11 Things to Do in Pohang (Is It Worth Visiting? + Kdrama Sites)
During one of my South Korea visits last year I took a day trip to Pohang from Gyeongju.
I mainly visited Pohang to visit Hometown Cha Cha Cha kdrama filming sites, but I also love coastal views.
Turns out there’s lots of nice things to do in Pohang!
In total, I spent 6 hours fitting in as many sites in Pohang as I could.
Would I go back to explore more and was Pohang worth visiting even just for a day? Keep reading until the end.
Pohang Checklist: have you booked these yet?
▢ Book your express bus ticket to Pohang
▢ Book from the best hotels in Pohang (what I use)
▢ Small Group Guided Tour in Pohang
▢ Hometown Cha Cha Cha in Pohang tour
▢ Rent a car to get around Pohang (recommended)
Where is Pohang and Why Visit?
Pohang is a coastal city on the east of South Korea. Pohang is known for its beaches, cultural sites, and beautiful coastal views.
Pohang is 2.5 hours from Seoul by train, and 3.5 hours by bus.
Full directions from Seoul to Pohang here.
Popular kdramas like Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Run On, and When the Camellia Blooms were also filmed here. So if you’re a kdrama fan, and itching for a laid-back trip in Korea, visit Pohang.
Top Things to Do in Pohang
Here are the top places to visit and things to do in Pohang. I mostly visited central and northern Pohang.
Yeongildae Beach
Yeongildae Beach is one of the largest beaches in the east coast and where I got off the bus from Gyeongju.
The beach has soft sandy shores and clear waters. You can walk along the promenade and take photos in front of the various art installations.
Yeongil Bridge
If you walk down the promenade from Yeongildae Beach, you’ll reach the Yeongil Bridge, or Young-il Bridge.
Once you walk the bridge, you can go up to the second floor of the traditional wooden observatory deck. It’s especially beautiful during sunset and at night when it lights up.
Hwanho Park Space Walk
Hwanho Park Space Walk, or Pohang Space Walk is one of the most popular sites and things to do in Pohang.
This stainless steel art is a walkable rollercoaster and art installation with spiraling steps and beautiful views of Pohang’s coast at the top. It’s definitely a thrill!
The Pohang Space Walk is a 20-minute walk from Yeongildae Beach.
You can visit the Space Walk as part of the the One-Day Pohang Tour on Klook (recommended).
Igari Anchor Observatory
The Igari Anchor Observatory is another popular place to visit in Pohang. You get sweeping panoramic views from the observatory deck that’s shaped like an anchor.
You’ll see clear views of the teal-colored water. Scenes from the kdramas Run On and Destined With You were also filmed here.
Igari Anchor Observatory is located more north if you’re visiting the Hometown Cha Cha Cha filming locations, but it’s definitely worth a visit.
🚌 Check the schedule for buses to Pohang
Hometown Cha Cha Cha Filming Locations
Many fans have visited Pohang since the release of the popular kdrama Hometown Cha Cha Cha. If you haven’t watched the kdrama, I’d say that the Sabang Memorial Park is still worth visiting.
Top Pohang tours to join:
🔹 Small Group Guided Tour in Pohang
🔹 Top Instagrammable Photo Spots Pohang day tour from Busan
🔹 Hometown Cha Cha Cha kdrama tour in Pohang
Sabang Memorial Park (Boat on a Hill)
Sabang Memorial Park is where the iconic Boat on a Hill from Hometown Cha Cha Cha is located. However, to get there, you walk through and up many stairs of the park that lead you to panoramic views of Pohang and the sea.
It’s quite a work out, but the views were beautiful and serene.
The park also offers a lot of greenery, hiking trails, art installations and benches with scenic views that you can enjoy.
Wolpo Beach
Wolpo Beach is a nice sandy beach that’s good for swimming and camping. It’s where Hye-jin and Chief Hong meet for the first time as adults in Hometown Cha Cha Cha.
Wolpo Beach is a quick bus ride from the Igari Anchor Observatory.
Hye-jin’s Dental Clinic
The Yoon Clinic was only a 10-minute walk away from Sabang Memorial Park (Boat on a Hill) according to Naver Map, but I could not find a safe walking path to get there and the buses were sporadic, so I skipped it.
The location isn’t an actual clinic, but the exterior design should still be there.
Cheongha Market (Gongjin Market)
Cheongha Market (aka Gongjin Market) is where many of the town sites were filmed, including Bora Supermarket, Gongjin Market, Hardware Store, and the Live Café & Pub.
The area is small and is very local and quiet, though you’ll see Hometown Cha Cha Cha displays and the theme songs playing on loop on a speaker.
Pohang Attractions I Didn’t Get To
If I had more time, I would have explored the southeastern coast of Pohang, which includes some notable attractions and other kdrama filming locations.
It would take an hour to get to these places from northern-central Pohang and I had to get back to Gyeongju, so I’m leaving these things to do in Pohang for next time.
Homigot Sunrise Square
Homigot Sunrise Square is another top place to visit in Pohang, popular for its large hand structure reaching out of the water.
This is great spot to watch the sunset or sunrise that overlooks the East Sea.
Red Lighthouse
Also located in Pohang are the iconic red lighthouses that you’ll see throughout Hometown Cha Cha Cha.
Guryongpo Beach
Guryongpo Beach is a popular beach in East Pohang with long stretches of sandy beach. You’ll see a lot of people swimming here.
Guryongpo Japanese House Street
Guryongpo Japanese House Street is a historic district that preserves Japanese-style houses dating back to the colonial era. Scenes from When the Camellia Blooms were also filmed here.
How to Get Around Pohang
To get to Pohang I took two local buses from Gyeongju but you can also just book an express bus from Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju and other bigger cities.
There is no subway system in Pohang, and the buses are quite infrequent. I did a mix of both buses and Kakao T taxis, which I was able to book right away.
It takes 1-2 hours to get from north to south and eastern Pohang, as the coast is quite long.
I recommend staying in a hotel for a night or hiring a driver to explore more places or renting a car in South Korea.
If you’re visiting Pohang mainly for the kdrama filming sites, consider booking a Pohang tour.
While taking the smaller village buses was a nice experience, they were more infrequent and had inaccurate ETAs on the maps. Just taking a taxi would have been much faster, though more expensive.
To get back, I took a bus from Cheongha Market to the Pohang Bus Terminal, where there are frequent express buses back to downtown Gyeongju.
Is Pohang Worth a Day Trip?
To be honest, I initially visited Pohang to visit Hometown Cha Cha Cha filming sites, but there’s so many great attractions.
Pohang is a really beautiful coastal city and water views are my favorite to travel for. I wish I had more time, but I’m glad I went and would visit again.
There’s lots of things to do in Pohang. The Pohang Space Walk alone was worth the day trip!
If you’re already in Gyeongju or Busan, I would recommend it, especially if you like coastal views.
Pohang tours to book:
🔹 Small Group Guided Tour in Pohang
🔹 Instagram Photo Spots Day Tour From Busan
🔹 Hometown Cha Cha Cha kdrama tour in Pohang
🎥 Watch my Pohang vlog:
