Gurye pension by Piagol Valley, karaoke and BBQ: Jirisan Secret Garden

Looking for a pension near Jirisan for a family trip of six this summer, we found a standalone villa you can rent right next to a valley. Here's our one-night review of Jirisan Secret Garden's villa unit, with 3 bedrooms, a karaoke room, a fire pit, and a private barbecue area.

Where is Jirisan Secret Garden and how do you find the entrance?

Jirisan Secret Garden is at 215 Piagol-ro, Toji-myeon, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. There are two entrances, which can be confusing — the tall vertical sign marks the entrance to the villa building and caravans, while the square sign marks the entrance to Secret units 1 through 6.

• Tall vertical sign → entrance to villa building and caravans
• Square sign → entrance to Secret units 1–6

What does Jirisan Secret Garden feel like?

Jirisan Secret Garden is a standalone stay with the scent of cypress wood inside. Every room has a view of Piagol Valley and the mountains, and at night string lights come on for a really atmospheric night view.

Grilling barbecue while watching the night view as it got dark was genuinely great. The owner was kind the entire time, so we didn't have a single inconvenience during our stay.

If you let the owner know 30 minutes ahead, they'll come set up the barbecue in person and take care of extras too. There are also caravans, so you can choose based on your preference.

Room types and prices at Jirisan Secret Garden

How close is Piagol Valley to the villa?

The area right below the Jirisan Secret Garden villa connects directly to the valley. Going down in summer to dip your feet in, the water is really clear and cool.

The valley water is so clean it would be even better with kids.

Just looking at the valley alone blows away the summer heat. There's a real sense of coolness there.

The owner also grows vegetables and said we could pick and eat them, so we did! Tomatoes, peppers, perilla leaves, lettuce — all kinds of vegetables.

Inside the villa: how it works for 6 people

Six of us used the Jirisan Secret Garden villa. The living room is huge, with air conditioning in summer and well-working boiler heating in winter.

Bedroom layout and the hwangto clay sauna room

The hwangto (yellow clay) sauna room would be really nice to visit in winter. You can warm up with a proper sweat session, which makes it a satisfying add-on even for a midwinter trip.

What is provided in the villa?

• TV, beds, dining table, air conditioner, fridge, fan
• Fireplace, hair dryer, electric rice cooker, microwave
• Toiletries, water purifier, gas stove, internet
• Bath supplies, washing machine, heating, fire extinguisher, smoke alarm

Everything you'd need was already there, so we didn't have to bring anything extra. There are also 2 bathrooms — one off the living room and one off the main bedroom.

There was even a water purifier, so we drank great-tasting water too.

Dishware and all sorts of things were prepared, which was really convenient.

The private barbecue area off the living room

The private barbecue area connects right off the living room.

Charcoal grill and even a stone-plate grill!!!

There was so much firewood stacked up. To request a barbecue, just tell the owner 30 minutes ahead.

The karaoke room and the main bedroom

The karaoke room is a separate space, so you can enjoy it as much as you want during your stay haha. Past the karaoke room, you reach the main bedroom!

There's a TV, two beds, and even a vanity table.

The bathroom attached to the main bedroom is nice and clean like this.

Towels, toilet paper, everything was stocked. You just need to bring toothpaste!

We grilled meat in the private barbecue area, and having a space just for our group made it even better.

We ate plenty of delicious meat. The owner gave us sausages and drinks as a service, so we ate really well — thank you!

Charcoal barbecue for 6: how it went

As it got dark, we grilled meat in the private barbecue area. Since it's set up for 6 people, we grilled with premium charcoal, and the distinct smoky flavor of charcoal really changes the taste of the meat. For 10 or more people, stone-plate barbecue is also available. Watching the night view, staring at the fire, and eating meat together was genuinely healing.

Who Jirisan Secret Garden suits

• Anyone wanting to rent a standalone villa for a small group trip of around 6 people
• Anyone planning a summer valley outing near Jirisan
• Anyone who wants karaoke, fire-watching, and barbecue all in one trip
• Anyone who wants to relax with a clay sauna sweat session in winter
• Anyone who wants to bring their dog along (pets allowed)

Overall verdict on Jirisan Secret Garden

Right next to a valley, with karaoke, a clay sauna, a fire pit, and barbecue all available in one place. The owner was kind, the night view was pretty, and it was just the right size villa for 6 people. It's a place I'd want to come back to for a summer valley trip.

Jirisan Secret Garden FAQ

Q. How does the barbecue work?

A. Let the owner know 30 minutes ahead and they'll come set it up. Charcoal barbecue is available for 6, and stone-plate barbecue for 10 or more.

Q. Is the valley close by?

A. It connects directly to the valley right below the villa. It's about 1 minute on foot.

Q. Are dogs allowed?

A. Yes! Pets are allowed in all rooms.

Q. Is there a karaoke room?

A. The villa has its own separate karaoke space.

Q. What is the clay sauna room like?

A. It's a room where you can warm up and sweat. It's especially good to use during a winter visit.