Jennie’s latest hot springs getaway is closer to home than it looks

A khaki bikini and a private garden framed by dark stone and trees. The recent photos that Jennie of Blackpink shared on Instagram could pass for a resort far from Korea. They were actually taken in Suanbo, a quiet spa town in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province.

The setting is Youonejae, a hot spring hotel where a night in the largest suite can cost more than 2 million won ($1,474). In September, it earned its first Michelin Key in the 2026 Michelin Guide Hotel Selection, one of nine Korean hotels with Keys this year.

Its name means "a place to stay in the garden," and every room comes with its own garden and outdoor bath. Designed by architect Yang Jin-seok and opened in 2023 after six years of design and construction, the single-story complex takes cues from hanok houses and seowon, the Confucian academies of the Joseon era.

The spring water rises from about 250 meters underground at 53 degrees Celsius. It is mildly alkaline and rich in minerals such as calcium, sodium and magnesium.

Jennie stayed in the largest of the four room types. Its black and light oak interior opens through a floor-to-ceiling window onto stone and trees, and the outdoor bath sits beneath a long eave beside a tea room and bar.

Outdoor lighting is kept low at night, leaving the sky dark over the open-air baths. The hotel also runs separate communal baths for men and women.

Stays are all-inclusive. Rooms come stocked with snacks, and the cafe and lounge serve coffee, tea and other drinks throughout the stay.

At the restaurant Miseon, chef Kim Yu-jae serves a nine-course dinner built on seasonal ingredients. Breakfast is a 13-dish Korean table served in brassware.

With only 16 rooms, the property rarely feels crowded.