Gyeongju Gyerim Forest

About this place

This forest lies between Cheomseongdae and Wolseong Fortress and is the legendary birthplace of Alji, the progenitor of the Gyeongju Kim clan of Silla. During the reign of King Talhae (Seok clan), a minister named Hogong heard a rooster crowing in the forest; approaching, he found a golden chest hanging from a tree branch. The king went to the forest, opened the chest, and found a baby boy. Because the child was born from a golden chest (金櫃, geumgwe), the family name Kim (金, gold) was given, and the name Alji was bestowed. The forest, originally called Sirim (始林) or Gurim (鳩林), was renamed Gyerim (雞林, 'Rooster Forest') and the name was adopted as the national name of Silla. The grove, dense with old zelkova trees, is a peaceful walk visited by Silla royalty and revered as the sacred birthplace of the Kim royal lineage.