Seo Myeong-suk, the founder of the Jeju Olle Foundation, died Monday at the age of 68, concluding a lifelong effort to promote the hidden beauty of Jeju Island through a carefully designed coastal trail network.
Seo’s legacy, the Jeju Olle trails, sparked a nationwide walking boom, prompting local governments across South Korea to develop their own routes highlighting distinctive natural landscapes. The trails have also become one of the most popular leisure walking courses among international visitors.
Born in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, in 1957, Seo worked as a journalist for 23 years before launching the initiative in 2007. The project was inspired by her experience walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and was developed under the foundation’s leadership.
Named after the Jeju dialect word “olle,” meaning a narrow alley, the trail system was designed to showcase the island’s unique natural and cultural environment, distinct from mainland South Korea.
The first course opened in 2007, passing by Seongsan Ilchulbong and highlighting diverse landscapes, including parasitic volcanoes and historic sites in eastern Jeju.
Today, the network spans 27 routes, each about 15 kilometers long, covering a total of 437 kilometers. The trails traverse coastal paths, volcanic hills and local villages, offering a range of stories and scenery across the island.
The initiative has been widely praised as a sustainable tourism model that preserves Jeju’s natural and cultural heritage while supporting local communities.
In recognition of her contributions, Seo received multiple honors, including the Dongbaek Medal of the Order of Civil Merit in 2017.
A memorial altar has been set up at Seogwipo Medical Center. The funeral ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday at Seobok Park along Jeju Olle Course 6.
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