Beginner surf lesson at Seolak Beach, Yangyang: Surfhorang, first time
In short
Surfhorang is a surf school on the 2nd floor right in front of Seolak Beach in Yangyang, Gangwon. The writer, who has a fear of water, tried surfing for the first time ever with the ₩50,000 beginner course — a 2-hour lesson plus gear, photos and free surfing until 6pm — and managed to stand up on the board. Hands-on coaching from an active shortboard racer couple, clean showers and changing rooms, and DSLR photos made this a highly satisfying pick for total beginners.
Good to know
- Location
- 2nd floor, 9 Dwinnaru2-gil, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do (10 seconds' walk from Seolak Beach)
- Getting there
- 1 hour 40 minutes from Seoul; 5 minutes by car from Yangyang Bus Terminal
- Parking
- Seolak Beach public parking lot, 30 seconds' walk to Surfhorang
- Course booked
- Beginner course, ₩50,000 (2-hour lesson + gear + photos + free surfing until 6pm)
- Lesson length
- About 1.5 hours of hands-on practice after theory class
- Facilities
- 1 locker per group per day, changing room doubling as shower, 2 towels per person, shampoo/conditioner/body wash provided
- Group size that day
- About 12 people in the lesson
as written by the visitor on Sep 7, 2026
I went to Yangyang for a late-summer vacation this year! And Yangyang means surfing, right? I'm a total water chicken, but I finally tried surfing for the very first time in my life!!! I searched and searched through so many shops before picking this one, and I ended up 200% satisfied — let me tell you all about it. Yangyang's Surfhorang.
Surfhorang's location and parking
Location: 2nd floor, 9 Dwinnaru2-gil, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do. It's 1 hour 40 minutes from Seoul, and just 5 minutes by car from Yangyang Bus Terminal.
Parking: Use the Seolak Beach public parking lot (30 seconds' walk to Surfhorang).
The full view of Surfhorang! It's about 10 seconds from the beach.
What's included in the ₩50,000 beginner course
We booked the beginner course through Naver Reservations — 2-hour lesson + gear + photos + free surfing until 6pm, all for ₩50,000!
This is what it looks like when you come up to the 2nd floor!
Trustworthy PE-teacher instructors
The biggest reason I picked Surfhorang!!! It's run by a couple who majored in physical education and sports coaching, and who are currently active shortboard racers!!!
Active competitors — need I say more?? Having real experts sticking close by really put my water-fear self at ease haha.
How the beginner lesson goes
First you sign a consent form, then listen to the beginner lesson lecture! They explain everything from terminology to safety rules so clearly it sticks in your head — basics fully loaded!
Then you take these clothes and head straight to the changing room next door.
One locker per group per day! You leave your clothes and phone inside, and you can hand the key to the staff there.
Shower and changing room conditions
The shower doubles as the changing room, and even though our lesson group was around 12 people, we changed comfortably with zero waiting. They even gave us 2 towels per person!! Plus quality shampoo, conditioner, and body wash!! It was really great.
Things worth bringing
Recommended item: a water bottle. After the theory session, the practice lesson runs about 1.5 hours, and it's surprisingly exhausting, so you get super thirsty lol. Luckily there's a CU convenience store right next door, so I bought ice and kept refilling my bottle. Also, a hat is a must!! I put on sunscreen but it all wore off lol.
- Water bottle (buy ice at the convenience store next door to fill it)
- Hat is a must
- Sunscreen wears off no matter what
Real surfing at Seolak Beach and the photo op
Finally, off to Seolak Beach!! The water is super clear and shallow, making it the perfect ocean for beginners to practice in.
They take your photo-of-a-lifetime shots at the photo zone first! No need to bring your own phone — a staff member walks around with a DSLR camera taking photos for you.
Warming up before the lesson.
The instructor timed the waves perfectly to push me at just the right moment, so even someone with zero athletic ability like me managed to stand up haha! That thrill of cutting through the wind as you go... a total dopamine explosion, unforgettable...
Since I could surf freely until 6pm, I practiced hard until I nearly ran out of energy. I woke up with full-body muscle pain the next day, but it was so much fun. I'm definitely coming back to do this again!!
Overall thoughts on Surfhorang
Detailed, hands-on coaching from real experts, clean changing rooms and shower facilities, plus DSLR photos of a lifetime! There wasn't a single thing missing — it was a perfectly complete surfing experience. If you're trying surfing for the first time in Yangyang, or you want to learn safely and have fun, I highly, highly recommend Surfhorang!!!!
Where it is
9 Dwinnaru2-gil, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea, 2nd floor강원특별자치도 양양군 강현면 뒷나루2길 9 2층 서프호랑