On a rainy Sunday morning, I set out to climb Seunghak Mountain, located in Busan, South Korea, just behind my apartment. My heart felt light, and the soft sound of rain made the world feel calm and quiet.
Normally, the trail is filled with hikers, but today the gloomy weather kept most people away. The silence made everything feel more peaceful, almost like I had the mountain to myself.
As I made my way up, a large and beautiful pine tree greeted me along the trail. This is usually where I turn around and head back down—but today, something nudged me to keep going. For the first time, I decided to hike all the way to the top.
It took about an hour and a half to reach the summit. The wind was strong up there, and I felt refreshed, standing above the city with the breeze on my face. There’s something incredibly rewarding about reaching the top after a steady climb. Seunghak Mountain is especially famous for its silver grass in the autumn, drawing visitors each year to see the fields sway in the wind. At 497 meters above sea level, it’s a manageable hike, even for families or beginners.
There’s also a story behind the mountain’s name. According to legend, Muhak, a revered Buddhist monk from the Goryeo Dynasty, once traveled across the country to study the shape of the land. When he came upon this mountain, its sharp, rocky ridges reminded him of a crane in flight. He named it “Seunghak,” which means “rising crane.”
It was a small adventure, but a meaningful one. There’s something special about being in the mountains, especially when the rain drives everyone else away. I’m glad I kept walking.