Hwajin-Po

The place for romanticists since long ago. It became more famous, as it was used as the background stage for TV drama `Autumn’s Tale`. However, it is difficult to find any gaudiness in Hwajin-po despite its fame. There is no proper building, except for a 4-story high condominium used as a resort for soldiers and a 3-story high maritime museum. It is quite different from Jeondong-jin, which decorated itself with showy cafes, etc. along with the popularity of drama `Sandglass`. Only a few pictures of `Autumn’s Tale` at the entrance of beach say that it was once used for filming.

The fact that it is undecorated and simple makes Hwajin-po more attractive. If any artificial makeup were added, the natural beauty would have been diminished.

Hwajin-po has many beautiful row faces. The first face is Lake Hwajin-po, which is widely said to have the most beautiful scenery in South Korea. It is the largest lake on the eastern coast with 16 kilometers of circumference. The name, `Hwanjin-po`, was given because sweet briers bloomed in great number around the lake in May. Lake Hwajin-po is a lagoon that was created when part of sea separated on the seashore. Over a long period of time, sand piled up being surged by waves to form a sandbank, and that sandbank eventually separated the lake from the sea. The ratio of fresh water to seawater is 7 to 3. That is why fresh-water fish like carps and roaches inhabit the lake along with seawater fish like gray mullets and gizzard shads.

The second face is seen just around the lake. It is the pine forest that surrounds the lake. Mid-sized pine trees, being not so big and not so small, are lined up side-by-side, refreshing people’s minds in a thick, green forest.

They say fields of reeds cover the lakeside, when autumn comes. Another attraction of Hwajin-po is the scene of winter migratory birds wandering under reeds and cosmoses in autumn.

As one walks down to the seaside to see another face of Hwajin-po, the eyes that were comfortable in green become acrid for a while, because pure white sand on the beach touches the eyes rather strongly.

Being made from seashells and granite smashed over thousands of years, sand on the beach of Hwajin-po is like woman’s powder.

This is the place where main characters of `Autumn’s Tale`, Eun-Seo and Jun-Seo, played around painting on the sand. Also, this is where Jun-Seo wandered idly with Eun-Seo’s cold body on his back.

300 meters from the beach, there is Keumku Isle, which looks like a turtle. Keumku Isle was once used as a naval base in the Sheila Period. Traces of old trenches and castle still remain today.

Hwajin-po attracted influential men, who wanted to avoid others’ attention and rest in a tranquil atmosphere.

Before the independence, Japanese enjoyed visiting the place, and former president Lee Seung-Man and former vice-president Lee Ki-Bung built their villas there. Former North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung’s cottage, where he spent spare time with his family until the Korean War, is also located on a hill near the seaside, creating an odd atmosphere. Among them, former vice-president Lee Ki-Bung’s villa is the only one that survives in its original shape even now. The three men’s villas are far from what people would imagine nowadays. Considering the men’s power, they even seem shabby.

Also for common people, Hwajin-po was the place where love bloomed and eternal oaths were sworn. Lee Sisters sang, ¡°Affectionate seashore where golden waves splash / O, love that cherished in beautiful Hwajin-po…¡°, in their song called `Love that cherished in Hwanjin-po` in the late 1960s.

Whoever cherished their love then, the age would be close to 60 now. How about going on a trip into nostalgia?

Dong-Keun Keum gold@donga.com