Why visit Jumunjin Breakwater
Goblin (도깨비, tvN 2016–2017) follows Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), a 939-year-old goblin cursed with immortality, and Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), the human “Goblin’s bride” who can end his curse. Their first encounter by the sea — filmed at Jumunjin Breakwater — became one of the drama’s most iconic scenes.
Jumunjin Breakwater, also called Jumunjin Sand Protection Dam, is a working breakwater in the fishing port town of Jumunjin, Gangneung. VisitKorea and Gangneung City both identify it as the Goblin seaside filming site. The breakwater extends into the East Sea, offering open water views, fishing boats, and the rocky coastline that frames the drama’s meeting scene.
What makes Jumunjin special is that it is a real, working place — not a set. Fishing boats dock here. Locals walk the breakwater. The site is free and open 24 hours. Fans come to stand where Kim Shin and Ji Eun-tak first met, to photograph the breakwater from the same angles, and to experience the East Sea coastline that defines Gangneung.
The breakwater has two sections: an east section about 1 km long, and a west section about 200 m. VisitKorea describes both but does not match specific sections to specific shots. Walk both if you have time. The east section offers longer sea views; the west section is shorter and closer to the port.
Jumunjin is a day trip from Seoul via KTX to Gangneung, then local transit. It pairs well with Gangneung’s coffee street, Gyeongpo Beach, and the Jumunjin Fish Market. For the Seoul Goblin locations — Unhyeongung Yanggwan, Gamgodang-gil, Yongdap bridge — see our separate Seoul guide.
Fishing on the breakwater
The breakwater is a working fishing spot, not just a photo stop. VisitKorea’s breakwater page adds a fishing calendar the guide did not use yet: plaice from spring to September; spotty belly greenling, pipefish and rockfish in October; grey mullet and big-scaled redfin from December to March — making October to March the best fishing season. That gives winter visitors a reason beyond the cold wind the FAQ warns about: the breakwater is busiest with anglers exactly when the crowds thin out. (VisitKorea)
While you’re here: Jumunjin Port and Fish Market
The breakwater sits in a working port town, and the port is worth the walk. Jumunjin Port is one of the main fishing ports on the east coast, home to over 350 fishing boats; the East Sea’s warm and cold currents meet here, which makes it excellent for lance fish, pollack, herring, anchovy and squid, served fresh or cooked at nearby seafood restaurants. Next to the port, Jumunjin Fish Market — founded in 1936 — is the largest seafood market on the east coast, with a dried seafood market and a hoe (sliced raw fish) centre; specialties include squid, mackerel, pollacks, pikes and crabs, and visitors can buy at reasonable prices and taste fresh hoe. These are not filming stops, just what surrounds the breakwater. (VisitKorea, Jumunjin Port, VisitKorea, Jumunjin Fish Market, Visit Gangneung)
Jumunjin Beach, next door
Jumunjin Beach is adjacent to the breakwater, in the northernmost part of Gangneung. Its shallow water suits summertime family vacations, and a dense pine forest gives shade; amenities include a forest fitness park, family hotels and a nearby campsite. The beach is free and open 06:00–24:00 (swimming 06:00–18:00), with parking available. (VisitKorea)
Ten years on: the 2026 anniversary return
A decade later, the breakwater is still drawing the cast back. tvN’s Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip (2026) brought Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na to Gangneung to revisit filming locations, and its teaser shows them at the Jumunjin breakwater — the symbolic location where Ji Eun-tak first summoned Kim Shin. No new filming claim is needed here: the location’s status was already confirmed by VisitKorea and Gangneung City. (Soompi)
How we checked this location
Jumunjin Breakwater is marked “confirmed” because two independent sources — VisitKorea (Korea Tourism Organization) and Gangneung City (the local government) — both identify it as the Goblin filming site. The address (1609 Haean-ro, Jumunjin-eup, Gangneung-si) and coordinates come from VisitKorea.
