Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital in South Korea 2024-2025

Psychiatric hospitals are creepy in general and abandoned ones twice as creepy, and when they also have a reputation of being haunted—that's even worse!

Best time: all year round

Abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric hospital is known for its scary tales throughout Korea and abroad. Mind that the building isn't haunted by the ghosts of just some normal sound people, but rather the insane... CNN has claimed it one of the world's freakiest places, which obviously proves its reputation.

Although people say that mental hospital was closed in the 1990s due to murderous patients, and mad doctors, the truth is less sensational. In fact, it happened because of economic downturns that resulted in unsanitary conditions, and problems with sewage. The owner chose to simply escape, and the fate of the patients isn't absolutely clear.

Even though there most likely are no ghosts, the place is freaky with its rusted out machines and other hospital remnants, filthy matresses, and trash scattered all around. And if it's haunted with anybody, then it's only curious tourists that continue to visit abandoned asylum.

The fact that it's closed for public visits and its unsanitary conditions don't stop them. Locals don't express any willingness in giving directions to wandering adventurers, yet this also doesn't help. On the contrary, the challenge of finding the destination on your own makes it a more thrilling adventure. The Hospital is located in the surroundings of the small city of Gwangju.