Jeju City media art attraction at 5pm on a Friday: Nohyeong

How's everyone's Jeju trip going these days? The midday sun is still surprisingly harsh, making it a bit tough to walk around outdoors. So this time I went looking mainly for a course I could enjoy comfortably indoors.

I've always loved flashy media art exhibitions and there was one place I'd wanted to visit for ages, so I finally made it there. It's Nohyeong Supermarket (노형수퍼마켙), a spot that's consistently loved as a place to visit in Jeju City!

Parking and the walk to the Nohyeong Supermarket entrance

Nohyeong Supermarket is at 89 Nohyeong-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju. I visited around 5pm on a Friday, and probably because it was close to closing time, the parking lot was much roomier than I expected, so I could park comfortably. The building's exterior feels grand yet has a unique vibe. On a wall reminiscent of Jeju stone walls, a huge Nohyeong Supermarket sign is written, so you can spot it from far away at a glance.

Once you've parked, just follow the path along the side of the building and you'll naturally arrive at the entrance in front. The route isn't complicated, so it was easy to find.

Ticketing, the black-and-white lobby and using the Jeju Tour Pass

After ticketing, looking around you'll find a distinctive world done entirely in black and white. It's a charming space that gives an odd feeling, like you've traveled back in time to a black-and-white past. FYI, Nohyeong Supermarket accepts the Jeju Tour Pass, so it's worth grabbing that discount and planning a fuller Jeju trip — a tip I'd recommend.

From the lobby to the exhibition entrance, the whole space is achromatic black and white, so wearing bright, vivid colors when you visit makes you stand out much more clearly in photos, for pretty life shots. There's a kiosk installed so you can quickly print on-site tickets or pre-booked ones.

Café Nohyeong Dabang and the souvenir shop

There's also a café (Nohyeong Dabang) selling various drinks and special merchandise, plus a souvenir shop. The counter, display shelves, and the whole store are done in monotone, which is unique. My ticket was the drink-package type, so I could technically drink it after finishing the tour, but since it was close to closing time, I got it in a takeout cup and carried it along.

This is the vintage clock photo zone that fills the café wall. Countless analog clocks styled in black and white were impressive.

This is the corridor leading into the exhibition hall. Old signs and posters unfold in black and white, adding things to look at as you climb the stairs.

Ah, those were the days... It was fun chatting with my husband about it.

This is the retro-style Nohyeong Supermarket entrance, the starting point leading into the full-scale media art world. The little corner-store feel was genuinely fascinating.

The notice posted just before entering the media art hall explains that after watching about a 3-minute pre-show, the opposite door opens and you enter the main hall to enjoy the varied media interactive exhibits.

Inside the black-and-white retro supermarket and the pre-show

Stepping inside Nohyeong Supermarket feels like taking a nostalgic trip to the past, full of familiar, welcoming objects.

From paper dolls to ddakji (folded paper tiles) I played with as a kid, the props stir up all kinds of nostalgia. But since this entire space and all its props are done purely in black and white, it doesn't just feel retro — it feels like stepping into a much more distant past, a strange and special experience.

Here you watch the pre-show for a bit. This achromatic vending machine ends up being the secret door connecting to another dimension of media art.

Once the pre-show ends, the lighting flips and dazzling, mysterious laser lights begin to pour out around the once black-and-white door. The moment of suddenly crossing from a black-and-white world into a vivid media art world was a fantastic bit of staging.

The moment the secret door opens and you step in, the black-and-white world is nowhere to be seen, replaced by a dazzlingly gorgeous display of light. The whole space is filled with mysterious light and color — pretty enough that you'll want to take about five million photos.

So pretty, right? You really end up pressing the shutter nonstop.

Media art and interactive screens in the main hall

Stepping into the overwhelmingly scaled main hall feels like arriving at a huge theater or art museum. With grand music, the media art themes covering the walls and floor keep changing endlessly, and even just sitting and watching, I lost track of time.

Seeing Van Gogh's famous Starry Night Over the Rhône rendered as large-scale media art made it even more fantastic and beautiful.

An elegant woman's pose filled the entire wide screen, so beautiful it left me speechless with admiration.

Interactive elements react organically as visitors step or walk on the floor, creating rippling effects, which made the experience even more fun and engaging. You can also take in beautiful views of Jeju's natural scenery.

Gopeullak photo zone and the motion-responsive media art zone

This is Nohyeong Supermarket's Gopeullak (곱을락) space. Gopeullak is Jeju dialect for hide-and-seek, and going into this hidden space within the main hall reveals an adorable photo zone and an interactive area you experience with your whole body. The dol hareubang (stone grandfather statue) rolling its round eyes to catch your attention is so cute, right?

It's a dreamlike lighting space that feels like walking through a bamboo forest full of fireflies. This is another pretty photo zone.

This is the responsive media art zone that reacts to visitors' movement and touch. It was fun watching light and color spread fantastically whenever visitors moved.

Is Nohyeong Supermarket a good indoor date course in Jeju?

For escaping the still-hot midday sun and enjoying a comfortable indoor date, Nohyeong Supermarket was truly an excellent choice. From the retro black-and-white secret door at the start to the overwhelmingly scaled media art hall, photo zones, and interactive experiences, there was so much to see and do that I lost track of time.

If you're looking for a place to visit in Jeju City that lets you take in plenty of sights while also getting great life shots, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Wear something bright and vivid, and make some fun Jeju travel memories with the people you care about.