Sogil Byeolha: From Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast to a Local Brand Store

In Jeju, Aewol-eup’s Sogilli is a place that’s even more famous to people who don’t live on the island than to those who do.

The Sogilli guesthouse that rose to fame through Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast made many people dream of living in Jeju. Even though I’m not someone who usually keeps up with TV programs, I watched Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast closely because it captured Jeju’s simple life and slow, laid-back vibe so well. 

A guesthouse turned local brand store

I usually avoid places that have been on TV, so even when I heard that Hyori’s guesthouse had been renovated and turned into a local brand store, I didn’t really feel like going. But by chance, I was invited as a local influencer and ended up visiting Sogil Byeolha.

Online reservation only

The biggest reason I didn’t want to go to Sogil Byeolha was the thought, “It’s going to be packed with tourists.” But as if it already knew how I felt, Sogil Byeolha can only be visited via online reservation. There are five time slots a day, and only 35 people can enter per time slot. Even though we were invited as local influencers, we still had to make a reservation—so we booked two days in advance and visited.

Admission: 8,000 won

You might think, “Wait, I have to pay admission just to look around someone else’s house.” I felt the same way at first. 

But it’s a different story when a drink and a dessert are included in the admission fee. Considering that at many of Jeju’s photogenic cafés, one coffee often costs 6,000–7,000 won, it doesn’t feel that expensive if you think of it as a photo-spot café.

Time limit

The most disappointing part is the limited time.

Since it operates by reservation, your time is set to make room for the next visitors—and that time is just 1 hour, which feels far too short. 

Sogil Byeolha is a curated local brand shop, but some people also come hoping to revisit the emotions and atmosphere they felt while watching Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast. An hour isn’t really enough to look around, feel the place, and take it all in. Before you go, it’s worth planning how you’ll use your time—shopping, café time, taking photos, and so on.

Jeju brands worth cherishing

When I heard Sogil Byeolha had become a curated shop, I assumed it would be one of those typical souvenir stores—bringing in all kinds of random goods and selling them to tourists.

But after visiting, I realized I was wrong. The products sold at Sogil Byeolha aren’t just mass-produced items; they include works by Jeju local brands and artists living in Jeju, or products that make use of resources from the Jeju region. Rather than “selling,” it feels more accurate to say the items are displayed like in a gallery, so you can appreciate them. 

Sogil Byeolha, which I visited by chance, shattered my prejudice that it would simply cash in on its fame. Instead, it felt like a new kind of place—being reborn as a meaningful space for Jeju.

I visited Sogil Byeolha after being invited as a local influencer, but this is unrelated to the posting itself. I’ve written my honest thoughts and impressions based on my own visit.