Nonsan City Tour Bus Review 2026: Sunshine Land & Historic Charm

Did you know?

2025-2026 is designated as the 'Year of Visiting Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do'!

You might be thinking, "Isn't Nonsan just home to the Nonsan Army Training Center and nothing else?"

Well, Nonsan is famous for its strawberries...

...and it's also where Sunshine Land, the filming location for 'Mr. Sunshine,' is!

It's the perfect destination for a romantic getaway!

I heard that the Nonsan City Tour Bus program

is being run by Nonsan City for an incredibly low price of just ~$4!

So, I spontaneously (?) decided to go check it out!

From costs to booking links and the itinerary...

I'm excited to share my vivid review with you!

A Journey by Bus in Search of Romance

Nonsan City Tour

From late August until November 28th,

every Saturday‼️

you've got a great reason to visit Nonsan!

For just ~$4

(plus Sunshine Land admission fee ~$4)

you can experience the Nonsan City Tour for ~$7!

(And it even includes a cultural tourism guide!)

The special Ganggyeong Night Tour course has finished its run,

but you can still enjoy the Nonsan Bus City Tour with the Sunshine Land course.

Nonsan City Tour Booking Link

What a clear sky after a long time!

This is my first time back in Nonsan since Samdol-i enlisted/completed his military service.

Nonsan City, with its population of 105,700...

Outside of a few major cities,

the population in regional areas is unfortunately dwindling,

leading to concerns about future depopulation – it's a sobering thought.

ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Our country has so many charming places,

and we really need tourism to help preserve them...

The day before, I received a confirmation message from the travel agency.

The meeting point, based on Nonsan Station,

is right in front of the Tourism Information Center, opposite Nonsan Station‼️

The bus license plate number is also provided,

making it super convenient!

They handed out Nonsan City Tour lanyards

and souvenirs prepared by Nonsan City!

...Isn't this going to be a loss for them?

We got a strawberry-shaped scrubber, a specialty of Nonsan,

wet wipes, and even a reusable cup!

I actually took the Ganggyeong Night Tour special course,

and I was worried it might not run due to low enrollment.

Thankfully, we just exceeded the minimum number of participants right before the tour,

so the tour went ahead, much to the delight of both the staff and our cultural tourism guide!

Nonsan City Tour Course

Ganggyeong - Sunshine Land - Tapjeongho Suspension Bridge

This bus tour runs from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Ganggyeong is a region primarily known for rice cultivation,

and during the Japanese colonial period in 1919, a lot of rice was reportedly plundered by Japan.

Its old name was 'Gaenggaeng'.

When Night Falls, Ganggyeong Flows Anew

Ganggyeong Modern History Street

It's pretty fascinating that the famous actress Kang Bu-ja hails from Ganggyeong,

and there's even a 'Kang Bu-ja Road' named after her!

Haha.

At the entrance of the Modern History Street,

we even ran into a former mayor of Nonsan?

who is also a member of the National Assembly.

He turned out to be a former student of our cultural tourism guide,

so we unexpectedly got to greet him with the tour group!

I had visited for the National Heritage Night Walk,

so I went in the evening,

but the daytime would probably be quite charming too!

The Ganggyeong Modern History Street has excellent guide maps,

showcasing Ganggyeong's old appearance,

the upper and lower markets,

and the street connecting these two markets

has now become the Ganggyeong Modern History Street,

which people are actively seeking out today.

When I visited, the course was really well-organized,

there was busking,

and so many fun things to see and do!

This is Ganggyeong Modern Sanghwa, a place that creates and displays merchandise (MD) from Ganggyeong/Nonsan.

Ganggyeong Modern Sanghwa

If you visit wearing your bus tour lanyard,

you can get a free souvenir‼️

I got a super cute keyring!

What a sweet deal!

There are so many restaurants here, like places serving Milmyeon (wheat noodles), Donkatsu (pork cutlet), Rice Noodles, and cafes,

and even Jeotgal Baekban (fermented seafood set meal) restaurants.

I went to Taepyeong Sikdang,

where I had their clear Blowfish Jjigae,

which comes with a whole blowfish.

The *changnan-jeot* (fermented pollock innards) served as a side dish was incredibly delicious,

making me wish I had also tried their Jeotgal Baekban.

It truly felt like a street straight out of a romance novel.

After lunch, I grabbed a coffee at a cafe,

and enjoyed some people-watching.

I even enjoyed a cocktail for just ~$1,

which was the perfect way to wrap up my exploration of Ganggyeong Modern Street.

Sunshine Land (Including the Military Experience Center)

While perhaps not every man dreams of a military experience,

this Military Experience Center was quite popular with children and students.

You can try shooting,

and there's even a 1950 Studio,

making it a lot of fun to look around.

After registering at the information desk,

you can experience basic training, VR, and even live-fire training.

As for the outdoor survival game,

let's save that for when the weather cools down a bit!

