When I told some folks I was going to Pohang on my Korean road trip, they asked me why. Why would I go to Pohang, it’s just an industrial city, nothing special about it. But I found it to be an eclectic mix of small town fishing, artistic expression, beachy, and industrialization.

The Pohang region includes a small peninsula jutting out into the East Sea. Driving up from Gyeongju to Pohang I took the coastal route. The GPS will tell you to take a quicker way, but I opted for the scenic route, good decision. I passed through fishing villages and pulled over to grab some grub and explore the ports.

While exploring one of the super quaint fishing towns, an old man came up and asked me where I was from, in English. I told him and we had a nice chat about the area and how the fishing jobs were declining because there were less fish in the sea. Fishermen left the towns in search of different jobs in the city. Many of the people went to Pohang for the industrial jobs that were growing exponentially.

Almost to the tip of the Pohang peninsula, I pulled off at a sign pointing to a contemporary art museum. The museum was closed, but I explored the surrounding area. Up on the hill, I weaved through paths between hillside houses and parks. There was street art greeting me at most turns. And it had a great view of a fishing port.

Hands of Harmony

The most popular sight in Pohang is the Hands of Harmony statue at Homigot Sunrise Square (호미곶 해맞이광장) at the very tip of the peninsula. It is the easternmost point in Korea, where the sun first rises, and each New Years, it is the location of the Sunrise Festival, the first sunrise of the new year.

In 1999, two bronze hand sculptures were built – one in the water, one on land. It was built as a messege of togetherness and coexistence. It’s such a unique sight, a bronze hand jutting out of the sea.

To get to Homigot, take bus 200 from the central city to Guryongpo, then transfer to bus 203 and get off at Homigot Sunrise Square.

Into the City of Pohang

Once into the city, it is a lot of industry. It’s home to the world’s second largest steel manufacturing plant. It sits on the coastline and blocks the view of the beach from the coastal roads. The tall smoke stacks go on for miles, spewing white smoke into the air. The beaches in the central city would be nice, if not for the views of the power plants.

I just drove through the center of the city, drove straight through to find the dragon temple 20 minutes to the north.