Day Trip To Mokpo: Immersed In History & Beautiful Views Of The Sea
From historic museums to vintage cafes, come with us to the charming city of Mokpo
Are you looking for travel destinations away from Seoul that will help you get away from the hectic city just for the day?
Follow us along today as we travel around Mokpo, located in the southwestern tip of Jeollanam-do.
It's full of retro-style tourist attractions that are filming locations for popular Korean dramas and movies.
What are you waiting for? Come along with us as we explore this beautiful city that's quickly rising to popularity.
Our Journey
We took the KTX train from Seoul Station to get to Mokpo. You can take the train from Seoul Station or Yongsan Station.
Just make sure to check the location of the train station when making your reservation! You don't want to end up at the wrong train station.
From Seoul to Mokpo it takes about 2 and a half hours. We decided to take the early morning train to spend the full day at Mokpo.
I like grabbing the window seat on long train rides so that I can enjoy the view.
This was our second trip to Mokpo and I was just as excited as my first trip there.
Once arriving at Mokpo, you can travel around the city both by subway or bus conveniently.
Let's see what the city has in store for us!
Mokpo Modern History Museum Hall 1
목포근대역사관 1관
Address: 전남 목포시 영산로29번길 6
6, Yeongsan-ro 29beon-gil, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours:
09:00-18:00
Mon: Closed
Closed on the 1st of every month
Price: 2,000 won and under
How To Get There: Walk 15 minutes from Mokpo KTX train station or take bus number 60, 2, or 13-1 from Mokpo Station.
It's a 7-minute ride to Yudalsan Post Office (유달산 우체국 정류장) stop.
The first place that we visited was the Mokpo Modern History Museum Hall 1 (목포근대역사관 1관).
This is a filming location for IU and Yeo Jin-goo's drama Hotel Del Luna.
This place is very popular among Koreans and a must-visit destination in Mokpo.
The museum offers a wide range of inside and outside exhibitions including models of old buildings in the Japanese colonial period, the March 1st Movement exhibition where you can try on old costumes, the Pacific War, and many more.
It's a tourist attraction that both history lovers and fans of the series Hotel Del Luna can enjoy.
Learn more about the Mokpo Modern History Museum Hall 1
Sihwa Alley
시화마을
Address: 전남 목포시 서산동 11-1
11-1, Seosan-dong, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
How To Get There: Take bus number 01 from Mokpo Station. It's a 10-minute bus ride.
Get off at Mokpo Suhyup (목포 수협) stop and walk for 3 minutes.
We then made out way to Sihwa Alley (시화마을), which is a filming location for Long Live the King and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol.
1987: When the Day Comes was also filmed here which boosted its popularity.
The alley has stores and advertisement boards that make you feel like you're back in the '90s.
You can choose to walk in 3 different directions.
The first alley takes you to the cafes that Korean couples love to sit together and enjoy their time at.
And the other two alleys guide you towards a higher location where you can see a nice view of the village.
The third alley will take you to a filming location for Do Dol Sol Sol La La Sol.
Stop and pause to admire the art and take some pictures.
If you're feeling very exhausted, you can always rest at the cute cafes along the way.
Bring your partner, friends, or family here for a nice relaxing time!
Dongbu Market
동부시장
Address: 전남 목포시 산정로 174
174, Sanjeong-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours: 08:00-22:00
How To Get There: Take bus number 6 or 10 from Mokpo Station and get off at Dobgbu Market Station (동부시장).
We felt like we needed a break from all that walking around and sightseeing! So we visited the biggest traditional market in Mokpo to get some food in our stomachs.
At the Dongbu Market (동부시장), there were so many things that you could find.
There were children's clothes, blankets, utensils, and most importantly, FOOD!
The prices for food were very cheap.
For example, strawberries were sold in boxes for 4,000 won only. And various seafood were available for 10,000 won.
