HAEUNDAE-gu

The name “Haeundae” allegedly came from Goun (孤雲) Choe Chiwon, an eminent scholar and state official during the late Silla period. On his way to Gayasan Mountain, Choe is said to have stopped at the region to marvel at the remarkable view of the sea, clouds, moon, and mountains of the region. Then, he is said to have carved his pen name, “Haeun” (海雲; lit. sea cloud), into the rock as “Haeundae” (海雲臺; lit. sea cloud lookout). There are no records that confirm the authorship of the characters on the rock face. However, a poem written by late Goryeo scholar Jung Po (鄭誧) has the line, “the lookout is left in ruin without trace, and only the name of Haeun (海雲) remain,” suggesting that the stone carving was present before that period. The carving is found today at the southern end of Dongbaekseom Island, where the rock formations of the area frame a breathtaking view of the sea. Unfortunately, the character Un (雲) has been eroded considerably throughout its long history.