Which national park to choose, and why they are not interchangeable
Korea has twenty-two national parks and they differ far more than the label suggests. What each of the main ones is actually like, and which suits the time you have.
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Mountain, coastal and historical parks are different things
The national park designation covers three quite distinct kinds of place. Most are mountain parks — steep granite, temples partway up, and a summit that takes a serious half day. A few are marine parks covering islands and coastline, where the walking is gentle and the point is the sea. One, Gyeongju, is essentially an archaeological landscape.
Confusing them is the usual planning error. Turning up at a mountain park in trainers expecting a stroll, or at a marine park expecting a summit, both end in disappointment.
Entry is free at most parks; a few temples within them charge a small separate admission.
If you only do one
Seoraksan in Gangwon is the obvious answer and deservedly so — dramatic granite ridges, a cable car for people who do not want to climb, and autumn colour that draws the entire country in October. It is also the most crowded, and on an October weekend that is not an exaggeration.
Bukhansan sits at the edge of Seoul and is reachable by subway and bus. That accessibility is the whole appeal: a genuine mountain day with no travel planning, though it is correspondingly busy at weekends.
Jirisan is the largest and the least crowded of the famous three. It is a multi-day proposition if you want the ridge, though there are good single-day routes from the valleys.
The quieter alternatives
Songnisan, Woraksan and Juwangsan get a fraction of Seoraksan's visitors and are not a fraction as good — Juwangsan in particular has a gorge walk that is among the most striking short routes in the country.
Dadohaehaesang, the marine park across the south coast islands, is the option for people who want scenery without vertical. Access is by ferry and worth planning around the timetable.
Naejangsan is a one-purpose park: it is the country's most famous autumn colour, for about two weeks a year, and is otherwise pleasant and ordinary.
Planning around the park system
Parks publish entry cut-off times for longer routes and rangers enforce them. Check the last permitted start time for your trail rather than assuming a late start is possible.
Sections close periodically — for fire risk in dry spring and autumn windows, and for restoration on a rotating basis. A closure is not negotiable and is often not signposted in English until you reach the gate.
Shelters on multi-day routes must be booked in advance and fill quickly in season. Wild camping is not permitted.