Quick answer: In Korea, watching the first sunrise of the year on 1 January is a popular custom, and the east coast is where most people go: Jeongdongjin near Gangneung, Homigot in Pohang, Ganjeolgot in Ulsan, and Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju. For a group it is an overnight operation, not a morning trip. Roads to the coast jam on New Year's Eve, hotels near the viewpoints fill early, and the group needs to be in position in the cold dark before sunrise, which on the east coast comes at around half past seven. Local events around the sunrise can be scaled back or cancelled. Explera DMC Korea plans the stay on the coast the night before and the coach, breakfast and warm-up afterwards.
What the custom is
- The first sunrise is a moment, not a party. Koreans travel to the coast or climb a nearby hill to watch the sun rise on 1 January and make a wish for the year.
- The east coast faces the sunrise over the sea, which is why it draws the largest crowds.
- New Year's Eve in Seoul has its own ritual: the Bosingak bell in Jongno is rung at midnight, watched by large crowds in the street. A group cannot easily do both the bell and an east-coast sunrise.
The main sunrise spots
- Jeongdongjin, Gangneung: a beach and railway station right on the sea, the classic first-sunrise destination from Seoul. Gangneung's hotels make it the easiest to organise.
- Homigot, Pohang: a cape near Pohang often described as the easternmost point of the mainland, known for the large bronze hand sculpture rising from the sea.
- Ganjeolgot, Ulsan: a coastal cape with a lighthouse, often described as one of the first places on the mainland to see the sun.
- Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju: the tuff cone on Jeju's east coast. A sunrise here needs a very early start and a climb in the dark.
Why it is an overnight operation
- Traffic. Roads from Seoul to the east coast are congested on New Year's Eve and after sunrise on 1 January. Travel the day before, not through the night.
- Rooms. Hotels near the popular spots book up well ahead for 31 December. Hold the block early.
- Timing. On the east coast the sun rises at around half past seven in early January. The group should be in position well before, which means an early alarm and a short transfer.
- Cold. Coastal mornings in January are well below freezing with the wind. Warm layers, hats, gloves and hot drinks are part of the plan, not an afterthought.
What to confirm before you sell it
- Events are not guaranteed. Local governments run sunrise events and may scale them back or cancel them. Sell the sunrise, not a festival programme.
- Weather can hide the sun. Cloud on the horizon happens. Set the expectation and have a warm breakfast plan either way.
- Fitness for the early start, especially for older clients, and a quieter viewing point for anyone who should not stand in a crowd.
- What happens next. After sunrise the whole crowd leaves at once; a late breakfast and a slow departure beat joining the queue.
Planned from the night before
Explera DMC Korea books the coastal stay for 31 December, positions the coach, plans the viewing point with a clear exit, and follows the sunrise with breakfast and a relaxed onward day, usually into a winter programme in Gangwon.
Send your winter dates, pax and group profile to b2b@explera.kr or WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090. Explera DMC Korea is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (#900408341); our KTO and KATA registrations are in application.
Where this fits in our Korea programmes
The pages below carry the operational detail behind this briefing.
- Services: Tours & activities in Korea · Transportation & coaches in Korea · Group travel & GIT in Korea
- Destinations: Gangneung · Busan · Jeju
