Geoje is being re-highlighted as a wellness destination. Geoje City in Gyeongsangnam-do is presenting a special program for the health and well-being of its citizens in the new year of 2026.
The Geoje Healing Forest will operate the 'Forest Healing Yoga and Singing Bowl Meditation for Mindfulness' program from January 15 to February 26.
This program will be held every Thursday at 1 PM and 3 PM, totaling 14 sessions over 7 days. Each session lasts about 100 minutes, and 15 participants can join each session. Any Geoje citizen can apply, and participation is free.
However, due to the nature of the Naver reservation system, a minimum payment of 100 won is required in advance, which will be fully refunded on the day of the event. A representative from the Healing Forest stated, "To allow more citizens to participate, please cancel your reservation in advance if you cannot attend," and added, "If you have difficulty canceling the reservation yourself, you can also cancel it by phone."
The Fusion of Wellness Trends, Yoga Meets Singing Bowl Meditation
This program is an integrated healing program that combines yoga and sound healing, the two pillars of modern wellness trends. It is designed to help restore the balance of mind and body by experiencing yoga, which aids in physical alignment, and singing bowl meditation, which is auditory, in the natural environment of the forest.
Geoje Healing Forest, a 59.9ha Natural Healing Space
The Geoje Healing Forest is a forest healing facility located in Samgeo-dong, Geoje City, Gyeongsangnam-do (Ban Songjae-ro 68-37), which officially opened on May 1, 2025. This facility, covering a vast area of 59.9ha (approximately 180,000 pyeong), is equipped with various forest healing facilities, including a healing center, healing forest paths, healing baths, and water healing areas.
Within 8 months of its opening, it recorded over 15,600 cumulative visitors, establishing itself as a representative forest healing destination in the region. Among them, 4,216 participants took part in forest healing programs, including various groups such as public institutions and companies in the city, dementia care centers, welfare organizations for the disabled, programs for pregnant women, and external companies and welfare organizations.
In particular, the dementia self-help group for elderly individuals with dementia and their families at the Geoje City Dementia Care Center, as well as welfare and educational institutions for the disabled, regularly participate in forest healing programs every month to promote psychological and emotional stability. Institutions and organizations from other regions, such as the Busan and Changwon May 18 Democratic Uprising Memorial Foundation, Busan Health University, and Yeosu Larche Independent Living Center for the Disabled, have also come to visit, gaining national recognition.
Professional Forest Healing Instructors Provide Customized Programs
The greatest strength of the Geoje Healing Forest is that professional forest healing instructors are stationed there to operate customized forest healing programs aimed at reducing stress and enhancing immunity. Programs are optimized for different groups, including families, the elderly, the disabled, and pregnant women, based on participants' ages, health conditions, and purposes.
Currently, regular forest healing programs are temporarily suspended due to the end of the entrusted operation until March 2026, but various facilities and programs are being operated to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy healing experiences.
The Geoje Yuja foot bath and dry half-body bath can be used on-site without prior reservation. The usage fee for a 30-minute session is 3,000 won for the general public, and 2,000 won for Geoje citizens, seniors over 65, and those eligible for discounts such as veterans. Previously, only three Yuja foot baths were available, allowing a maximum of three people to use them simultaneously, but recently, three dry half-body baths have been added to increase capacity. Those who find water foot baths burdensome can choose dry half-body baths, providing a variety of experience options.
Scientific Basis and Wellness Effects of Forest Healing
Forest healing is a scientifically proven healing method that goes beyond simple walking. Phytoncides, which are natural substances released by trees to protect themselves from pests and microorganisms, reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and enhance the activity of natural killer cells (NK cells) when absorbed by the human body, thereby strengthening immunity.
Additionally, the negative ions in the forest promote serotonin secretion, alleviating feelings of depression and providing psychological stability. The visual stimuli of the forest, auditory stimuli such as the sounds of birds and water, and tactile experiences with soil and trees collectively heal the mind and body through the five senses.
According to domestic and international studies, forest bathing shows various health benefits, including lower blood pressure, stabilized heart rate, reduced stress hormones, improved concentration, alleviation of depression and anxiety, and improved sleep quality. In particular, yoga and meditation conducted in nature maximize these forest healing effects.
Establishing Itself as an Urban Wellness Hub
Choi Kyung-ho, the head of the Geoje City Forest Division, stated, "I hope you start the year 2026 with the choice of 'taking care of yourself'" and added, "I expect that through forest healing yoga and singing bowl meditation, it will be a warm day to reflect on oneself and meet the precious self again."
The Geoje Healing Forest operates year-round, excluding regular closure days on Tuesdays and holidays such as January 1, Lunar New Year, and Chuseok. Even during the temporary suspension of forest healing programs, the space will be open for visitors to experience rest and recovery in nature through ongoing experiential programs.
The city plans to resume forest healing programs in March 2026, and even before that, in January and February, it is welcoming citizens and visitors through special winter events like this 'Forest Healing Yoga and Singing Bowl Meditation.'
As stress and mental health management have emerged as important issues for modern people, the Geoje Healing Forest provides true opportunities for rest and recovery for both Geoje citizens and visitors from across the country as an integrated wellness space that combines natural healing power and professional programs.
Inquiries and Reservations: Geoje Healing Forest (68-37 Ban Songjae-ro, Geoje City)