Gwangjuhyanggyo Confucian School (광주향교)

14.2Km 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.

Samhwa Gwangwang Nongwon (삼화관광농원)

14.2Km 2024-03-04

208 Immyeon-ro, Gyeom-myeon, Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
061-362-8586,7

Samhwa Gwangwang Nongwon is a Korean restaurant specializing in duck dishes. Its signature menu is the ori jeongol (duck hot pot). The rich broth, boiled with ample duck meat, vegetables, and perilla seeds, is exceptionally flavorful. Another popular dish is the ori jumulleok (spicy stir-fried marinated duck), where tender meat seasoned with spicy yet sweet sauce pairs perfectly with steamed white rice.

Yangnim-dong Penguin Village Craft Street (양림동 펭귄마을공예거리)

14.3Km 2024-12-06

20-13 Ogiwon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Yangnim-dong Penguin Village Craft Street is a narrow alleyway located behind the Yangnim-dong Community Center. The village, named because of the way the elderly residents appear to waddle like penguins, has become an exhibition space of life in the 70s and 80s. Villagers cleaned up empty houses that had been burnt down and left unattended in the past, brought discarded items, and began displaying them on the village walls. "Let's be thankful for living at that time" was engraved on the village wall. It also has historical culture, such as the House of Choe Seunghyo, the House of Missionary Uilsa, and Owen Memorial Hall. The Penguin Jumak in the middle of the village was the residents' gathering place, selling small but necessary items. Various workshops, such as leather workshops, textile workshops, and carpentry workshops, are located on Craft Street, so you can purchase pretty crafts or experience upcycling crafts with a retro vibe in which the historical and the modern coexist.

Damyang Resort Spa (담양리조트 온천)

14.3Km 2022-12-28

202, Geumseongsanseong-gil, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
+82-61-380-5111

Damyang Resort is a large resort complex comprised of a hotel, spa, arboretum, and event plaza. The spa is spread over a ground floor and basement floor, with both men's and women's pools, as well as many event pools and an open-air hot spring. Additional facilities include a jjimjilbang (Korean-style sauna), skincare center, and massage center. The hot springs use water with a mix of 20 minerals, including germanium, strontium, sulfuric ions, calcium, and lithium. The mineral mix helps soothe skin, relieve stress, and improve blood circulation to prevent many diseases and ailments.

House of Choi Seung-hyo (최승효가옥)

14.3Km 2023-03-08

29-4, Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-607-2332

The House of Choi Seung-hyo is a traditional residential building located on the southeastern slopes of Yangnimsan Mountain. The rectangular building is open to the east, has 8 kan (the space between two pillars) in the front and 4 kan to the sides, and is graced by a traditional hipped and gabled roof. Since the building was constructed in the 1920s, it offers a valuable glimpse into the architectural style of Korean houses at the end of the Japanese colonial period. Choi Sang-hyeon was an activist who offered his attic as a place of refuge for other activists.

Han Hee-won Art Museum (한희원미술관)

14.3Km 2023-01-25

27-6, Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-653-5435

Han Hee-won Art Museum is a small hanok art museum in the back alley of Yangnim-dong.
Painter Han Hee-won grew up in Yangnim-dong, where he was influenced as a painter. In July 2015, he purchased a small hanok between the House of Yi Jang-u and the House of Choe Seunghyo and transformed it into an art museum to preserve and show the spirit of love, comfort, and art in his hometown, Yangnim-dong. An art museum with a low threshold approaching citizens with a humble mind, Han Hee-won Art Museum is open to anyone. Feel free to visit, appreciate the paintings, and be comforted through art.

Lee Jang-woo's House (이장우 가옥)

14.3Km 2024-12-04

21 Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-651-9020

Designated the first Gwangju Folk Material on March 20, 1989, Lee Jang-woo's House is an upper-class, tile-roofed house with a gate, storeroom, servants’ quarters, detached building, and main building. The building is estimated to have been constructed in 1899 and is overall a sturdy example of Korean architecture, well-preserved in its original state. The L-shaped main hall of the historic building is rather large and consists of (left to right) a wooden verandah, a small room, a hall, the main room, a kitchen, and another small room. The room doors are double doors with a sliding door on the inside and a hinged door on the outside. The hall also has partitions that can be hung up as necessary.

◎ Travel information to meet Hallyu’s charm - movie "Meet the In-Laws"
This hanok served as Hyeon-joon’s (played by Song Sae-byeok) family home in Jeolla-do in the movie "Meet the In-Laws." With its well-preserved architecture and traditional Korean garden, it captures the elegance and charm of early modern Korea.

Cheongchun Balsan Village (청춘발산마을)

14.4Km 2024-10-22

12-16 Cheonbyeonjwa-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju

Balsan Village is a representative neighborhood of Gwangju and is a prime example of how something amazing can come out of something bad. First settled by Korean war refugees, the small houses jam-packed on a hillside attracted young people looking for work in the 1970s and '80s, mainly females working in the garment factories nearby. Recently, the addition of colorful murals and public spaces has given the village a breath of new life.

Sajik Forest of Light (사직 빛의 숲)

14.4Km 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.

Gwangju Sajik Park (사직공원 (광주))

14.4Km 2022-08-05

49, Sajik-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-652-3236

Sajik Park is located at the previous site of Sajikdan Altar, a ritual site to pray for peace and prosperity during the Three Kingdoms Era. In the 1960s, the site was home to Sajik Zoo, with the ritual being abandoned in 1894 and the altar in disrepair. However, in 1991, it was decided to move the zoo to another location and begin restoring the site. It was reopened in April 1994, 100 years after the last ritual.

Sajik Park is landscaped with various trees and flower beds. The park blooms pink and white with cherry blossoms annually in mid-April. During this time, the municipality of Gwangju installs lighting in the trees for citizens to enjoy the blossoms late into the night. The park has become established as a favorite rest area for Gwangju citizens. The park houses several attractions including Gwangju Broadcast Station (KBS), Memorial Tower for Policemen, Yangpajeong Pavilion, and Palgakjeong Pavilion overlooking downtown Gwangju.

Gwangjuhyanggyo Confucian School (광주향교) - Area information - Korea travel information