The Mountain Submerged in Daecheong Lake: Busodamgak’s 700-Meter Rock Screen

How Daecheongho Turned a Mountain into a Stone屏風

Busodam Cliff is located around Daecheongho in Chusori, Gunbuk-myeon, Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was originally a mountain, but after the completion of Daecheong Dam, part of it was submerged, creating the present landscape that looks like a stone屏風 floating above the water.

The unusual rock cliffs extend for about 700 m above the water. The name means a mountain floating on the water in front of Busomuni Village, while Chusori is a village situated on the shore of Daecheongho below Hwansan Mountain.

Song Si-yeol’s “Little Geumgang” and the Final Scene of the Chuso Eight Scenic Views

The Joseon-era scholar Song Si-yeol praised this landscape as “Little Geumgang,” and Busodam Cliff is introduced as the place that concludes the Eight Scenic Views of Chuso. Records also say that the righteous army commander Jo Heon and Song Si-yeol called Busodam Cliff “Eunbyeong,” meaning a “hidden folding screen.”

Records state that a Baekje military camp once stood on Gorisang Mountain behind Chusori, while Woljeon-ri in Gunseo-myeon, about 2 km from Busodam Cliff, is introduced as the place where King Seong of Baekje met his end at the hands of Silla forces. This is not merely a place to view scenery; its location allows visitors to read the geography around Daecheongho together with the local history of Baekje and Joseon.

From 511-4 Chusori Village Square to Chusojung Pavilion

First-time visitors can use Chusori Village Square, at 511-4 Chusori, as their starting point. After following the farm road on the left side of the square for about 300 m, the route connects to a 400 m deck path through an oak forest. Based on visitor reviews, the walk from the square parking lot to Chusojung takes about 15 minutes.

Chusojung is a viewpoint overlooking the spectacular scenery of Busodam Cliff. From the pavilion, visitors can see unusual rock cliffs lined up like a folding screen above Daecheongho, making this the most practical course for travelers who want to see the lake and cliffs together on a short walk.

The Ridge Beyond Chusojung Is a Trekking Section, Not a Walking Trail

It is possible to continue walking along the Busodam Cliff ridge, but not every section is a flat deck path. Sources mention narrow ridge trails and cliff sections beside the water, so the route is recommended only as far as Chusojung for children, people with a fear of heights, and those with ankle problems.

One hiking record marks Chusojung at cumulative kilometer 7.46, a narrow gorge at kilometer 8.17, and the return to Chusojung at kilometer 8.79. These figures describe a long hike, not a round-trip walk from the square, so visitors should not regard the deck-path visit and the ridge hike as the same course.

Okcheon City Buses: A Timetable Recorded Four Times a Day

For public transportation, visitors can take a bus from Okcheon City Bus Terminal to Chusori. According to review materials, departure times from the terminal are 06:30, 10:00, 14:00, and 18:40, while return departures from Chusori to Okcheon are 07:00, 10:30, 14:30, and 18:40.

This timetable is based on review records rather than the latest official schedule, and the route number and current service status have not been confirmed. Because the intervals are as long as four services a day, it is safest to determine the return bus first and also cross-check map apps, which record travel using bus 607 from the Gunbuk-myeon Office.

Free and Open Year-Round, but On-Site Facilities Are Limited

Information materials list the site as open year-round and free of charge, but visitors should check for operational changes before visiting. Other tourism information also lists it as always open, so there is no need to assume that a separate ticket booth or admission ticket is required. Current information displays both 043-730-3413 and 043-730-3412, but the latest representative number should be confirmed before visiting.

Some materials state that parking is available and free, and restrooms are also indicated. However, the exact parking location and capacity, photography restrictions, cash payment availability, English information and audio guides, and the standards for restricting access to the deck during severe weather have not been confirmed.

• Official website: https://tour.chungbuk.go.kr
• Information address: 5-1 Ibaek 1-gil, Gunbuk-myeon, Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
• Address listed for Chusojung: 518 Hwansan-ro, Gunbuk-myeon, Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do

Accessibility Differences Between the Deck Path and Ridge Trail

A 400 m deck path has been built through the oak forest from Chusori Square, but this alone does not mean that the entire course is suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. The ridge has narrow paths and cliffs beside the water, and stroller rental is listed as unavailable.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and do not cross the safety line at the lakeside. Review records also state that it took about 4 minutes from the Busodam Cliff entrance to Jeolgol, about 11 minutes from Jeolgol to the Chusori public parking lot, and about 9 minutes from the public parking lot to the Chusori bus stop. Visitors should therefore calculate the travel time between the bus stop and parking lot separately.

The Mountain Ritual on the First Full Moon and Life in a Lakeside Village

Chusori consists of three natural villages: Chudong, Busomuni, and Jeolgol. The folding-screen rocks lined up in Daecheongho in front of Busomuni Village are the central attraction of Busodam Cliff, and the scenery in front of the village changed into its present form after Daecheongho submerged part of the mountain.

In the village, a mountain ritual is held on the first full moon of the lunar year to pray for the village’s peace and the residents’ health. Reviews mention cafés and restaurants in the surrounding area, including a record of eating shiitake mushroom stew and seafood pancakes at a restaurant near the Busodam Cliff entrance. Visitors can use village restaurants after their walk, but business hours and reservation availability have not been confirmed.

Which Should You Choose: a Free Viewpoint or a Long Hike?

The road to Busodam Cliff through Chusori is known as a driving route, and reviews state that Chusojung is about 15 minutes from the square. It is therefore well suited to a schedule involving a short car trip from the Daejeon area to see the lake and cliffs, but bus travelers face limited return times.

The site was included among Korea’s 100 representative beautiful rivers selected by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs in 2008, and was introduced in 2009 as one of the six most beautiful rivers in Korea. Before visiting, travelers should prioritize planning around bus times, ridge cliffs, and the latest parking location rather than relying only on the basic conditions of being free and open year-round.