suppansyeon

A : Counting from 2017, it has been about eight years now. Originally, this land was just a wild mountain. My husband and I contemplated how to utilize this space and decided to start a lodging business using Hanoks, which we have always loved. Since we have nine Hanok houses that vary slightly in size and layout, we welcome a tailored number of guests to each cottage. From the very beginning until now, this place has been incredibly special to us because our own hands have touched every single detail of building and maintaining these Hanoks.

A : My absolute favorite spot in the Forest Pension is the Information & Welcome Center. It’s where we spend the most time. Before the pandemic made gatherings difficult, we used to serve tea to our guests here. We personally hand-picked seasonal flowers to brew unique, homemade floral teas that you can't taste anywhere else in the market. Even though our guests are people we meet for the first time, everyone carries their own distinct story. Interacting and bonding in that communal space feels incredibly warm and makes this hospitality work truly rewarding.

Also, I enjoy sewing, so I used to craft and sell small handmade fabric items here. I still personally sew the curtains and duvet covers used inside the guest rooms. Lately, I've been thinking it would be wonderful to frame photos showing the step-by-step process of how this pension was built and place them throughout the property. That way, guests can truly feel how passionately and delicately this place was crafted.

A : Our guests arrive with joyful hearts and in a wonderful mood, which naturally rubs off on me, allowing me to welcome them with an equally happy heart. While cleanliness is the absolute baseline, we specifically receive an immense amount of feedback about how exceptionally clean our bedding is. Guests who stay often tell us they slept wonderfully thanks to the grounding energy of the Hanok.

When you look down over the edge of the eaves from above, the distinct scenery of all four seasons unfolds beautifully. In spring, before the rice grows, the paddies are filled with water, making the fields look like a wide-open sea. In summer, they turn into vibrant, lush green fields, and in autumn, flocks of migratory birds arrive. And as everyone knows, a Hanok covered in winter snow is breathtakingly beautiful. I make it a strict rule to greet guests in person for check-in because I believe it’s meaningful for the host and the guest to see each other's faces at least once. I still open the doors with physical keys.

A :
I am incredibly grateful for even a single warm word. When guests express how remarkably clean the room is, how well they rested, or how beautiful the space is, I feel an immense sense of pride in that exact moment. Once, when I was working on maintaining the Hanok yard while guests were checking out, a guest even gifted me a pair of landscaping gloves.
We tend to have a higher percentage of family groups, particularly those traveling with elderly parents or grandparents. They choose our stay because they are familiar with Hanoks and deeply appreciate their value. However, since younger generations or foreign visitors often don't know much about traditional Korean housing, these days I really hope that people who are unfamiliar with Hanoks choose to visit us and experience a wonderful, restorative night.

A : I would most highly recommend the Suncheon Bay Wetland. Its proximity to our pension offers excellent accessibility. While the National Garden is gorgeously lavish and manicured, the Wetland is a genuinely rare, irreplaceable national asset. Whenever tourists ask for advice, I always point them toward the Wetland, and crucially, I tell them to make sure they hike all the way up to the Yongsan Observatory. The trekking path leading from the reed fields to the observatory allows you to fully absorb nature in its rawest, untouched form. It is an experience that is hard to find anywhere else, and the atmospheric charm is absolute perfection.

A :
Because we love Hanoks so deeply, we are also very well aware of their structural disadvantages. They are traditionally vulnerable to insulation issues and noise transfer. To resolve this, while we preserved the authentic traditional exterior of the Hanok, we completely reinforced and modernized the interior to match contemporary living standards. That was also the reason why we chose not to pack too many guests into a single space. Because of that structural philosophy, our pension naturally evolved into a sanctuary where couples or intimate family units can come to enjoy a quiet, harmonious getaway.
Also, when I craft small interior props and place them in the rooms, I am deeply grateful to those who appreciate them, but occasionally, some guests take them home without asking. It makes me a bit heartbroken when that happens.

A : We spent a very long time painstakingly pouring our hearts into this space to maximize the strengths of a Hanok while completely resolving its traditional weaknesses. Beyond just the architecture, I hope our guests truly feel the surrounding natural elements embedded within this forest environment. The area features beautifully developed walking trails, making it unparalleled for immersing oneself in nature. We also have a traditional platform for jars (jangdokdae), where we even ferment our own plums. I truly want to care for the guests who arrive with joyful expectations. Spending just one night together binds us in a meaningful connection (inyeon).