Hong Gildong Theme Park Jangseong: Free Water Play for Families

During a recent overnight family trip to Jangseong, we stumbled upon the fantastic Hong Gildong Theme Park and its incredible free water play area. It was such a hit with the kids, I had to share our experience!

Hong Gildong Theme Park

384 Agok-ri, Hwangnyong-myeon, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea

011-82-61-394-7242

This was our first time visiting Jangseong's Hong Gildong Theme Park. For those unfamiliar, Hong Gildong is a legendary figure in Korean folklore, often dubbed the 'Korean Robin Hood.' This theme park brings his life story to life, meticulously documented through historical records of the Joseon Dynasty.

While the park boasts a variety of facilities, today I'll focus on the fantastic free water play area, perfect for keeping kids cool and entertained during the summer months of 2026.

After parking, a helpful map of the theme park immediately greeted us. It highlighted various amenities like the auto-camping site, a snack bar, fountains, a futsal field, an ecological learning center, Hong Gildong's birthplace replica, and the Cheongbaek Hanok village.

The Cheongbaek Hanok, nestled within the theme park, offers traditional Korean house accommodations. It appears to be managed by the Jangseong county, providing an authentic stay experience.

We arrived around 4 PM, and although the official closing time was 5 PM, the water play area had already begun draining its water. Lesson learned: arrive early!

The water play area, while an inflatable type, was being diligently cleaned after closing. We heard that to secure a good spot, families often arrive as early as 8 AM, even though the water park and floor fountains officially operate from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Thankfully, the floor fountains kept running a little past 5 PM, giving our kids some extra splash time.

Even just the floor fountains were plenty of fun for the kids!

And the adults enjoyed them too, cooling off on a warm day.

As it was nearing closing time, the crowds had thinned out considerably, making for a more relaxed experience.

The snack bar offered standard fare like instant ramen, drinks, and ice cream. They even had a machine that could prepare hot ramen, which was a welcome treat!

For those looking to extend their stay, there was also a camping area with rented decks, perfect for pitching tents.

The park also features well-maintained walking trails. It seems like a fantastic spot for families to enjoy a day of camping, water play, and leisurely hikes, making the most of the beautiful surroundings.

Separately, there was also a paid water play area featuring trampolines and a small swimming pool, which cost ~$7 to use. Since we had made a special trip, and the free water area was closing, we decided to pay for the kids to enjoy this section. However, the water quality here was quite disappointing. The swimming pool was reportedly open from 9 AM to 6 PM.

It seemed the trampolines operated a bit later, perhaps catering to the children staying at the campground. Kids could easily switch between swimming and bouncing, which was a nice touch.

The kids truly had a blast playing in the floor fountains. This park is genuinely a fantastic destination for families visiting Jangseong, especially in the summer of 2026.

There was also a decorative fountain. It's important to keep an eye on children here, as there's an electrical current, and they shouldn't enter the fountain itself.

With an auto-camping site available, booking a caravan for a family trip here would also be a fantastic idea.

Near the restrooms, there was also a shower facility, though it only provided cold water.

We ended up visiting Hong Gildong Theme Park because our accommodation was about a 20-minute drive away. We were pleasantly surprised by how well-equipped the facilities were, and the free floor fountains and mini water play area made it a wonderful place for kids to enjoy themselves. If you arrive early, you might snag a prime spot, but it's wise to bring a pop-up tent, picnic mat, and chairs just in case. Since it's an open area with free entry, bringing your own snacks and drinks is also a great idea for a perfect family outing in 2026!