Dr K
89 Years Young — Still Climbing Mountains
It was a brutally hot Sunday morning.
I ran into a hiker near the...
Bukhansan — From Subway to Summit
No Guiding Fee. Cup ramyeon Treat at the Summit.
How It Works
We’re going up, up, up. It’s our moments. You know together we’re climbing.
1
Choose a hiking trail. To learn more about each trail, click the Trails and Trail Preview menus.
2
Click the "Join a Free Hike" button.
3
Choose your preferred hiking date and trail
4
Receive a confirmation message from Dr. K.
5
Meet at the designated subway station, then begin the hike together.
6
Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views as Dr. K shares cultural and historical insights that bring the landscape to life.
7
At the summit, enjoy a warm cup of ramyeon with all of Seoul spread out below you.🍜
8
Optional: Enjoy a meal together after the hike. Meal costs are shared among participants.
📅
Regular hiking days: Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays
Other days are welcome — just request and we'll work it out. Non-regular day requests will be confirmed within 2 days. For more info, please refer to the FAQ section.
Trails
In Korea, Mountains Aren’t Just Seen—You Experience Them with Every Step.
Bukhansan National Park
5 trails · Moderate to Challenging
Fastest and most popular route to Baegundae
📷 From Baegundae, Insubong Peak dominates the view, with Dobongsan visible far beyond
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 3-5 hrs
📍 2.5 km (one-way)
Hidden Wall (Sumeunbyeok) to Baegundae
📷 A wedding photoshoot—all the way up here!
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
Stunning Uisang Ridge Trail
📷 The lower section of the Uisang ridge, resembling the spiked back of a dinosaur
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 5-7 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
@Kihyung Choi - President of Sasyhoe
Historic Bibong Ridge Trail
📷 Historic stone monument on Bibong-Jokduribong and Hangnobong in the distant right
🟠 Moderate–Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 7 km (one-way)
Thrilling Dobongsan Darak Ridge Trail
📷 Dobongsan (from the south)
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
Seoraksan National Park
4 trails · Moderate to Hard
Ulsanbawi Rock (Day Tour)
📷 Ulsanbawi
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 4-5 hrs
📍 4 km (one-way) / 8 km round trip
Towangseong Falls (Day Tour)
📷 @Korea Tourism Organization-Photo Korea-Yunchul Shin
🟡 Easy–Moderate
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 2.8 km (one-way) / 5.6 km round trip
Heullimgol Valley (Day Tour)
📷 Heullimgol — named after a valley where clouds flow
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 5.8 km
Daecheongbong & Dinosaur Ridge (2-Day Tour) 2-Day
📷 A much-photographed view of Dinosaur Ridge, with the entire ridge appearing in a single line, seen from Sinseondae
🔴 Hard / Strenuous
⏱ 7-8 hrs/day
📍 22.3 km total
Light Rock Climbing Experience
3 trails · Challenging
The following images are courtesy of Seoul Climbing School
Hidden Wall ridge (Bukhansan)
📷 Pitch 5 - Whale’s Back Rock
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 3-4 hours
📍 300m
Mangyungdae ridge (Bukhansan)
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 1.5km
Dreamy Shangri-La ridge (Seoraksan)
📷 Leading Pitch 2 (center). The towering cliffs above the valleys on both sides deserve the award for Best Supporting Cast.
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 1.5km
More Places to Explore
2 trails · Namsan, Muuido Island, Suraksan, and others
Namsan Dulle-gil Walk to N Seoul Tower
📷 Namsan, with Bukhansan in the distance. Source: Seoul Tourism Organization
🟢 Easy
⏱ 2-3 hrs
📍 4.5 km
Muuido — Where Mountain Trails Meet the Sea
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 11 km (14 km including the Somuuido Loop Trail)
Fastest and most popular route to Baegundae
📷 From Baegundae, Insubong Peak dominates the view, with Dobongsan visible far beyond
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 3-5 hrs
📍 2.5 km (one-way)
Hidden Wall (Sumeunbyeok) to Baegundae
📷 A wedding photoshoot—all the way up here!
