Into beautiful Gwangju, full of energy and a passionate heart!

From Mudeung Mountain to the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives! Spend a day visiting Mudeungsan Jisan Recreation Area, Penguin Village, Jeonil Building, and the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives. The next day, visit Mugaksa Temple and the Kim Daejung Convention Center. Let's feel the fierce tears of that time while being embraced by the warm and joyful nature of Gwangju Unified City, Jeollanam-do!

Details

Jisan Recreation Area

Jisan Recreation Area reopened in December 2016, with monorail operations restarting for the first time in 11 years. The unique rattling of a monorail running on a single rail gives passengers a thrill. \nIf you ride the monorail, you can see the panoramic view of Gwangju city and the summit of Mudeungsan Mountain at a glance. The monorail starts from the middle of the mountain, 50 meters away on a forest path from the end point of the lift, and runs on a round-trip course to the top of the mountain at Jisan Recreation Area, where the octagonal pavilion is located. After reopening, it is gaining popularity as a unique amusement facility where people can enjoy the thrill of Mudeungsan Mountain in Gwangju through social media and word of mouth, especially among the younger generation.

Yangnim-dong Penguin Village

If you follow the penguin-shaped signpost behind the Yangnim-dong community center and enter the narrow alley, you will see that the village of the 70s and 80s has been transformed into an exhibition hall. The village was named so because the way an elderly man with bad knees waddles around resembles a penguin. Village residents began clearing out empty houses that had burned down in the past and were left abandoned, bringing in discarded items and displaying them on the walls of the neighborhood. On the village wall, the words 'Let's be thankful for being alive at that time' were engraved. The Penguin Tavern in the middle of the village is the residents' living room, and although it is small, it has all the necessary items. There is also a village newsletter posted in front of the workshop.

Jeonil Building 245

Jeonil Building 245 symbolizes the architectural form and space as a historical site with '245', reflecting on the meaning of Jeonil Building and telling a story into the future. The circle in the center of 245 symbolizes the clear bullet marks from helicopter shooting during the May 18 Democratization Movement, and the four color compositions symbolize the content space of the Jeonil Building.

Mugaksa Temple

Mugaksa Temple, located on Yeouisan Mountain in Gwangju, is an urban ascetic temple comparable to Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul. Within the temple, there are the cultural spaces ‘Book Cafe’ and ‘Lotus Gallery’ and the traditional teahouse ‘Sarangchae’, which are used as a place for meeting and relaxation, as well as a famous place where culture and art breathe by breaking down the walls of religion. The temple opened 'Treasure Island', a recycling sharing marketplace, in 2009, and religious groups and civil society groups are operating a marketplace where they sell various items such as recycled products, reformed products using recycled products, and accessories.

Kimdaejung Convention Center

Kimdaejung Convention Center is an exhibition and convention center with top-class facilities and was built in Gwangju, a tourist city where nature is alive and well. Construction began as Gwangju Exhibition and Convention Center in November 2003, changed its name to Kimdaejung Convention Center in May 2005, and opened on September 6 of the same year. We are strengthening national competitiveness by nurturing Gwangju as a trade hub in Northeast Asia, and striving to promote regional payments by driving the development of regional specialized industries such as tourism. In addition, regional capabilities are being strengthened as a venue for international product, technology, information, and cultural exchange. It is equipped with the best professional staff with abundant know-how, the best service, and various convenient facilities.