Spring, summer, fall, winter, snow-covered and beautiful
An invitation to the 30 most beautiful luxury roads in Korea!

“It is no exaggeration to say that all art, thought, scholarship, history, and philosophy were born on the road.

“It is human and life along with the road.”
- From 'Poet Na Tae-ju's Recommendation'

"The Joy of a Walker, Part 2," a book about the soul's journey through 30 of Korea's most famous roads, selected by independent traveler Park Seong-gi, who has walked, felt, and contemplated the beautiful paths of our mountains for 25 years, has been published by Mind Cube Publishing.

In "The Joy of the Walker, Part 2," the author's thoughts on walking have deepened and broadened five years after publishing "The Joy of the Walker," a "meditation book on walking," in which he walked the path of true freedom by walking along the fateful Namhan River. The author's unique, raw, and esprit-filled travel prose is well-crafted.
For the past five years, the author has been walking on foot 365 days a year, writing down with a pencil the true nature of this land's mountain paths, sea paths, island paths, forest paths, river paths, and mountain passes.


The author has transcribed his 25 years of experience and moments of reflection on the road into fleeting glimpses of the scene, sublimating them into the joy of a walker, creating a poem and a winding story of a long history, meticulously weaving together the best moments in nature like a seeker's record.

The author's profound affection for our beautiful roads guides readers into a unique inner world as a "road meditation essay," each with its own distinct color, through the rugged mountain paths and lush forest paths he has walked step by step, and through the paths of history filled with the pain and joy of modern and contemporary history.

《The Joy of the Walker, Part 2》 is a well-crafted road romance that captivates readers by adding the charm and unfamiliarity of the author's previous work, 《The Joy of the Walker》, to the matured space of time and the thoughts of experience, allowing them to feel the depth of the philosophy and history of the road.

The author's journey boundaries, accumulated through time of maturation and composition, lead to stories of paths as diverse and unique as the paths the author has walked, guiding readers into an unfamiliar yet exciting and captivating narrative.
Sometimes, he suggests the direction of life through the path of self-cultivation and seeking the truth—the Sinan 1004 Islands Nodutgil, Jirisan Dosoram, Silsangsa, and Sambulsa Temples, etc.—and then he provides readers with a frame of beautiful scenery through the magnificent scenery of nature—Hambaeksan Mountain in Taebaek, Gangwon-do, the Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road, the Sobaeksan Mountain Foothills Road, and the Susan-ri Birch Forest in Inje-gun.
Sometimes, it makes me wander the back alleys of history, such as the painful historical paths of modern and contemporary history—Jeonju Seungamsan Mountain, Jeonju Hyanggyo Simchun Pilgrimage Trail, Busan Yeongdo Bridge, Huinnyeoul Village, Ganghwa Hogukdondae-gil, Gangwon Cheorwon Labor Party Headquarters, Dopiansa—and the proudly engraved world of the spirit of the old people? Geochang Seonbi Cultural Heritage, Gimcheon Sudoam Queen Inhyeon-gil, Nonsan Myeongjae House, Damyang Myeongokheon Garden, etc.

This book, which gathers the essence of the walking craze and road culture exploration of the past and quietly presents it to us, presents a total of 30 places, organized by month from January to December, so that readers can properly read, see, and feel the beautiful roads that we truly love and feel dearly.
The author's 250 heart-wrenching photos of spring, summer, fall, and winter, capturing the paths, landscapes, and natural splendor that can only be felt in each season, in the fleeting flow of nature, are the true essence of a travel essay that will allow you to deeply engrave the allure of the road in your heart.
Through this book, readers will be fully equipped with the navigation for a fascinating road trip that will make them want to leave, feel, and stay there.