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
Stunning Uisang Ridge Trail
📷 The lower section of the Uisang ridge, resembling the spiked back of a dinosaur
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 5-7 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
@Kihyung Choi - President of Sasyhoe
Historic Bibong Ridge Trail
📷 Historic stone monument on Bibong-Jokduribong and Hangnobong in the distant right
🟠 Moderate–Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 7 km (one-way)
Thrilling Dobongsan Darak Ridge Trail
📷 Dobongsan (from the south)
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 4.5 km (one-way)
Ulsanbawi Rock (Day Tour)
📷 Ulsanbawi
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 4-5 hrs
📍 4 km (one-way) / 8 km round trip
Towangseong Falls (Day Tour)
📷 @Korea Tourism Organization-Photo Korea-Yunchul Shin
🟡 Easy–Moderate
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 2.8 km (one-way) / 5.6 km round trip
Heullimgol Valley (Day Tour)
📷 Heullimgol — named after a valley where clouds flow
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 5.8 km
Daecheongbong & Dinosaur Ridge (2-Day Tour) 2-Day
📷 A much-photographed view of Dinosaur Ridge, with the entire ridge appearing in a single line, seen from Sinseondae
🔴 Hard / Strenuous
⏱ 7-8 hrs/day
📍 22.3 km total
The following images are courtesy of Seoul Climbing School
Hidden Wall ridge (Bukhansan)
📷 Pitch 5 - Whale’s Back Rock
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 3-4 hours
📍 300m
Mangyungdae ridge (Bukhansan)
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 3-4 hrs
📍 1.5km
Dreamy Shangri-La ridge (Seoraksan)
📷 Leading Pitch 2 (center). The towering cliffs above the valleys on both sides deserve the award for Best Supporting Cast.
🔴 Challenging
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 1.5km
Namsan Dulle-gil Walk to N Seoul Tower
📷 Namsan, with Bukhansan in the distance. Source: Seoul Tourism Organization
🟢 Easy
⏱ 2-3 hrs
📍 4.5 km
Muuido — Where Mountain Trails Meet the Sea
🟡 Moderate
⏱ 4-6 hrs
📍 11 km (14 km including the Somuuido Loop Trail)
A Cup Ramyeon at the Summit 🍜
At the summit, Dr. K shares cup ramyeon and hot water from his backpack — a small but memorable way to celebrate the hike together.
Hot ramyeon at the top, with breathtaking views all around — a moment no restaurant can ever match.
Summit. Sharing. Memories.
Join a Free HikeMeet Dr. K
50+ Years of Hiking Experience · Bukhansan Native & Seoraksan Expert · Free Guided Hikes
I'm Dr. K—a lifelong mountain enthusiast. Locals sometimes jokingly call me a "mountain doctor" because I've spent more than 50 years exploring Korea's mountains.
I grew up at the foot of Bukhansan, and even today I spend several days each week on the trails. While I earned a PhD from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, many of life's most valuable lessons have come from the mountains.
I started this hiking service with a simple goal: to help visitors experience Korea's mountains safely, comfortably, and free of charge. There are no fees or hidden conditions—just a shared love of nature and the joy of exploring together.
Most hiking trails in Korea are exceptionally well maintained, and thanks to abundant online information and hiking apps, even first-time visitors can usually hike independently without the need for a guide.
What I offer is something different. Rather than simply showing the way, I share the history, culture, and stories behind the mountains—bringing the landscape to life. After all, the more you know, the more you see—and the more deeply you experience.
And at the summit, we may celebrate with a warm cup of ramyeon—a simple Korean hiking tradition that somehow tastes even better in the fresh mountain air.
If you're ready to explore Bukhansan, Seoraksan, or beyond, I'd be delighted to share the journey with you.
You're always welcome to join me on the trail.
From the Trail
Trail Memories
Dr K
Today started with a heat wave.
A heat advisory had even been issued.
So... did I stay home?
Of course...
Dr K
Have you ever found a place that feels like it belongs only to you?
This is mine.
Hidden near the summit of Dobongsan, it's where I...
Share and explore moments, stories, and memories from hikers on the trail.
Real stories from the trail — share your memories here.
Upload StoriesGet in Touch
Contact
Have a question? We'd love to hear from you. Whether you're a traveler interested in hiking Bukhansan, Seoraksan, or other mountains in Korea, or an organization looking to collaborate, feel free to get in touch.
📧 hikebukhansan.drk@gmail.comJoin Our Team as a Volunteer Hiking Guide or Photographer
Love hiking and meeting people from around the world? Become part of our volunteer team and help visitors experience Korea's mountains in a safe and meaningful way.
What you'll do:
- • Guide small groups on the trails
- • Share Korean hiking culture and local insights
- • Support safe and enjoyable hiking experiences
Who we're looking for:
- • Hiking enthusiasts (all nationalities welcome)
- • Comfortable communicating in basic English
- • Friendly, reliable, and responsible
Support
We are a volunteer-driven initiative dedicated to helping international visitors experience Korea's mountains safely, responsibly, and meaningfully.
If our mission resonates with you, you can support us by:
- • Sharing this project with others
- • Partnering with us as an organization
- • Contributing to keep the project running
Your support allows more people to discover and enjoy the beauty of Korea's mountains.
📧 hikebukhansan.drk@gmail.com