Mulgeon & German Village

Getting here

From Busan

Take an intercity bus from Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal, at Sasang Station on Busan Metro Line 2, to Namhae Public Bus Terminal: about two and a half hours by VisitKorea's 2019 timetable. Change there to the Namhae–Mijo rural bus for the Mulgeon Village stop, about an hour by VisitKorea's 2021 guide, then walk 250 m to the village.

From Seoul

Intercity buses leave Seoul Nambu Terminal for Namhae several times a day, and VisitKorea's 2021 German Village guide gives the trip as about four and a half hours. At Namhae Public Bus Terminal, change to the Namhae–Mijo rural bus for the Mulgeon Village stop, about an hour, and walk 250 m to the village.

By rail (KTX)

There is no railway to Namhae. Take the KTX to Jinju, go to the Gaeyang stop and take the bus to Namhae Public Bus Terminal, or take the KTX to Suncheon and continue by bus via Jingyo. German Village's own site gives both routes. From the terminal, the Namhae–Mijo rural bus runs to the Mulgeon Village stop.

From Namhae-eup

The Namhae–Mijo rural bus leaves from the terminal for the Mulgeon Village stop, about an hour by VisitKorea's 2021 guide, and German Village is 250 m on foot from there. The village's own site names the Eunjeom–Mijo rural line and gives Namheung Yeogaek, 055-863-3507, for times. Drivers pick up a hire car near the terminal.

On your doorstep

• Namhae German Exhibition Hall Opened in 2014 in the village to tell the story of the Korean miners and nurses sent to Germany in the 1960s. Open 09:00–18:00, last entry 30 minutes before closing; closed on Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday), 1 January, Seollal and Chuseok.
• Mulgeon-ri Windbreak Forest A forest about 1,500 m long and 30 m wide, planted by villagers about 300 years ago to shield the village and its crops from sea wind and storm surges. A Natural Monument (No. 150) since 7 December 1962, it is open at all times, free, and in view from German Village.
• Treasure Island Observatory On the Mulmi coast road, with a 360-degree panoramic view from inside the building and a skywalk experience on VisitKorea's course; German Village's site calls it a cliff walk.
• Mulmi Coastal Road The road along Namhae's easternmost coast, as VisitKorea describes it.
• Namhae Wonye Art Village Opened in May 2009 in Samdong-myeon, with theme gardens from around the world, and listed by German Village's site among its nearby sights.
• Haeoreum Art Village A closed school remodelled into studios for local artists, at 995 Dongbu-daero in Samdong-myeon, open all year.
• Jukbangnyeom of the Jijok Strait Bamboo weirs that have caught anchovies for more than 500 years, seen from the Changseon Bridge. The village site lists a jukbangnyeom exhibition hall, open 09:00–18:00 and closed on Tuesdays.
• Namhae Pyeonbaek Recreational Forest A cypress forest in Samdong-myeon, listed by the village site as a nearby sight and by VisitKorea among Namhae's places to stay.

One easy day from here

1. Morning From Namhae-eup, ride the Namhae–Mijo rural bus about an hour to the Mulgeon Village stop and walk 250 m to the village. The Exhibition Hall opens at 09:00, except on Mondays.
2. Late morning Explore the village and its German-style houses, then visit the Namhae German Exhibition Hall for the story of the miners and nurses.
3. Afternoon See the Mulgeon-ri windbreak forest, then drive the Mulmi coast road to Treasure Island Observatory for the panoramic view and the cliff walk.
4. Evening Dinner at one of the village's German restaurants, and a night in a village guesthouse.

Before you book

• Sleep in the village itself. Villagers run their houses as guesthouses, and the village's whole-village hotel scheme links its pensions, restaurants and shops, with German-style breakfast.
• Remember that people live here. VisitKorea asks visitors to be considerate, so pick German Village for a calm night rather than a late one.
• Book early for Oktoberfest. The festival, held in the village every October since 2010, celebrates the workers who went to Germany; in 2026 it ran from 9 to 11 October, 10:00–21:30.
• Plan around Monday: the Exhibition Hall is closed on Mondays, and on Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday.
• Without a car, ride the Namhae–Mijo rural bus from the terminal in Namhae-eup, about an hour by VisitKorea's 2021 guide; Namheung Yeogaek gives times on 055-863-3507.