment to guests is the slow life that isn’t so busy. The effort to create the culture of enjoying the journey to soak up the atmosphere in regions beyond just staying, the Jeju native couple play a big part in making the total Jocheondaek experience.
PRICE
The Experience Not Available from Ordinary Hotels, Synergy Effects Resulting from Linking with Blind Whale
In Jocheondaek being run together with Blind Whale, weddings, bridal showers, birthday parties, or any gathering with participants of up to 12 persons are possible in case of booking both stays. The synergy effects between Jocheondaek and Blind Whale which bears the regional characteristics of Jocheon, Jeju leads to a new experience which ordinary hotels can’t provide. Even when extending the concept to ‘town hotel’, it still has meaning. In case of the town hotel, the side streets connect the rooms bearing different features and attractions making horizontal connections, creating values of its own, being different from hotels in cities, and inhabitants of the region take care of the guests, providing services and making it special.
Copied to clipboard.
- Stay Name
- Jocheondaek
- Stay Type
- K - Rental house
- Contact information
- Address
- 19-17, Jocheon 7-gil, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, Republic of Korea
- Guests / No. of Room
- 4~6 / 1
- Price
- US$ 250.63 ~ US$ 393.85
- Check-in / out
- 16:00 / 12:00
- Feature
- BBQ facilities, Projector or TV, Kitchenette, Tub (ex. Jacuzzi, Hinoki)
PHOTO BY Kim Jae-Kyeong | bit.ly/2t2CwBO