1,200-pyeong media art hall in Jeju City: Nohyeong Supermarket

Why Nohyeong Supermarket was the indoor pick on a 90% rain day in Jeju City

It was a day with a 90% chance of rain forecast. Too risky to plan anything outdoors, so I spent a while looking into indoor options — turns out most people go to indoor exhibitions or museums when it rains during a Jeju trip. That's how I ended up choosing Nohyeong Supermarket.

What does Jeju sindari taste like? The Nohyeong Dabang package drink

We ticketed at the box office on the first floor. Since we used the package ticket, we got a drink at "Nohyeong Dabang" — and besides the basic Americano, there were some special Jeju-only options too. "Jeju sindari, strawberry milk, blue barley powder drink, Jeju tangerine juice." Tangerine juice, sure, but "sindari, blue barley powder drink..." — have you ever even heard of those? Haha. I love trying anything for the first time, so I was already excited. The Jeju sindari I picked was described as <a cool, tangy traditional drink made from fermented rice-barley and nuruk (fermentation starter)>. I tried it — the color was a pale, milky white like makgeolli or sikhye (sweet rice drink), and the taste had a slight tangy fizz to it. If I had to compare it to yogurt, it'd probably be good for your gut too, so I enjoyed sipping it as a fun new experience. For reference, the strawberry drink is <mashed strawberries mixed with milk>, and the blue barley powder drink is <roasted blue barley powder>. Isn't that fascinating?

Before entering: 1st floor restroom and free lockers at Nohyeong Supermarket

Past the entrance sign, before heading up the stairs to the 2nd floor, there's a restroom on the 1st floor — worth using first since the exhibit runs about an hour to an hour and a half. Right in front of the women's restroom there are free lockers, so you can stash any heavy bags or belongings. As you climb the stairs to the 2nd floor, the black-and-white photos on the wall bring back memories of our parents' generation's childhood. We climbed the stairs together saying "oh right, that's how it was back then," and at the top a staff member waits briefly to go over the announcements. We gathered with other visitors who'd been waiting and went in together, and the moment we stepped inside, we found ourselves in an entirely black-and-white supermarket space — genuinely surreal. Then suddenly, music and a voice burst in like breaking news, and the whole mood shifted completely. None of us expected that kind of staging, and all three of us were wide-eyed.

And then, a dreamlike space unfolded

Two scenes that stayed with me on the 1,200-pyeong screen

Past the disco ball room and the light room, we finally entered the main space, where a huge screen displayed all kinds of media art. They say it's about 1,200 pyeong with ceilings up to 20m high — once I heard that's equivalent to a 6-story building, it made sense why it felt so overwhelming. The themes kept shifting too — not just one, but art pieces, a beach, a dreamlike jungle, an aquarium, and more, one after another. It was great for sitting comfortably on the stepped seating and just zoning out while watching.

Out of all the scenes, two really stuck with me. One was something like an ancient shark bursting through aquarium glass, with water seeming to rush straight at us — it felt so real that all of us instinctively flinched. The other was an android robot reaching a hand out of the screen, which nearly made the person next to me scream. Both scenes felt less like watching something and more like actually being in that moment.

From the upper floor view down to the 1st floor touchscreen stage

Even the same screen felt way more 3D when viewed from the upper floor. The change in angle brought out the depth so much that it felt like watching it twice — once from below, once from above. I preferred the upper view since my neck didn't hurt as much, but watching up close from below had its own charm too.

Bottom line: after you've taken your fill of the view from above, make sure to head down to the 1st floor stage. There's a front touchscreen and a floor touchscreen, so it's not just something you watch — you actually get to participate. Walking or running across the stage, or holding your hand up to the screen and watching it react, was so fun that my aunt got the most excited out of all of us, like a kid.

The ladder game after the exhibition: ice cream and jelly prizes

After finishing the exhibit, if you enter through the other doors on the right and left of the stage, you can write a short Naver review and then play a ladder game. My mom won ice cream, and my aunt won jelly. It was a nice little gift to wrap up the visit on a happy note.

Why Nohyeong Supermarket works as an indoor stop near Jeju Airport

When rain is in the forecast during a Jeju trip, planning always gets tricky, but writing off the whole day feels like a waste too. If you're looking for things to do in Jeju Island near Jeju Airport on a day like that, give Nohyeong Supermarket a try. It's close to Jeju Airport, so it works well right after picking up a rental car, or as a quick stop right before returning one. An hour to an hour and a half should be plenty of time.

It was also an easy route to bring along toddlers or older family members. Looking around, there were plenty of families with kids and families with elderly parents, plus quite a few couples on dates. It seems like a place that's enjoyable for a wide range of ages and companions.