In 2024 I climbed Hallasan via the Seongpanak trail.
I came down around 8 or 9 in the evening. When people are running late on the descent, there's a rail system laid along the trail that carries them down, but that day an injured hiker was already using it, so I had to walk. Hallasan at night was pitch dark. There are no street lamps, so I made my way down anxiously by the light of my phone.
The real problem came after I got down. I couldn't get a taxi. Call-taxi services don't operate in that area, and even when I set my accommodation — the Nanta Hotel — as the destination in Kakao Taxi, nobody responded. Fair enough — who else would be at Seongpanak in the middle of the night?
In the end I made it back to the hotel by Kakao Taxi. It was a trick that occurred to me thanks to my time working in the mobility industry. I hope it helps someone.
Set your accommodation as the origin and the Seongpanak entrance as the destination, then call a Kakao Taxi
Kakao Taxi's algorithm looks for cars near the pickup point. There are no taxis around Seongpanak, so the request never gets picked up.
Flip it: request a ride with your accommodation as the origin and the Seongpanak entrance as the destination, and a driver will accept. Once one does, call them and say, "Something's come up and I need to swap the pickup and drop-off — I'll cover the extra fare," and they'll take you.