Yangnim-dong Penguin Village Craft Street (양림동 펭귄마을공예거리)

245.4M 2025-08-13

92-8 Baekseo-ro, 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.

10y Ground (10년후그라운드)

275.9M 2024-11-14

1 Yangchon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Originally a sports complex, the 10y Ground has transformed into a dynamic cultural hub offering educational opportunities, community programs, and a range of unique initiatives. It also provides space for diverse services, including food, beverages, and lifestyle options. Visitors can enjoy various cultural and art programs and shop for locally produced goods and souvenirs.

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

371.9M 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.

Owen Memorial Hall (오웬기념각)

379.4M 2024-11-12

6 Baekseo-ro 70beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-650-7647

The Owen Monument and Memorial Hall is located inside the Christian College of Nursing. The monument was erected in 1914 in memory of missionary Clement Owen who, together with Priest Bae Yoo-ji, was the first missionary to come to Jeollanam-do. The monument was built using the 4,200 dollars collected by Owen’s relatives in the USA after Owen died as a martyr in Gwangju.

Clement Owen came to Yangnim-dong, Gwangju in the 1900s and served as a missionary and medical volunteer with his wife, who was a nurse, before dying of exhaustion and overwork in 1909. Owen had hoped to build a memorial hospital in honor of his grandfather, but died before his plan was materialized. The plaque hanging in the hall honors both men in English and Chinese, reading, “In Memory of William L. and Clement C. Owen.”

A Western-style building with a total footage of around 1,435 meters squared (including the annex building), the monument is said to have been used as chapel and assembly room. Today, the building serves as the auditorium of the Christian College of Nursing. The white, two-story building features a lectern in one corner, with two columns of pews facing the lectern. The second floor balcony stretches along the two walls opposite the lectern.

◎ Travel information to meet Hallyu’s charm – movie “Love, Lies,”
In the film, So-yul and Yeon-hee come here to see the renowned singer Lee Nan-young perform. Owen Memorial Hall has a history as a venue for Christian gatherings, lectures, concerts, graduation ceremonies, and various cultural events in the region. Today, it continues to serve as a space for both religious and cultural gatherings.

Art Polygon Horanggassinamu (호랑가시나무 아트폴리곤)

426.2M 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.

Yangnim History & Culture Village (양림역사문화마을)

431.7M 2023-11-28

7 Seoseopyeong-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-676-4486

Yangnim History & Culture Village is located in the area where Western items and ideas first entered Gwangju over 100 years ago. As such, the neighborhood has a unique collection of Western architecture mixed with traditional hanok houses. There are also many houses of Christian missionaries, who facilitated the advancement of medicine and education in Gwangju. Some areas, such as Penguin Village, have been decorated with murals and outdoor exhibitions to promote art and tourism, helping the elderly locals to make a living.

LEEKANGHA Art Museum (이강하미술관)

510.5M 2024-11-14

6 3·1manseundong-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju

The LEEKANGHA Art Museum, opened in 2018, offers a range of exhibitions, educational programs, and a research center. Visitors can explore the life and art world of Lee Kang-ha in different eras through various exhibitions and gain a deeper understanding of art with performances and educational programs. The museum aims to foster empathy and communication to enrich cultural knowledge by using diverse art-culture experience programs.

Geomok Hanjeongsik (거목한정식)

525.1M 2024-02-13

3-6 Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 364beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-672-0333

Geomok Hanjeongsik is a restaurant that specializes in Namdo-style hanjeongsik (Korean table d'hote). Offering a singular menu item, hanjeongsik, guests select their preferred price range and the number of diners, and the dishes are prepared accordingly. A unique feature of this establishment is the seasonal variety of side dishes, ensuring a different culinary experience with each visit. Emphasizing health, the restaurant avoids strong-tasting chemical seasonings. Set in a converted hanok (traditional Korean house), Geomok Hanjeongsik provides a traditional atmosphere, enhancing the dining experience.

Namgwangju Market (남광주시장)

621.9M 2023-11-20

117 Yangnim-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-226-1101

Namgwangju Market formed naturally in the area around the old Namgwangju Station, selling everything from seafood and fresh produce to household items. The market suffered a lot when the train station was closed, but it is still very famous for fresh fish, which comes in every morning between 2 and 5 AM. Due to this, there are many raw fish restaurants in the area, with fresh fish and very affordable prices.

Chonnam National University Hospital (전남대학교병원)

633.7M 2025-07-29

42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju

With 114 years of history and tradition, CHONNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL is Korea's best tertiary hospital that has led the development of Korea's medical science and improved public health.
Chonnam National University Hospital is the nation's largest multi-hospital system for each disease, and operates as the main hospital, as well as Chonnam National University Hospital in Hwasun, Chonnam National University Dental Hospital, Bitgoeul Chonnam National University Hospital, and Chonnam National University Children's Hospital.

We are striving to establish our identity as a national university hospital and to build a regionally essential healthcare system as a regional responsible medical institution. We will continue to play a leading role in the medical field by progressively redefining the functions and roles of education, research, and medical treatment. In addition, we will continue to challenge ourselves and do our best to become a reliable hospital that patients can visit at any time, a hospital that leads public healthcare, and a patient-oriented hospital that puts patient safety first.

Yangnim-dong Penguin Village Craft Street (양림동 펭귄마을공예거리) - Area information - Korea travel information