The Legend Behind Korea's Mysterious Jindo Sea Parting

Like with many Korean festivals and holidays, the Jindo Sea Festival is deeply set within their culture, tradition, and history. The fascinating celebration is loved for it’s magic and mystery but also for the centuries-old tale that lies behind it. Each year the East China Sea parts around the the southern tip of the Korean peninsula exposing a pathway wide enough for people to walk the 1.8 miles to get the the nearby island of Modo. 

A scientific explanation for this mysterious event is that natural phenomenon known as tidal harmonics, where the different tides sync up causing either extremely high, or in the case of the Jindo Sea parting, extremely low tides. However, ancient Korean legend has another explanation for the phenomenon. 

According to a centuries-old Korean tale, the parting all began with a man named Son Dong-ji near the end of the 15th century. The man was condemned to exile and sent from the mainland to Jeji Island, located a few hours south. During his journey from his home to the Island a storm swept through the Yellow Sea down Korea’s west coast- washing Son Dong-ji ashore of the village of Hoedong, which is now known as Jindo. 

There, Son lived a difficult life among the other villagers, fighting off the many tigers that inhabited the land. After years of suffering and witnessing many deaths due to the ferocious cats, the people had finally had enough and wished to vacate the island. So by raft the villagers fled to the island of Modo in search of a better life. Unfortunately, an elderly woman known as Grandma Bbong was accidentally left behind. Each day she prayed to the Dragon King of the Sea that should could be safely delivered to her family and not be deserted on this island. 

One day her prayers were finally answered when the Dragon King appeared to her in a dream, telling her that the following day a rainbow would appear in the sky and a pathway would be there to guide her across the dangerous ocean waters. The next afternoon, like the Dragon King had promised the waters parted and a crescent-shaped pathway appeared, connecting her to the island of Modo, where her family was waiting for her. Upon her arrival on the island, she died of exhaustion in her family’s arms and her last words were a prayer of thanks to the Dragon King for allowing her to be with her family one last time. 

In addition to the fun and celebration that takes place during the Jindo Sea Parting Festival, many rituals, performances, and dances are still held by the locals to honor Grandma Bbong and remember her tragic fate as well as her strength and determination.

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Each Year Half a Million Gather on Jindo Island to Witness the Korean Version of Moses' Miracle

Whether it revolves around the celebration of spring, exfoliating one’s self with mud, honoring ancestors, welcoming a new year or just being with family, Koreans love any excuse to eat, drink, and celebrate. But out of all the holidays and festivals there are a few in particular that stand out, one of those being the Jindo Sea Parting Festival. Nicknamed “Korea’s Moses Miracle”, the annual festival is as cool (and as literal) as it’s name suggests. 

Every year between the months of March and June the northern portion of the East China Sea around the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula opens up- revealing a 1.8 mile pathway connecting the peninsula to the nearby island of Modo. This natural phenomenon is caused by an event called tidal harmonics. Occasionally the harmonics will sync causing either extremely high or low tides. In the case of the Jindo Sea parting the tides become extremely low creating a ridge of land to appear. Although this actually occurs with the tides 2-3 times a year, there is only one festival to celebrate it- a four day period in April. For 60-90 minutes tourists and locals can gather to dig for clams or seaweed or simply take a walk along the magic-like pathway to the Modo island. 

Originally the celebration, then called the “Mysterious Sea Way”, remained a local secret until 1975 when French ambassador, Pierre Randi, visited Jindo Island and described the event in a French newspaper, bringing fame to the festival and calling it the “Korean version of Moses’ miracle.” 

Whether it is because of the mind blowing mystery or the centuries-old tales behind it- starting April 24th, around half a million domestic and foreign visitors gather on the small peninsula of Jindo to witness the spectacular event. 

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