We do not use drama stills. The hero photo is a location photo of Jumunjin Beach under CC BY-SA 4.0, showing the place as it looks today. We note where information is unverified — for example, the exact bus number from Gangneung Station to the breakwater is not stated on the official pages we used, so we advise planning the last leg with Kakao Map or Naver Map.
If the breakwater closes, changes access, or is found to be misattributed, we will update this guide. See the “Sources” section below for every claim.
Getting there (transit)
Fares and schedules change. Prefer official pages on your travel day.
Seoul → Gangneung
Korail KTX serves Gangneung Station. Buy and verify same-day trains on Korail. KTX to Gangneung leaves from Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni (MOLIT: Seoul–Gangneung KTX, checked Sep 29, 2026); check the official Korail timetable for today’s trains.
Gangneung → Jumunjin Breakwater
Plan the last leg with the Kakao Map and Naver Map links on each place card. Head for 1609 Haean-ro, Jumunjin-eup. Jumunjin Tourist Information Center phone listed by VisitKorea: +82-33-640-4535 (hours may change).
Ten years later: the cast came back
In July 2026, tvN’s Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip brought Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na back to Gangneung, and the Jumunjin Breakwater was among the places they revisited — the spot where Ji Eun-tak first summoned Kim Shin. The special’s teaser leans on the series’ signature images, the red scarf and buckwheat flowers. Nothing about the breakwater itself has been staged for fans: it is still a working fishing breakwater, which is part of why the return visit lands the way it does.
Getting to Jumunjin from Gangneung Station
KTX-Eum from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni reaches Gangneung in about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours; standard-class fares run roughly ₩26,000–₩29,000, depending on the train/route — check the Korail timetable on your travel day (Korail). From Gangneung Station, city bus No. 302 runs toward Jumunjin (Rome2Rio lists hourly departures, daily); the road distance is about 17 km, so a taxi is the faster fallback. Bus ride times differ between sources, so check Naver Map or Kakao Map for the day’s schedule rather than relying on a single duration.
Nearby in Jumunjin, beyond the breakwater
- Jumunjin Fish Market (founded 1936, the east coast’s largest): squid boats, a dried-seafood market and a hoe centre; specialties include squid, mackerel, pollack, pike and crab. Across the street, the newer Pungmul market (weekdays 08:00–19:30, weekends 08:00–20:30, closed every 2nd Wednesday) sells sliced raw fish and salted seafood.
- Jumunjin Beach, just north: shallow water, pine-forest shade, free entry, swimming 06:00–18:00.
- Jumunjin Lighthouse (1918, Gangwon’s first, rebuilt 1951) and, past it on the coastal road, Sodol Adeul Rock Park’s wind-sculpted formations.
- Different title, same coastline: the BTS “Spring Day” bus-stop photo zone at Hyangho Beach, reinstalled by the city after filming.
Tips
- If you fish: VisitKorea lists plaice from spring to September, and October–March as the best season overall (grey mullet and big-scaled redfin in winter).
Sources
All sources for this guide
Accessed Sep 23, 2026 (Asia/Seoul) unless noted.
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Breakwater
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Gangneung City — Jumunjin Sand Protection Dam in Guardian
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Korail — https://www.korail.com/global/eng
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MOLIT — Seoul–Gangneung KTX route Q&A (checked Sep 29, 2026)
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Korail — Train timetable (checked Sep 29, 2026)
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Port (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Fish Market (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
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Visit Gangneung — Jumunjin Port (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Beach (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
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Soompi — Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
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MyDramaList — Goblin’s 10th anniversary special teaser
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DuckPD — Seoul to Gangneung day trip by KTX-Eum
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Itimaker — Gangneung KTX travel guide
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Jay Beyond Seoul — Seoul to Gangneung KTX, bus, rental car
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Rome2Rio — Gangneung Station to Jumunjin
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Rome2Rio — Gangneung Station to Jumunjin Bus Terminal
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Pungmul Fish Market
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VisitKorea — Jumunjin Lighthouse
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VisitKorea — Sodol Adeul Rock Park
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Korea Trip Tips — BTS Spring Day bus stop, Hyangho Beach
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