Sunrise in Korea: Easy-to-Reach Spots for International Travelers

Sunrise on January 1 in Korea happens around 7:30am. That single number decides everything else about this trip, because it means you cannot get there from Seoul that morning.

The first trains don’t run early enough. You have to arrive the night before and sleep nearby, or take an overnight train that gets in around 5am and wait in the dark.

Here are four places you can reach without a car, and what each one actually involves.

Spot	Sunrise (Jan 1)	From Seoul	Stay overnight?
Ganjeolgot	~7:31am	KTX to Ulsan + taxi	Yes
Seongsan Ilchulbong	~7:36am	Flight to Jeju + bus	Yes
Jeongdongjin	~7:32am	KTX to Gangneung, 2 hrs	Yes
Gyeongpo Beach	~7:40am	KTX to Gangneung + bus	Yes

Times shift a minute or two year to year. Plan for 7:30 and you’ll be fine.

Jeongdongjin: The Easiest One

Jeongdongjin station sits closer to the sea than any other station in the world. You step off the train and the ocean is right there — no walk, no transfer, no hunting for a viewpoint.

That’s why it’s the standard choice, and why it fills up.

Getting there: KTX from Cheongnyangni takes about 1 hour 50 minutes and runs roughly five times a day. From Seoul Station it’s about 2 hours 10 minutes, four times daily. There’s also a shuttle train between Gangneung and Jeongdongjin several times a day if you base yourself in Gangneung.

Where to watch: The beach directly in front of the station works. So does Haedoji Park (the Hourglass Park), a short walk away. The Sun Cruise resort — a ship-shaped building on the cliff — is the landmark most photos are framed around.

Where to stay: Book early. Rooms in Jeongdongjin itself are limited and sell out for New Year. Basic motels near the beach run around ₩30,000–50,000 (~$22–36) off-peak and climb steeply for January 1. Gangneung has far more options and a short train or taxi ride in the morning.

Book Trains the Moment They Open

For New Year travel, Korail opens booking on a specific date and the Gangneung line sells out fast — sometimes within minutes.

Tickets generally open one month before departure at 7am, but for the January 1–5 period Korail announces a special release date in late December. Check korail.com in mid-December and set an alarm.

If you can’t get a seat, travel agencies run overnight package trains from various cities that arrive around 5am. They cost more than a regular ticket and you can’t choose your seat, but they solve the problem.

Gyeongpo Beach: Quieter, Same Coast

Near Gangneung city, Gyeongpo has a wide shoreline and flat walking paths. Fewer people than Jeongdongjin, and easier if you’re already staying in Gangneung — a city bus or taxi gets you there.

You lose the train-beside-the-sea image, but you also lose the crowd.

Seongsan Ilchulbong: The Famous One

On Jeju, this volcanic crater is Korea’s best-known sunrise. English signage, maintained trails, and a genuinely dramatic setting.

The catch is that it involves a flight and a night on Jeju, so it only makes sense if Jeju was already in your plans.

Ganjeolgot: The Earliest Light

Near Ulsan, and reputed to catch the first sunrise on the Korean mainland — about a minute ahead of the east coast spots. KTX to Ulsan, then a taxi.

Worth it if you like the idea of being first. Otherwise the difference is a minute.

What to Bring

Dress for wind, not just cold. January on the east coast is cold, but the sea wind is what actually gets you. Whatever you’d wear for a cold day in the city isn’t enough standing on an open beach before dawn.

• Hand warmers — buy them at any convenience store
• A blanket, if you’ll be sitting
• Gloves, hat, thermal layers
• Something hot to drink

You’ll be outside in the dark for 30–60 minutes before anything happens.

Be Honest With Yourself About the Children

I’ll say this plainly, because most travel articles won’t.

Children do not enjoy this. Not in the moment. You wake them before dawn, take them somewhere freezing, and ask them to stand still and wait for something that takes an hour to happen and then is over in five minutes.

Ours were cold and unimpressed. That is the normal reaction.

But here’s the thing. Months later, they bring it up. Remember when we watched the sun come up over the ocean? The memory outlasted the discomfort by a wide margin.

So: this is an adult experience that children remember having done. If you understand that going in, and you don’t expect them to be delighted at 7am on a windy beach, it’s worth doing. If you’re hoping it will be the highlight of their trip, it won’t be.

Should You Do It?

Yes, if you’re in Korea over New Year, you can get train tickets, and you’re willing to sleep near the coast the night before.

Skip it if the logistics are tight or your children are very young. There are easier ways to see the East Sea, and a daytime visit to the same beach costs you nothing in sleep.

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Sunrise times are approximate for January 1 and shift slightly each year. Prices as of 2026, at roughly ₩1,390 to the dollar.

Once the sun is up you’ll want breakfast — see where to eat in Jeongdongjin after sunrise.