Learn more about Dongbu Market
Cafe Yudal Milk
카페 유달유업
Address: 전남 목포시 북항로 119
119, Bukhang-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tue-Sat: 12:00-22:00
Sun: 12:00-21:00
How To Get There: Bus number 13 or 6 from KTX Mokpo train station, get off at Seobu Elementary School (서부 초등학교) stop.
Instagram: @yudal_milk
When walking into the cafe, it feels like you entered a time machine and traveled back to the '90s.
All the decorations, props, the menu, and even the drinks are made to look retro.
If you want to have a fun photoshoot at the cafe, you can even put on some vintage clothes that are prepared for you.
There is also an arcade game machine you can play with your friends. It's 100 won per game and you can exchange some cash at the counter.
Their signature drinks are milk-based as the cafe produces its own milk.
We ordered their strawberry milk and earl gray milk tea.
You can even take the unique bottles home with you after paying just a small price of 500 won as a souvenir.
The cafe is a great place to hang out and re-energize before moving on to the next location.
Learn more about Cafe Yudal Milk
Mokpo Skywalk
목포 스카이워크
Address: 전남 목포시 해양대학로 59
59, Haeyangdaehak-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours:
Summer (Mar-Oct): 09:00-21:00
Winter (Nov-Feb): 09:00-20:00
Closed on days with severe weather conditions
Entry: Free
How To Get There: Take bus number 01 from Mokpo Station and get off at Yudal Recreation Area (유달유원지) stop.
Walk further until you see the entrance for the Mokpo Skywalk.
After taking a break at the cafe, we continued our journey to Mokpo Skywalk. It's a major tourist destination that opened in July 2020 and is a filming location for the drama Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol.
The view from the skywalk was breathtaking. I was highly impressed and there is also a spot to take pictures.
Near the skywalk, there is a huge cafe where you can sit with some refreshing beverages while enjoying the view. It's a popular cafe among Koreans called Daebandong 201.
Beside the cafe, there is a rainbow staircase that you can take pictures at.
Another photo zone you can't miss is this colorful spot!
There are plenty of benches along the beach if you would like to sit and rest along the way or if you'd like to take some more pictures.
Learn more about Mokpo Skywalk
Dalbam Pocha
달밤포차
Address: 전남 목포시 해양대학로 77
77, Haeyangdaehak-ro, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours: 16:00-03:00
How To Get There: Take bus number 01 from Mokpo Station and get off at Yudal Recreation Area (유달 유원지) stop. After getting off, walk through Mokpo Skywalk and head to the beach.
As the sun slowly set, it was finally time for dinner! Mokpo boasts in the freshness of their various seafood.
We visited Dalbam Pocha (달밤포차), a popular seafood restaurant and bar that's very popular at night.
Their most popular menu is their Dalbam Grilled Shellfish (달밤 조개구이).
As it got darker, the place became more crowded.
After eating our food, we took a walk outside to take a photo at this lit-up moon that seems to be a big photo zone.
We highly recommend coming here to eat some seafood and enjoy the view of the sea.
CLB Bakery
씨엘비 베이커리
Address: 전남 목포시 영산로75번길 14
14, Yeongsan-ro 75beon-gil, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do
Hours: 08:00-21:00
How To Get There: 5-minute walk from Mokpo Station
Before heading back home, we stopped by CLB Bakery (씨엘비 베이커리), which is only a 5-minute walk from KTX Mokpo Station to grab some of their famous baked goods.
If you happen to arrive at the station earlier than the train arrival time, we recommend waiting at this bakery!
It is spacious and there are also drinks you can grab.
They are famous for their cream cheese baguette which is delicious.
The baguette is surprisingly soft and the cream cheese filling was very addicting.
Mokpo is the perfect travel destination for a day trip that has many fun attractions.
If you want to travel outside of Seoul for a day or check out beautiful filming locations around the country, you'll definitely be fascinated by Mokpo's charm!
We recommend taking the earliest train to Mokpo to make the most out of your day trip.