December 2019 Property Spotlight: Polaris Pension on Daebudo Island

TL;DR

A two-story villa on Daebudo Island with pool, karaoke, and a sprawling natural lawn its owner tends year-round. The owner reflects on five years of learning hospitality the hard way.

Property type: Private vacation home

Address: 4 Chamsari 1-gil, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do

Room type: Two-story private villa

Amenities: Swimming pool, karaoke room, BBQ area, trampoline, outdoor swings, arcade games

Nearby attractions: Seongamdo Island, sea fishing spots, Sihwanarae Rest Area, Daebudo Haesol Trail, Beruadel Horseback Riding, Tando Island, Noeseom Island, etc.

Q: Hi! Please introduce yourself and your property.

Hi, I'm Kwon Oh-kyung, owner of Polaris Pension on Daebudo Island. I started running the pension in November 2014. Back then, I had this simple idea — if I decorate the place nicely, guests come and stay, and after they leave, I just clean up. No friction. Easy, right? Well, five years into the hospitality business, I've learned the reality. (Laughs)

Polaris Pension is a 68-pyeong (roughly 2,240 sq. ft.) two-story private villa. Official capacity is 15 guests, but we can accommodate up to 20 — perfect for families and group getaways. There are four rooms total: two on the first floor (including a karaoke room), and two upstairs. We also have three bathrooms (one in the karaoke room, one on each floor), so it never feels crowded.

Our amenities include karaoke, arcade games, an outdoor pool, trampoline, and BBQ area. One feature guests love is the direct access from the kitchen to the BBQ deck — no awkward trips through the house. We also keep the front lawn in natural grass, and I tend the garden year-round so there's always something blooming from spring through fall.

Q: The spacious front lawn is stunning. Natural grass must be a lot of work, right?

Honestly, lawn care was the hardest part when I started. But after four years, I've become something of an expert. (Laughs) I could hire landscapers, but I run this place — I want it done my way. So I mow the grass myself, trim the smaller trees, even prune the pines. Right now, if you look outside, you'll see stones tied to some pine branches to weigh down wild growth. It's become fun once you get the hang of it.

Our garden has something blooming every season. Right now it's winter, so you can't see it, but in spring we get moss phlox, then tulips, then azaleas. After the azaleas fade, lilies bloom — and they're gorgeous. I planted different-colored lilies alongside the original white ones. Before I took over, the garden wasn't well-maintained. Now I've orchestrated it so flowers bloom continuously from spring to late fall. Next year will be even better.

The lawn has become a photo spot. Even non-guests wander in to take pictures. (Laughs) A lot of pensions in the area are replacing lawns with futsal courts to attract group bookings, which is trendy. But I think that strips away the natural charm you can only get here, away from the city. So I'm sticking with the grass, even if it's less profitable. Keeping Polaris's garden beautiful is our signature.

Q: Polaris was featured in a Korean TV drama! The pastel exterior and European vibe really stand out.

The drama appearance happened before I took over. When I acquired the property, it needed work — the building was aging, and with so much group traffic, there were areas that needed attention. I looked around at newer pensions, and they all had a different style. So I decided to refresh ours while keeping up with trends.

For example, the second-floor walls used to be bare paint — felt cold. I covered them with wallpaper to warm the space up. We regularly update décor, furniture, and linens. But since the building is old, the upgrades don't always show. It's frustrating. (Tears) I've considered rebuilding, but modern new-builds all look the same. If we went that route, we'd lose what makes Polaris special. So I'm holding off on new construction. That said, Daebudo is a major pension market — it'd be great if the city offered support for older wood-frame properties like ours, maybe subsidies for paint or landscaping.

Q: You have a ton of amenities — karaoke, BBQ, pool, games. Doesn't that create a lot of work?

We do have a lot — karaoke, BBQ area, outdoor pool, trampoline, toy cars for kids, arcade games. But honestly, none of it is that labor-intensive. (Laughs)

Of course there are challenges. Guests love the big karaoke room, but sometimes they break the monitor or throw wireless mics around. It doesn't happen often, but with group rentals, things get damaged. It's just part of the deal.

I also give guests quick pointers — nearby mudflat experiences, tourist spots, where to stop for groceries on the way. Sea fishing guests are usually expert anglers who've done their homework, so they've already booked ahead. (Laughs) I live nearby, so I'm on hand to share info and respond to needs, but I try to stay out of guests' way. Even though it's a group property, I want everyone to feel like they have privacy.

Q: You're not technically a kids' pension, but you run special events for families with children?

Right. We're not a kids' pension, but with a 15+ person capacity, we get lots of families with kids, friend groups, alumni reunions, company retreats — a wide age range. Other pensions are installing artificial turf futsal courts, so I asked guests what they thought. Everyone said, "Don't get rid of the natural grass." So I thought: how do we keep the lawn and still differentiate ourselves?

