[One Day Walk] 'Toyoungiya~gil - Path of Artistic Fragrance' Blending Culture, Art, and History

Starting from the 'Kim Chunsu's Flower Monument' in Dongho-dong, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongnam, the 12 km course takes about 5 hours to complete, passing through Nammangsan Sculpture Park, the birthplace of novelist Park Kyung-ri, and ending at Chungnyeolsa Shrine, which enshrines the memorial tablet of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

This is one of the must-visit routes for people visiting Tongyeong-si, Gyeongnam during the vacation season. Although Tongyeong-si, with an area of 240.21 km², is smaller than Geoje-si, it has been home to many stars in the cultural and artistic world. The starting point of the 'Toyoungiya~gil - Path of Artistic Fragrance' is the 'Nammangsan Sculpture Park,' which houses the monuments of Kim Chunsu and Kim Sang-ok. It features outdoor exhibitions of works by 15 contemporary sculptors from 10 countries worldwide and served as the filming location for the drama 'Kim Yak-guk's Daughters,' based on Park Kyung-ri's original work.

The route passes by the mailbox where Lee Young-do and Yoo Chi-hwan exchanged love letters, Kim Chunsu's birthplace, Dongpirang Mural Alley, poet Yoo Chi-hwan's birthplace, the residence of painter Kim Yong-ju, the birthplaces of diplomat Kim Yong-sik and novelist Kim Yong-ik, Samdo Naval Command, Tongyeong's version of jangseung called Beoksu, Park Kyung-ri's birthplace, the place where Lee Jung-seop painted, and the birthplace of Gong Deok-gwi, wife of President Yun Bo-seon.

It is a corner of Tongyeong Port where the painter Lee Jung-seop used to watch the ships coming and going while painting. This is a marker stone erected at a place where you can see the scenery depicted in his paintings.
[Photo by Tongyeong City]

Although the course includes most of Tongyeong-si's historical sites and tourist attractions, it can be shortened to about 2 to 2.5 hours depending on personal preference. Since it is an urban route, public transportation can be used at any time during the walk, and the course loops back to the starting point, so skipping some spots in the middle does not cause confusion. Visitors who come by car often park at the starting point and begin walking from there. You can choose to visit only cultural and artistic heritage sites or skip those related to pro-Japanese cultural figures if you dislike them. It is also possible to walk while focusing solely on the sites related to Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

'Toyoungiya~gil' means a path where close friends can walk together chatting comfortably. Tongyeong locals find 'Toyeong' easier to pronounce than 'Tongyeong,' making it feel simpler and more familiar. 'Iya~' is a local dialect term used to address older sisters or close female friends informally.

Using the Daejeon-Tongyeong Expressway by car takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes from Seoul to Tongyeong. For public transportation, express buses depart from Seoul's Gangnam Express Bus Terminal and Seocho-dong's Nambu Terminal. There is no direct train to Tongyeong. You can take the KTX to Jinju, Changwon, or Busan and then transfer to an express bus to Tongyeong. It takes about 1 hour from Jinju or Changwon and about 2 hours from Busan.