Jinan County autumn travels: From Maisan Sayangje Reservoir to ginseng tonkatsu and the Scissors Museum

A Walk Around the Neighborhood, Episode 391: Autumn Stays Longer – Jinan County, Jeonbuk State

Lee Man-gi arrives at an inn reminiscent of a martial arts film in Jeonbuk Jinan County, featuring the Jinan Red Ginseng Festival and a meal of mandarin fish spicy stew from Yongdam Lake.

The broadcast is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 7:10 PM on KBS 1TV.

Jeonbuk Jinan County is a place filled with the mysteries of primordial nature and layers of traces from ancient lives. Built upon a plateau formed by colliding mountain ranges, people have continued their heavy stories of life here. The 391st journey of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood" heads to Jeonbuk Jinan County, where autumn is said to stay longer along the high slopes of Maisan.

The two ears of Maisan seen from Sayangje Reservoir

In the middle of the Jinan Plateau rises a pair of peaks standing with dignified presence. Maisan was named for its resemblance to the ears of a horse. The journey visits Sayangje Reservoir, a blue lake that captures the two peaks of Maisan in a single view. The reflection of Maisan on the calm water surface creates a spectacular sight, making it a famous spot for photographers. With the help of members of a photography club met by chance, beautiful life photos are captured while walking through the autumn colors of Jeonbuk Jinan County.

Abundant autumn in Majo Village, Jeongcheon-myeon, Jinan: Seedless persimmons hanging in clusters

This year, as always, orange persimmons have ripened in the valleys of Majo Village in Unjangsan, despite the midsummer heatwave. Interestingly, the persimmons in this village are seedless. Thanks to the high temperature difference of the plateau, the seedless persimmons have high sugar content and are highly popular as dried persimmons, serving as a precious source of income for the village, which is now inhabited only by elderly residents. Harvesting the persimmons hanging from high trees is the task of the 69-year-old "youngest village head." He acts as a devoted filial helper, repairing doors for the elderly and even building a park golf course in their yards to teach them how to play. Under the autumn sun, the village enjoys a warm autumn day in Majo Village, Jeongcheon-myeon, Jinan County, sharing ripe persimmons and chestnuts.

The world's only scissors museum, Jeonbuk 'Jinan Scissors Museum'

In a sense, the two peaks of Maisan resemble the blades of an open pair of scissors. Starting from this interesting concept, the world's only scissors museum houses approximately 1,500 rare scissors from both East and West. The collection includes scissors featuring an Oriental stork, carrying a European legend of bringing babies, as well as ornate gold-inlaid calligraphy scissors once owned by the British King George IV. The museum allows visitors to look into the fascinating stories of scissors that have held human history, life, and art beyond being mere tools for cutting.

Red ginseng tonkatsu and ginseng salad made with 6-year-old ginseng

The Jinan Plateau is considered an optimal site for ginseng cultivation due to its fertile soil and large temperature differences. Kang Sang-gon and his son were met harvesting heavy 6-year-old ginseng from vast fields. Ginseng requires enduring patience: three years to prepare the land, six years to grow, and a total of nine years until harvest. When the father provides the carefully raised ginseng, the son completes it into wonderful dishes. "Red ginseng tonkatsu," containing a whole root of red ginseng, and "ginseng salad," featuring the excellent crispness of fresh ginseng, are delicacies recognized even by locals. Like the ginseng that endured six years underground, the story of the father and son's life is met, having become firm and deep.

Jeonbuk 'Jinan Red Ginseng Festival' filled with the deep taste of red ginseng

In Jeonbuk Jinan County, the only red ginseng special district in South Korea, the "Jinan Red Ginseng Festival" is held every autumn under the foot of Maisan. This year, the festival took place for three days from September 18 to 20, receiving enthusiastic responses from both local residents and tourists. The site was filled with excitement, featuring unique foods such as red ginseng tteokbokki and red ginseng dalgona, various experience programs taught by red ginseng masters, and performances by famous popular singers. Visitors can feel the diverse charms and healthy energy of Jinan red ginseng, which boasts a deep aroma and excellent quality.

A kart track enjoyed under Maisan

A kart experience track allows for thrilling runs against the backdrop of the magnificent scenery of the towering Maisan. Driving a winding course for 10 minutes, the thrill is enough to cause spontaneous exclamations when turning corners. One can feel the cool autumn breeze with the whole body and blow away the stresses of daily life while enjoying the exhilarating racing instinct provided by the karts at the foot of Maisan.

A gift from a submerged hometown: Mandarin fish spicy stew

Yongdam Lake, spreading beautifully below the Jinan Plateau, is a massive freshwater lake created by submerging one town and five townships in Jinan County, Jeonbuk State. Lee Gyeong-cheol, whose hometown had to be buried underwater due to the construction of Yongdam Dam, now catches fish in his hometown. When he catches mandarin fish, which have become plump in the cold wind, his wife cooks and sells mandarin fish spicy stew. However, his wife is actually from Busan and has never seen freshwater fish in her life. After struggling to season the unfamiliar ingredients, she recently achieved the valuable result of winning the "Grand Prize in the Jeonbuk Local Food Category." A meal of spicy mandarin fish spicy stew is tasted, as the couple continues an honest taste, filling their longing with the precious gift provided by Yongdam Lake.

Does Wong Fei-hung live in Jinan?! Meeting a martial arts master

In Baegun-myeon, Jinan County, there is a mysterious hut reminiscent of an inn in a martial arts film. It is a base personally cultivated by Jeong Gyeong-gyo, who has practiced martial arts alongside nature for many years. Once a navigator who traveled the world's oceans, he returned to nature to heal his weakened body and realize the long-held dream he had while reading 30,000 martial arts novels in his childhood. While farming Siberian ginseng, he does not stop his martial arts training, living in a time different from the fierce speed of the world. A glimpse is provided into the life of a martial arts master who entrusts himself entirely to the flow of nature.

The stories of Jinan do not stay only in the scenery. Just as the paths of the plateau opened in the distant past and the wondrous time embraced by nature has accumulated, the stories of the people who have lived have settled on this old land. The warm stories of the people of Jinan, who have steadily cultivated their lives at their own pace, can be met on Saturday, October 24, at 7:10 PM in the episode "Autumn Stays Longer – Jinan County, Jeonbuk State" of "A Walk Around the Neighborhood."

(Photo provided = KBS 1TV 'A Walk Around the Neighborhood')

Read the original (Korean)