Yesan County in South Chungcheong Province has imposed nighttime access restrictions on a reservoir that served as the real-life backdrop for "Salmokji," Korea's top-grossing horror film, after approximately 100 vehicles began flooding the site at midnight.
From Urban Legend to Film: Salmokji's 'Haunted Spot' Legacy
The county announced on its official social media account on May 14 that nighttime visits to Salmokji would be restricted "to prevent safety accidents." The curfew runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
"Please refrain from fishing, camping, cooking, and littering," the county said. "Do not approach the water's edge at night."
Salmokji is a reservoir built in 1982 to supply agricultural water, quietly known only among fishing enthusiasts until it was featured on MBC's "Late Night Horror Stories" in 2022.
Stories spread about a woman who nearly drove into the reservoir following GPS directions and later fell into a coma after a car accident, along with accounts of witnesses claiming to have seen "a ghost with its neck turned 90 degrees." The site became known as a "haunted spot" among the MZ generation.
A shaman who appeared on the show warned, "Ghosts still linger there. You should never go." The mystery deepened as tales circulated about suspicious drowning deaths in shallow waters and discoveries of "neokgeori," a shamanistic ritual to appease departed souls.
The horror film "Salmokji," based on these urban legends, opened on May 8 and has drawn 860,000 viewers as of the previous day.
Traffic Jams Disturb Residents, Safety Concerns Mount
As the box office success sparked a wave of real-life visits, online communities were flooded with posts describing convoys of around 100 cars heading to Salmokji at midnight. Photos circulated showing vehicles with headlights on, packed along the narrow unpaved access road.
Internet users joked that the road to Salmokji had become "Sallidangil" (a play on the trendy Ikseon-dong street), with comments such as "The ghosts must have fled in shock" and "Protect the ghosts' housing rights." Others quipped, "With hundreds of people bringing this much positive energy, even ghosts would run away" and "Salmokji became a hot spot and got auto-exorcised."
The influx of outsiders prompted nearby residents to complain about noise and traffic disruptions, while illegal dumping by some visitors also became an issue. Warnings emerged that passing vehicles on the narrow access road is virtually impossible, and careless driving could result in plunging into the reservoir.
Salmokji has indistinct boundaries between water and land, with deep mud in many areas, creating high risks of nighttime falls and drowning. Snakes, hornets, and wildlife including water deer frequently appear after dark, requiring extra caution.
The reservoir is a public facility managed by the Korea Rural Community Corporation, and unauthorized cooking, camping, and use of fire are punishable under relevant laws.