It is no exaggeration to say that all art, thought, scholarship, history, and philosophy were born on the road.
It is human and life along the way.
Exploration and discovery are, needless to say, things.
Here, Mr. Park Seong-gi, the author of 'The Joy of Walking', is releasing his second 'The Joy of Walking'.
Surely, there's romance, excitement, discovery, and what else is there? Yes, there is.
There will be the breath of His warm worldly love
--- From "Poet Na Tae-ju's Recommendation"

I met a lot of people while walking.
A warm smile from an old man in a mountain village, a slice of watermelon, the eyes of a young traveler brimming with energy just by walking, a short conversation in a quiet country market, and even a bowl of fragrant soup…
The fleeting relationships I met and parted ways with as I walked brightened my journey and sometimes comforted my weary heart.
--- From the "Preface"

The twilight that had fallen on the snow was as calm as a lake that had held its breath.
At six in the morning, I took my first steps into the whisper of snow digging into my ankles.
Every time I step on the snow, I feel the softness of the newly piled snow, and my body becomes even lighter like a feather.
The trees were bent over, their roofs heavy with snow, as if they were about to break.
As I walked, I made a sound and poured out white breath at every passing sound.
--- From "Walking through a thousand years of time into the silvery snow-covered mountains, hiking in Taebaek, Gangwon-do, Hambak Mountain"

The sharp stabbing pain was fleeting, and I was lost in the open path without even having time to feel the cold.
It was because the harmony of the clear blue sky, the wide hills with windmills, and the grass bowing its head in the wind was beautiful.
The wind that passes over the mountain turns the windmill’s pinwheel…
--- From "The Snow Flower Village Road Encountered at the Wind's Crossroads, Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Village Road"

The river wind is cold, so I button up my collar and continue walking along the river toward Seoul Forest.
The reeds with their thick beards along the water's edge sway in the river breeze.
The brown grass on the parched riverside is soon ready to change into the colors of spring.
The sun was tilted to the west, covered in fine dust.
The waves blowing in the strong wind reflect the sunlight that has lost its light, making the Han River look even more desolate.

--- From "Walking along the ridge of the Han River, hiking from Namsan to Maebongsan to Seoul Forest"

The 12 Apostles Pilgrimage Route on Cheonsam Island (Shinan) is a pilgrimage route that crosses the road and follows the houses of the small apostles on Daegijeomdo, Sogijeomdo, Soakdo, Jinseom, and Tanseom.
It is a nature-friendly and healing path where you can take a break when the tide is high and start walking again when the tide is low.
The Apostles' House was uniquely built by twelve famous architects as a symbol of the apostles.
--- From "Walking the Path of Life on the Island of Angels, Trekking the Shinan 1004 Islands' Trails"

The water flowing down the Wolseongcheon River hit the rocks violently, spewing out white foam.
The water that flows, remembering the air and the mountains and rivers of the upper reaches, will carry even my memories with it, and will roughly crash against the rocks, blend together, and flow down to the ocean.
All things are impermanent, is it true that everything comes and goes?
--- From "Following the Footsteps of Scholars, a Field Trip to the Scholarly Cultural Heritage Sites of Geochang, Gyeongnam"

As I walked, I gazed at the majestic ridges of Jirisan and the peak of Cheonwangbong, and the contrast between my infinite smallness and the grandeur of nature lifted the worries that had been plaguing me, one by one.
The pilgrimage to Chilamja Temple that I walked around Buddha's birthday was a path that filled me, but at the same time, a path that let me down.

--- From "Walking the Chilamja Pilgrimage Trail to Cleanse the Mind, a Field Trip to Dosolam, Silsangsa, and Sambulsa Temples in Jirisan"

Starting from Hwangmaesan Mountain, I walked along the azaleas, passing Baraebong Peak and ending at Sobaeksan Mountain, in time for the azaleas to bloom.
The waves of azaleas I saw at Hwangmaesan Mountain were the most splendid, and when I passed Baraebong Peak in Jirisan Mountain and came to Sobaek, I couldn't see the colorful azaleas because of the wind, but I did see a light pink azalea.
It was a very precious time to be able to see wild flowers of Mt. Sobaek that I had not expected to see.

