Gray tiled roofs overlook a settlement at the foot of the hills and blue sea

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Namhae’s Boriam, a temple among Geumsan’s rocks with sea views

Published Oct 10, 2026

Boriam, a hermitage set among the rock peaks of Geumsan in Namhae, looks out over tiled roofs to the sea off Sangju. It is an active place of prayer, so visitors who come for the view should walk quietly.

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At Boriam the sea opens beyond the temple roofs. Wooded ridges, bare rock, a settlement below and the coastline fit into a single view. Having looked up at the mountain from the shore, visitors here look back down at the sea.

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The hermitage is known as a place of prayer to Gwaneum, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion. Some come for the view; others come to pray. Around the halls and the Gwaneum statue, keep voices low and leave room for worshippers.

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A foundation legend links the site to the monk Wonhyo. A documented reference to Boriam appears in the Dongguk yeoji seungnam, compiled in 1481. The founding year is uncertain, but the site’s long history as a place of prayer above the sea is not.

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The Korea National Park Service says the 0.12 km Boriam–Hwaeombong–Dangunseongjeon junction section reopened on September 12, 2026, after deck-stair work. The Namhae County archive photographs are undated and do not show the new stairs or today’s weather.