Kids in cities don't get much outdoor playtime. Here, they can run on the grass. Parents love that. So I stocked toy ride-on cars for the lawn, and I keep hanbok (traditional Korean dress) and princess dresses on hand for photo ops. When guests book, I ask if they're bringing kids. If so, I offer the cars and costumes. We're not famous yet, but the families who've used them have loved it.

Q: There's a mudflat right in front of the property. Does that make cleaning — especially bathrooms — tricky?

Mudflat tourism isn't as popular now, but it used to be huge thanks to TV coverage. There's a faucet at the mudflat where guests can rinse off before coming inside, and we guide them to do that. But some people still come straight indoors to shower. If you rinse mudflat silt directly in the drain, it hardens and clogs everything — water won't go down. We can't fix it ourselves; we have to call a plumber. So I really wish guests would use the outdoor faucets (we have one in the garden, too) for the initial rinse. (Laughs)

Drain clogs are my biggest cleaning concern. Occasionally, guests touch walls or towels with muddy hands after the experience. Walls wipe clean, but our towels are white — once mud sets in, they're ruined.

For trash and dishes, we ask guests to handle basics since we're a private rental, not a hotel. I send a reminder text ahead of time, and most people are good about it.

Q: Your online reviews are excellent. How did you build that reputation?

We left our previous booking agency this past summer — it wasn't planned, and suddenly I was on my own. No roadmap. The first two months were terrifying, and honestly, I'm still learning. Then I met an ONDA account manager, explored other platforms, and started educating myself on booking management, operations, marketing. I ran ads I'd never tried before. Summer peak season timing helped, and I got advice from more experienced operators in the area. I'm still figuring out what works for us — lots of trial and error.

My top priority is minimizing guest discomfort. Discomfort turns into complaints. Since our building is older, I obsess over things like power outages, boiler failures, hot water supply. We use a night-storage boiler that accumulates hot water, so with a full house, it can run low. I installed a backup tank. For groups, one fridge isn't enough, so I put a kimchi fridge in the BBQ area for drinks and extras.

I take guest feedback seriously and keep improving. In the past, I've refunded guests when hot water failed. One summer, the power tripped from overuse, and I ran out to buy ice water. It's been baptism by fire. (Tears)

Q: Daebudo is packed with pensions. What sets Polaris apart? Any advice for aspiring operators here?

We won't tear out the garden like others have. We'll keep the natural lawn and just keep improving the landscaping. For anyone opening a new pension here, I'd say go with new construction. But keep the floor plan simple, and invest in quality basics — that's the key to success. New builds do well, right? (Laughs)

I also think we all need to be vigilant about safety and incidents. In this industry, one accident triggers nationwide inspections and hurts everyone. So I always prioritize safety checks. Since Polaris is a wood-frame building, I'm especially careful about fire hazards — I replace adapters, check for electrical faults, and stay on top of maintenance.

Q: How did you discover ONDA, and how has it been?

As I mentioned, after leaving our old booking agency, I was searching online for new reservation management and distribution tools. Another pension owner in the area — already using ONDA — introduced me to an account manager. The manager was friendly and helpful, so I decided to try ONDA for both PMS and distribution.

I'm 100% satisfied. (Laughs) ONDA's been a huge help with reservations, and I also use the GDS distribution service. The promotions and events are great — sales have been strong. They're first-come, first-served, so I make sure to apply every time. I hope to keep benefiting from those campaigns.

Q: Finally, any hidden gems or favorite restaurants near the property?

Daebudo has way more than kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) — there are tons of great spots, including some famous online. Since most of my guests come in groups, I haven't been able to share as much as I'd like, so this is my chance! (Laughs) First, near the Jeong Moon-gyu Art Museum on Buldo, there's a raw fish center. Some of the restaurants are run by boat captains who catch their own fish — if you want wild-caught sashimi, go there. "Grandma's Ox-Head Soup & Sokcho Dried Pollack Naengmyeon" serves ox-head soup, dumplings, and cold pollack noodles — hot and cold in one meal. You can order half or full plates of dumplings.

"Killer Dongchimi Noodles" isn't just noodles — they have a full menu. Get the clam kalguksu as a base, then add soybean paste chive bibimbap or pajeon (savory pancake). "Lee Young-hwa Gyodong Jjamppong" is packed with people for a reason. Next door, the loach soup place is solid too. "Jincheon Native Sundae Soup" does sundae soup, offal soup, and gopchang jeongol (intestine hot pot) — all great. They give you way more intestines than Seoul places, so I especially recommend the hot pot.

There's also tofu restaurants, budae jjigae (army stew), duruchigi (stir-fried pork), free-range chicken, duck — so much variety on Daebudo. Don't just eat kalguksu! And personally, I think the Daebudo corn steamed buns are even better than the famous Anheung ones. They get chewier as they cool. (Laughs)