--- From "Azaleas, Wildflowers, Walking Along the Wind, Hiking Along the Deep Valley Trail, and the Foothills of Mt. Sobaek"

With each step I climb, my steps become stronger and my mind becomes more focused on the observatory, so my steps become quicker.
Behind the large rock blocking the view from the observatory, the colorful Battle Rock catches the eye.
My heart races as I feel my toes standing on the sharp, sharp rocks that jut out like spikes.

--- From "Embracing the majestic mountains and rivers of the Mulleung Valley, Mureung Valley in Donghae, Gangwon Province, Hiking Mt. Duta"

Okryu-dong (玉流洞) is located 2.8 km along Okdongcheon from Manwoldam, at the point where it joins Daegacheon.
The clear waters of Daegacheon Stream, the rocks, and the valley covered with pine forests, combined with the towering Okryujeong Pavilion, create a beautiful landscape.
In this way, Gimcheon holds Muheulgokgok from 6 to 9 and passes the 5th and subsequent 9th ridges to Seongju.
--- From "Standing on the Queen's Path and the Scholar's Path, a Tour of Queen Inhyeon's Path in Sudoam, Gimcheon, and Muheulgokgok, Seongju-gun"

Looking at the birch trees that made the world white, I am reminded of the journey from Baekdu Mountain to Baekdu Mountain from Ido Baekha, like a scene from a movie.
The longing to walk through the endless birch forest was finally relieved here in the Jukpari birch forest.

--- From "A Pure White World, Walking Through a Birch Forest, Jukpari Birch Forest, Yeongyang, Gyeongbuk"

Some of the more impatient ones are already burning red, heralding the essence of the coming autumn.
Along the rare mountain path, the Susancheon Stream flows with water as clear as glass beads.
A single fallen leaf lightly lands on it, spinning and following the flow, like a watercolor painting announcing the beginning of autumn.
--- From "Walking through a birch forest at the threshold of autumn, a hike through the birch forest in Susan-ri, Inje-gun"

The Byeong-in Yangyo (丙寅洋擾, 1866) and Sinmi Yangyo (辛未洋擾, 1871) of the Enlightenment Period resulted in numerous casualties in Joseon through fierce battles.
This is the place of sad history, where a fierce battle was fought but the enemy was defeated unilaterally due to a lack of firepower.
The sound of a gunshot seems to be coming from somewhere.
The cannon's range was incomparably shorter than that of the American army, and the defenders of Gwangseongbo and Dondae, led by General Eo Jae-yeon, were annihilated.
--- From "The Path of Patriotism Along the Yeomha River, Ganghwa Hogukdondae-gil Trekking"

The trees along the Dosolcheon River were full of autumn leaves and the water was dyed red.
Many autumn guests are intoxicated by the autumn leaves and try to woo her in various poses, but they are not as pretty as the autumn leaves.
Autumn colored Seonun Mountain and painted the world in a variety of colors.

--- From "Autumn Burns Red at Seonunsa Temple, A Field Trip to Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do"

- I passed the Saemulmeori Baekjo-gil and entered the road leading to Shinsendae.
It's a mountain path where the snow hasn't melted yet.
The fallen leaves covered the road, and a light layer of snow lay on top of the fallen leaves, which gave it a charming feel, but made me cautious about tripping.
I am singing along to the rustling sound of fallen leaves.
Sometimes I find myself humming along without realizing it while walking down the street.
That's when I become one with the road.
Today is like that.
Memories of walking along the Namgyul River, visible through the trees.
--- From "Memories of Walking Along the Winter River, Namhangang River, Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, Yeo River Trekking"

The Imjin River, which holds countless stories, begins in Masikryong, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, and flows east to west. Its surface gently ripples and sparkles with a dizzying silver color.
The river, which holds a deep story, runs six hundred li, spits out polished stones to listen to its story, and then urges on its way again.

--- From "Walking the Imjin River Red Cliff Trail, Gyeonggi Yeoncheon Peace Nuri Trail Course 11 Trekking"