Juknokwon Bamboo Forest

Juknokwon — A Bamboo Forest That Switches Worlds the Moment You Step In

You can't dismiss Juknokwon as "oh, a bamboo forest." The moment you step inside, sound, light, and air change completely. Bamboo 30–40 m tall meets overhead, breaking up the sunlight, and all you hear is wind moving the leaves. If the bamboo scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is in your head — this is where that scene happens in real life.

What it is

A roughly 310,000 m² (about 75 acres) bamboo forest in the middle of Damyang township, South Jeolla. Cultivated by the county since the late 1990s, with about 2.4 km of paths winding through. Damyang is the heart of Korean bamboo culture, and Juknokwon is its compressed core.

Paths — 8 of them

Juknokwon has 8 named walking paths. You don't need to do them all — 1–2 hours covers the highlights.

• Unsudaetong-gil — the main path from the entrance. Plenty of photo spots.
• Jukmagouwoo-gil — quiet, good for walking with company
• Side paths — useful for escaping tour-group flows
• Siga Cultural Village (traditional hanok cluster) — a hanok complex inside Juknokwon. Free.

Getting there

• KTX: Yongsan Station → Gwangju-Songjeong → intercity or city bus (311), about 40–50 min
• Express bus: Seoul Central City → Damyang, about 3.5 hours
• From Gwangju: city bus 311 or about 30 min by car
• Juknokwon is right in downtown Damyang — good access (unlike other Damyang sights on the outskirts).

Suggested itineraries

• Juknokwon only — 2 hours (walk + photos)
• Juknokwon + Metasequoia Road — half day. Rent a bike to reach the metasequoia avenue.
• Damyang full day — Juknokwon → lunch (noodle street or tteokgalbi) → metasequoia → Soswaewon → back to Gwangju or one night in Damyang
• Day trip from Gwangju — Gwangju → Juknokwon → metasequoia → tteokgalbi → Gwangju

Food — inside Juknokwon / nearby

• Inside Juknokwon — entrance shops sell daetong-bap (rice cooked in bamboo tube), bamboo-leaf tea, bamboo-shoot ice cream.
• Noodle street — 5 min walk from Juknokwon. Anchovy noodles, cold-mixed noodles. About 5,000 won per dish.
• Tteokgalbi alley — 5–10 min by car. Damyang's famous grilled-rib patties.
• Bamboo-shoot dishes — spring only (Apr–May). Bamboo-shoot raw, bamboo-shoot namul.

Season by season

• 🌱 Spring (Apr–May) — fresh bamboo leaves, bamboo-shoot season. Top recommendation.
• ☀️ Summer — bamboo forests stay cool even at midday. The #1 season — strongly recommended for foreign travelers.
• 🍁 Autumn — bamboo against fall foliage, great photos.
• ❄️ Winter — quiet. A snow-dusted bamboo forest is magical, but Damyang rarely gets snow.

Photos — where to shoot

• The curved section past the main entrance — where bamboo meets overhead on both sides of the path. The signature shot.
• Siga Cultural Village hanok against bamboo — hanok + bamboo combo
• 2–4 PM when light breaks between the stalks — the moment for the best photos
• Small pavilions inside the forest — rest + photo stops

Honest tips

• Weekday mornings are best. Weekends and holidays bring Korean tour-group crowds.
• Walking slowly is the point. Walk fast and you just see bamboo. Spending 30 minutes inside, feeling the sound, breeze, and light shift — that's Juknokwon's real magic.
• Summer is cool inside — 4–5 °C cooler than outside the forest.
• Siga Cultural Village has no separate fee — included with Juknokwon entry.
• Eat daetong-bap while it's warm — the fragrance is different.
• For foreign travelers, one of the best heat-escape options in summer.

Visitor info

• Admission: about 3,000 won (adult)
• Recommended length: 1.5–2 hours
• Hours: open year-round 09:00–18:00 (seasonal variation)
• Official: Damyang County tourism (damyang.go.kr)

June Guide (June 2026)

In June, at the threshold of full-fledged summer, the early heat begins to take hold. At this time, Damyang Juknokwon becomes the best summer retreat. Walking in the shade created by dense bamboo, you can feel the coolness, 4 to 7 degrees Celsius cooler than outside the forest, throughout your body. The 'sagasag' rustling sound of bamboo leaves with every breeze is healing in itself.

This year, with the monsoon front beginning to move north from late May, early to mid-June, when rain is scarce, is the optimal time to visit. It's the last chance to walk amidst the refreshing scent of earth before the ground gets muddy. Especially if you utilize the 4-day long weekend, including 6/6 Memorial Day, it's a great opportunity to plan a relaxed trip to the southern provinces. We recommend a half-day course where you can enjoy the cool atmosphere at Juknokwon and then head to the nearby Metasequoia Garosu-gil to take some Instagram-worthy photos.

Even a thorough tour of Juknokwon alone takes at least 2 hours. It's a basic taxi fare distance from Damyang Public Bus Terminal, making public transport access quite good. If you're driving, please use the paid parking lot at the entrance. (Adult admission fee: 3,000원)

It is even more highly recommended if you are with foreign friends. Foreign credit cards can be smoothly used at the ticket office, and English signs are well-placed at major forks in the path, allowing you to enjoy your walk without language barriers. Don't miss the refreshing 'Bamboo Shoot Ice Cream' sold at the forest rest area; it's a must-try delicacy.