I was surprised by the variety of productions filmed at the 1950 Studio.

Even 'The King,' 'Pachinko,' and 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed'?

I've seen those!

It felt like time traveling

to the past.

There were quite a few couples who rented

retro outfits and

took pictures.

Amor Fati〰️

And what I was most excited for

was Sunshine Studio.

The original admission fee is ~$7, but

for city tour participants, you get the Nonsan citizen discount,

meaning you can get half price off‼️😇

Oh wow,

I really enjoyed watching Mr. Sunshine,

and I watched it again,

but to think that drama came out in 2018...

that 8 years have already passed!

Every Gwangbokjeol (Korean Liberation Day),

Kim Min-jung uploads Kudo Hina's Instagram stories,

and I'm still obsessed with it...

From the moment I stepped into Sunshine Studio,

the scenes I saw in the drama came to mind,

which was fun.

But standing under the bridge where the final deaths occurred,

and at the Glory Hotel,

my heart felt strangely touched and emotional.

They even fenced here, you know...

At the Glory Hotel,

the drama's OST was playing

and they had Mr. Sunshine videos playing,

so I became Eugene Choi,

then Go Ae-shin,

then Kudo Hina,

and even Kim Eui-sung.

(Just not Lee Wan-ik!)

Right next to the hotel reception,

actual costumes are on display,

and the second floor is bustling as a cafe!

This is Kim Ui-seong's (played by Byun Yo-han) spot!

The cafe was absolutely packed!

And how about this? There's even the Boulangerie Française (French Bakery)

that made me wonder, 'How did they blend PPL so perfectly here?' It's brilliant!

At every single spot,

you can uncover traces of the drama,

and that's precisely how you truly immerse yourself in the magic of Sunshine Studio!

This tavern is *that* very spot where Kim Tae-ri's formidable gentlemen

would share a drink!

And don't miss the market street

where Gu Dong-mae often stirred up trouble!

Ah, the heartbreaking bridge...

ㅠㅠㅠ So many feels!

At the Sunshine Salon boutique,

you can even rent costumes!

So, yes, you too can transform into Eugene Choi for a day!

Oh, and that streetcar! It instantly brings to mind the elegant Kudo Hina,

and of course, Na Ae-sin and Eugene Choi's iconic scene together!

You'll also spot Daeanmun Gate!

The heart-wrenching shootout

that tragically severed a train car...

it all leads to the drama's poignant, tragic ending.

See you again,,

This incredible place is Korea's very first public-private partnership drama theme park!

Nonsan City provided the land and essential infrastructure,

while the production company behind 'Mr. Sunshine'

and a broadcast content production company jointly invested

to bring this spectacular filming set to life.

Can you believe that Kim Eun-hee's masterpiece,

Mr. Sunshine, was born right here?!

Omg! ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

You can also enjoy the historical exhibits,

so be sure not to miss out!

Tapjeongho Lake Suspension Bridge

Tapjeongho Lake, the second-largest lake in Chungcheongnam-do,

offers lovely walks along the waterfront deck paths, and you can cross

the 600m-long suspension bridge, which is the longest of its kind in Asia!

They say you can even enjoy a stunning media facade and beautiful night views

with scenic lighting after dark.

On the way to the bridge,

cooling fog is sprayed,

making it cool and refreshing, just like a mist!

The wobbly, shaky bridge...

I usually can't bring myself to cross things like this,

but I focused on the wooden planks

and just kept looking straight ahead.

The wind here is incredibly strong,

so be sure to hold onto your hat!

Finally, a glimpse of Tapjeongho Lake

from the very end of the bridge.

(Just a note, the water isn't exactly pristine!)

That's me, having bravely crossed that bridge!

What is this, you ask?

Why 'Dynamite' of all things?!

BTS heart Amy's destiny theory...

And with that, my one-day Nonsan City Tour

came to an end!

I hear that during summer, they even run a strawberry festival course,

so I really hope the Nonsan City Tour gets lots of recognition

and continues to flourish!

Nonsan's 11 Must-See Sights

Eunjin Mireuk Buddha at Gwanchoksa Temple

Tapjeongho Lake and Suspension Bridge

Surak Valley in Daedunsan Mountain

General Gyebaek Historic Site

Ssanggyesa Temple

Gaetaesa Temple

Ganggyeong Port and Modern History Street

Noseongsanseong Fortress and Myeongjae Historic House

Donam Seowon, a World Heritage Site

Sunshine Land

Jonghakdang and the Korea Confucian Culture Institute

Even though I set out for a day trip,

Nonsan offers surprisingly more sights than I imagined!

Now that the weather has gotten much cooler,

I'm leaving this review thinking it would be wonderful for an overnight trip too.

*P.S. From October 15th to October 19th,

there's also the Ganggyeong Fermented Seafood Festival! 〰️🦐

If you need to book accommodation in Nonsan/Ganggyeong,

check below! ⬇️⬇️