Hajodae Beach

Hajodae Beach is a compact East Coast beach in Yangyang, Gangwon, distinguished by the two dramatic offshore rock outcrops (Hajodae — literally "Hajo Pinnacle") that give the beach its name and one of Korea's most-photographed sunrise silhouettes. The beach itself is small (about 1.5 km of shoreline) with fine white sand and clear water, and sits below Hajodae Rock — a scenic hilltop pavilion with a small lighthouse that has stood since 1963 and works as the beach's iconic viewpoint. The beach is popular for surfing (Yangyang is one of Korea's most-cited surfing destinations, with Hajodae as one of the beach clusters), swimming in the July-August warm-water window, and dawn photography year-round. Substantial food-and-cafe infrastructure lines the beachfront road, with fresh seafood restaurants specializing in East Sea flatfish (gwangeoye) and grilled octopus. Free beach access. Access: about 25 minutes from Yangyang town by car; public transit via local bus from Yangyang Bus Terminal. Best at sunrise for the classic photo, or in July-August for swimming. Pair with the broader Yangyang coast including Naksansa Temple, Osan-ri Prehistory Museum (batch 4 verified), Susan Harbor (batch 5 verified), and the Sokcho attractions for a full East Coast Yangyang-Sokcho day.