Sajik Forest of Light (사직 빛의 숲) - Area information - Korea travel information

Sajik Forest of Light (사직 빛의 숲)

Sajik Forest of Light (사직 빛의 숲)

3.2Km    2024-12-11

49 Sajik-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Located within Sajik Park, the Forest of Light is a popular night view spot with a fantastic media art that incorporates historical themes of Gwangju. The space features a combination of lighting, video, and music to create multimedia contents, offering a variety of experiences and attractions through interactive art that responds to people's movements. The observation tower hosts a light show, and visitors can enjoy video contents through an AR telescope.

Chungjangsa Shrine (충장사)

3.2Km    2023-01-25

13, Songgang-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-613-5407

When you reach Baejae along the tourist road leading up to Wonhyosa Temple, you can see the well-maintained tomb and the magnificent building of Chungjangsa Shrine on the left. It was built in 1975 as a memorial to General Kim Deok-ryeong, born in Mudeungsan Mountain. In the precincts, there are the shrine, where Kim Deok-ryeong's portrait and command paper are enshrined; the east room and west room; Eullyun Monument and Commentary Monument, the relics hall; Chungyongmun Gate; and Ikomun Gate. In the relics hall, the clothes of 'General Kim Deok-ryeong,' designated as Important Folk Material, and the coffin excavated from the general's tomb, as well as his handwriting, are on display. On the hill behind the shrine is Kim Deok-ryeong's tomb and tombstone, as well as his family's tomb.

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

3.3Km    2021-05-28

77, Jejung-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2333

The Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery is the final resting place of 23 missionaries who brought Christianity to Gwangju and led the movement to free the nation from under Japanese colonial rule. Yangnim-dong in Gwangju Metropolitan City was the main area in which Priest Bae Yu-ji and Dr. Clement Owen carried out their work as the first missionaries to Jeollanam-do.


Located nearby is a monument dedicated to Priest Bae Yu-ji and the Owen Memorial Building, built in honor of Dr. Owen and his grandfather. Both memorials are cultural assets and particularly prized by locals of the Christian faith.

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

3.3Km    2024-12-04

20 Jejung-ro 47beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2333

Missionary Wilson’s House is a two-story brick building that sits upon the eastern foothills of Yangnimsan Mountain. Known as the oldest surviving Western-style house in Gwangju, the house is an icon of modern culture and architecture in Korea. The house was built by an American missionary named Wilson in the 1920s (exact date unknown) and was the home of the Wilson family while they stayed in Korea. When the family completed their work in Korea, they sold the house for a very cheap price with the stipulation that the house continued to be used for missionary purposes. The house fell into the possession of the General Assembly of Chonnam Presbyterian Church of Korea in 1986 and now serves as the home office for the Presbyterian Church of Korea.

The square-shaped house consists of a living room, a family room, a kitchen, and a bathroom (1F), several bedrooms (2F), and storage areas and a boiler room (B1). The fact that the entrance of the house faces east is said to be a result of the prevailing architectural culture of Korea at that time. A Netherland-style house built with 55-milimeter thick, gray bricks, the first and second stories are delineated on the exterior with an eye-catching band of bricks.

◎ Travel information to meet Hallyu’s charm - TV series "Hymn of Death"
Here, Woo-jin (played by Lee Jong Suk), Sim-deok (played by Shin Hye-sun), and their troupe rehearsed for their play in "Hymn of Death." The Western-style building, framed by a lush forest backdrop, offers an exotic and picturesque setting.

Gwangjuhyanggyo Confucian School (광주향교)

Gwangjuhyanggyo Confucian School (광주향교)

3.4Km    2025-02-04

5 Jungang-ro 107beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju-si

Hyanggyo was a national educational institution during the Joseon dynasty, where the tablets of distinguished Confucian scholars were enshrined, and rituals were held in their honor. In spring and fall, it hosts Seokjeon, a ritual honoring Confucius, along with Seodang (traditional Confucian school) experiences and traditional weddings, offering opportunities to immerse in Confucian culture. In summer, crape myrtle flowers bloom, and in fall, the old ginkgo tree turns golden yellow, beautifully contrasting with the traditional Joseon-style hanok architecture.

Art Polygon Horanggassinamu (호랑가시나무 아트폴리곤)

Art Polygon Horanggassinamu (호랑가시나무 아트폴리곤)

3.4Km    2025-02-04

22 Jejung-ro 47beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Located in Yangnim-dong, Art Polygon Horanggasinamu  is a multi-purpose cultural space that hosts various programs such as exhibitions, lectures, and performances. In 2021, it was used as one of the venues for the Gwangju Biennale. The space was created by preserving and expanding the original structure of a missionary's garage. Yangnim-dong is home to many modern historical cultural heritage sites and art galleries that connects the past and the present.

Dream People Enter (드림피플엔터)

Dream People Enter (드림피플엔터)

3.4Km    2024-12-17

16 Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 338beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Dream People Enter is an indoor ski class facility that visitors can enjoy throughout the year with beginner and intermediate slopes and auto slope for advanced learners. The class also go on field trips to Muju Deogyusan Resort and Welli Hilli Park for ski camps and lessons. There are ski and snowboard classes for both individuals and groups. It also has facility to repair ski gears, a storage, and a ski shop. 

Yumyeong Hoegwan (유명회관)

Yumyeong Hoegwan (유명회관)

3.4Km    2021-05-14

18, Geumnam-ro 131 Beon-gil, Buk-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-512-5574

Even before the mad cow disease crisis, Yumyeong Hoegwan has only been serving locally-bred hanu beef. The fresh meat, sirloin, and prime ribs are delicious and they also use rice and kimchi made in Korea. The restaurant has a lot of business and group customers, but it is also good for family occasions, wedding receptions, and other social gatherings.

Museum of Gwangju Literature (광주문학관)

Museum of Gwangju Literature (광주문학관)

3.4Km    2024-11-20

93 Gakhwa-daero, Buk-gu, Gwangju

The Museum of Gwangju Literature offers a journey through Gwangju’s rich literary heritage, spanning from ancient times to the present day. Visitors can delve into the literature from the Mahan period, explore works from the 1920s and '30s tied to the national independence movement, and discover works from the 1980s that marked the beginning of the modern poetry movement. The permanent exhibition provides a chronological journey through the local literature of Gwangju. The museum also holds various programs for visitors.

GeumBong-Museum (시화문화마을 금봉미술관)

GeumBong-Museum (시화문화마을 금봉미술관)

3.5Km    2024-12-17

91 Gakhwa-daero, Buk-gu, Gwangju

Opened in 2015, GeumBong-Museum has 291 art works of painter Park HaengBo. The museum also has various contemporary art works to further spread the knowledge of both traditional and contemporary art. It offer classes and exhibition to support the local art culture.