Obang Choi Heung-jong Memorial Hall (오방 최흥종 기념관) - Area information - Korea travel information

Obang Choi Heung-jong Memorial Hall (오방 최흥종 기념관)

Obang Choi Heung-jong Memorial Hall (오방 최흥종 기념관)

2.5Km    2024-12-17

64 Jejung-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju

Obang Choi Heung-jong Memorial Hall is dedicated to Rev. Obang Choi Heung-jong who was also a Korean independence fighter and a social activist. His lifetime of sacrificing for others while improving the Gwangju neighborhood made him a true hero. Visitors to the memorial hall can deeply understand the life that Obang Choi Hueng-jong lead. 

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

2.5Km    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.

Traditional Tea House Punggyeong (전통찻집 풍경)

Traditional Tea House Punggyeong (전통찻집 풍경)

2.5Km    2023-12-22

96 Unyong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju

Traditional Tea House Punggyeong in Gwangju specializes in serving rich and savory traditional Korean tea. The interior is decorated in white and wood tones, creating a cozy atmosphere. From the entrance to every corner of the room, there are plants that have been cared for by the store owner, allowing visitors to feel more at ease as they enter the tea house. The drinks are served in a neat tea cup, and their most recommended tea is the house-brewed ssanghwacha (medicinal herb tea). Furthermore, it sells a variety of traditional teas that are great to savor leisurely while resting such as daechu cha (jujube tea), a unique tea with a sweet aftertaste and is known to help treat insomnia; and saenggang cha (ginger tea) with an addition of honey or malt syrup, among others.

Gwangju KIA Champions Field (광주-기아 챔피언스 필드)

2.6Km    2025-08-06

10 Seorim-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju
070-7686-8000

Gwangju KIA Champions Field is the first open-air stadium in the country and houses INC COFFEE, making it a must-visit attraction for baseball fans. The café offers spacious seating and various bakery items– with the baseball-shaped bread being the most popular. There is also a photo zone, allowing visitors to capture the memories of their trip. With a seating capacity of 20,500, tickets for the seats can be purchased online or on-site.

10y Ground (10년후그라운드)

10y Ground (10년후그라운드)

2.6Km    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.  

CU - Yongbong Sarang Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (cu용봉사랑점)

2.6Km    2024-06-28

42, Yongju-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju

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Owen Memorial Hall (오웬기념각)

Owen Memorial Hall (오웬기념각)

2.7Km    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.

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

Missionary Wilson's House (우일선 선교사 사택)

2.7Km    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.

Museum of Gwangju Literature (광주문학관)

Museum of Gwangju Literature (광주문학관)

2.7Km    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.

Coboc (커볶)

Coboc (커볶)

2.7Km    2024-02-13

161-7 Jiho-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju

Coboc, established in 2006, is a café located near the Jisan Recreation Area at the base of Mudeungsan Mountain. This café is particularly known for its stunning views, especially during sunset. Among its signature offerings are the Mudeungsan Gureum Coffee, a unique cheese cream coffee, and a bagel with chives and bacon. The Mudeungsan Gureum Coffee is distinctively topped with a white, soft cheese cream, reminiscent of the clouds that grace the mountain.