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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Jeju Island location page.
Overview
A volcanic islet about 1.5 km off Seogwipo on Jeju's south coast, ringed by vertical rock walls that drop into Korea's richest soft coral community — a habitat protected as Natural Monument No. 421. Warmed by the Tsushima Current, a branch of the Kuroshio reaching unusually high latitude, the walls below 15 m are carpeted with orange and pink Dendronephthya soft corals, Scleronephthya colonies and tall gorgonian sea whips, with more than 90 anthozoan species recorded. Schools of yellowtail amberjack hang in the current and green turtles pass through in the warm months. Depths run from a shallow shelf around 5 m to soft-coral cliffs past 40 m, and tidal flow can be strong, so dives are timed to slack water.
Briefing note
Munseom lies within the Seogwipo Marine Park and Jeju Biosphere Reserve; the soft coral habitat is designated Natural Monument No. 421 — no touching, anchoring or collecting. Tidal currents can be strong and dives are planned around slack water, so most operators require Advanced Open Water. Winter water drops to around 13–14°C, calling for a 7mm semidry or drysuit with hood and gloves from December through April. Boats depart Seogwipo Harbour; summer typhoon swells (July–September) frequently cancel diving.
What you'll see
6 species curated- year-roundCarnation soft coral
- year-roundScleronephthya soft coral
- year-roundGorgonian sea whip
- year-roundAlveopora coral
- year-roundYellowtail amberjack
- seasonalGreen sea turtlePeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14–16 °C | 12–20 m | strong |
| Feb | 13–15 °C | 12–20 m | strong |
| Mar | 13–15 °C | 10–18 m | strong |
| Apr | 14–16 °C | 10–18 m | moderate |
| May | 16–18 °C | 10–15 m | moderate |
| Jun | 19–22 °C | 8–15 m | moderate |
| Jul | 22–25 °C | 8–15 m | moderate |
| Aug | 25–27 °C | 8–15 m | moderate |
| Sep | 24–26 °C | 15–25 m | strong |
| Oct | 22–24 °C | 15–25 m | strong |
| Nov | 19–21 °C | 12–20 m | strong |
| Dec | 16–18 °C | 12–20 m | strong |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
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