Jeju City: From a kingdom of exiles to the world's busiest air route

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Once a remote kingdom and a place of political banishment, Jeju City has transformed into a global travel hub. Today, it anchors an island defined by volcanic peaks, subtropical climates, and a complex history, serving as the primary gateway for millions of visitors seeking its unique natural and cultural landscape.

Jeju City, the capital of South Korea's smallest province, sits on the northern coast of Jeju Island. For centuries, the island functioned as an independent kingdom called Tamna until 938. Under the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, its isolation made it a strategic site for grazing horses and a destination for political exiles. The island first entered Western consciousness in 1653 when Dutch sailor Hendrik Hamel drifted ashore, naming it Quelpart.

The city’s modern identity is inseparable from its volcanic geography. The island is dominated by Mount Halla, a 6,398-foot peak surrounded by a national park. This landscape, featuring extensive lava tubes and crater-formed hills, earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2007. While the city is now a bustling port and transportation center, it carries the scars of a turbulent 20th century. Following World War II, the island became a flashpoint for unrest, culminating in a 1948 rebellion that resulted in an estimated 25,000 deaths during subsequent suppression efforts.

Today, Jeju City is a primary economic engine, driven by tourism, fishing, and agriculture, particularly its famous oranges. It hosts the island's main airport, which facilitates the most heavily trafficked passenger flight path on the planet between Jeju and Seoul. Despite rapid modernization and the growth of new districts, the city retains deep cultural roots, from the traditional haenyeo women divers who harvest marine life to the ancient Samseonghyeol site, where local mythology claims the island's ancestors emerged from the earth.

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