Yaksu Sikdang, which embraced the time of Cheongsong, remembering the deep taste of the 400-year-old Dalgi Mineral Spring

The Dalgi Mineral Spring (Dalgi Yaksu) Village where 400 years of time flows

The air in Cheongsong is exceptionally clear in the morning. Dalgi Mineral Spring (Dalgi Yaksu-teo), which you can find after descending along the foot of Juwangsan Mountain (Juwangsan), has been flowing unchanged for 400 long years. The alkaline mineral water, mixed with sparkling carbonated components, has been known since ancient times to be good for stomach disorders and neuralgia, making it a place frequented by visitors to the village. The atmosphere of the village, which seems to retain the scenery of serving a warm meal to those who sought the spring water relying on a single old tent, makes your heart calm as you walk through its cozy alleys.

The long tradition remembered by the wisteria in the yard

'Yaksu Sikdang,' the last place I visited, was a place with a narrative as deep as its history. The wisteria, over 30 years old, which held its place in the middle of the yard, provided purple flowers in spring and cool shade in summer. The baeksuk here, passed down through the hands of the owner, was not just food, but a dish containing the time of Cheongsong. When you simmer native chicken in Dalgi mineral water (Dalgi Yaksu) with precious medicinal herbs like astragalus (hwanggi), ginseng (insam), and licorice (gamcho), along with plenty of mung beans and glutinous rice, the meat remains chewy while the broth is clear and savory. I still cannot forget the deep scent of the mountains felt in the clear broth scooped up with the tip of a spoon.

The aesthetics of side dishes, and the time that paused for a moment

The chicken porridge (dak-juk) served when you were finishing the baeksuk was truly a delicacy. In particular, the side dishes here showed the heart of the skilled owner. The zesty napa cabbage water kimchi (baechu mul-kimchi) and the pungent 'gajuk-namul-ji' (toona shoots preserved in brine) blended perfectly with the lightness of the baeksuk, refreshing the palate. However, there is heartbreaking news. Due to a forest fire last March, the entire building was destroyed, and it is currently difficult to visit. Thinking of that place, which stopped without even a set period of closure, makes me miss the warmth of the baeksuk we used to eat in the yard while feeling the breeze even more acutely. I just sincerely hope that the day will come when we can have a warm conversation under that wisteria again.

A brief guide for visitors

If you are planning to travel around the Dalgi Mineral Spring (Dalgi Yaksu) area in Cheongsong, please make sure to check in advance that Yaksu Sikdang cannot be visited. However, the surrounding atmosphere of the Cheongsong pine forests and the magnificent energy of Juwangsan Mountain remain the same, so it is still a destination worth visiting. When traveling, if you set a route that passes through 542 Jungang-ro, Cheongsong-eup by car, you can enjoy a drive while admiring the beautiful surrounding scenery. Just taking a walk in the nearby Dalgi Mineral Spring Park (Dalgi Yaksu-teo Park) and drinking a sip of cool mineral water will be enough to enjoy the romance of a Cheongsong trip.