Jeonju Hanok Village

I took myself out of Daejeon today, October 3rd, National Foundation Day (public holiday), and down to Jeonju to visit the preserved traditional village, Jeonju Hanok Village. The village consists of over 700 traditional buildings and houses right in the middle of the city as a way to preserve the traditional way of Korean life.

It reminded me of that street in St. Augustine and River Walk in Savannah in a way, except this was much larger. Lots of cafes, traditional Korean restaurants, traditional souvenir shops, convenience stores, small museums, and more, all housed in traditional Korean architecture.

Pungnam Gate

I took the train in the morning from Daejeon to Jeonju, and it was a relatively quick ride, about an hour and a half away by slow train. Once in Jeonju, I boarded the #79 bus just outside the station and rode it into town, the Pungnam Gate stop, right outside of the village. (The cathedral is visible on the bus. Once you see it, hit the button to signal you want to get off at the next stop.) I stopped to take some photos of the old city gate before proceeding to the village across the street. 

Jangdong
Cathedral

Once inside the village, I decided to check out the Jeondong Cathedral first, because it was the first thing that I came to. I wasn't sure if taking photos inside the church would be frowned upon (although this is Korea and people take photos of e v e r y t h i n g so it probably would have been okay), but I erred on the side of caution and decided not to get any inside shots. It was beautiful inside, but not as intricate as some other cathedrals I have seen. The stained glass can best be described as being 'blocky' in that it didn't flow like some European cathedrals. The inside walls were smooth stucco off-white, and the exposed rafter beams brought the height down a little. People were only allowed access to seating in the rear of the cathedral as the front half was roped off with thick red velvet ropes on simple gold posts. Upon leaving the cathedral, I took some photos of buildings nearby and then continued on into the village. 

Throughout the day, I realized that the village was very nice and very beautiful, but it, too, was just another place to capitalize on tourists, imported or domestic. The streets were filled with cafes, traditional Korean tea shops, traditional Korean restaurants, traditional souvenir gift shops, and convenience stores, all housed in old-style traditional Korean architecture. The streets were made of cobblestone, and one main road I walked along had a water feature, similar to a water-sidewalk,  along the sidewalk with children playing in it while parents snapped photos of the adorable things their children were doing. It was wonderful to witness, and I even got a few 'hellos'. 

View from cafe

I stopped for coffee and a snack at a lovely little cafe with a small art gallery up top, A.K.A Original. I enjoyed my snack in the upstairs outdoor eating area and then took a stroll through the gallery and saw some beautiful yet simplistic paintings. Exactly my style. 

Musical Street Performance

I left the cafe and continued my stroll through the streets of the village. I came across a musical performance towards the end of one street, with ladies playing instruments and singing solo parts when it was their turn. I also came across a traditional-style Korean street performance with musicians playing the drums, waving ribbons, dancing and singing, all dressed up in traditional garments. It was very interesting and I snapped several photos. 

Eventually I decided to stop and peruse the souvenirs because it was the perfect place to find all of the traditional things one rarely sees anywhere else in Korea. I purchased a few gifts for family and myself, and was able to shop freely and find exactly what I wanted. 

I purchased my return train ticket in advance, so about an hour before my train I boarded the city bus back to the train station. Only I boarded the bus going the wrong way and had a little adventure up a mountain and saw that the leaves were starting to change! On the way, I missed my train, but that was okay because I was able to get a partial refund and purchase a new return ticket once I arrived back to the station. 

I had a lovely day in Jeonju, and I highly recommend the Jeonju Hanok Village to anyone who may be thinking about adding it to their fall to-do list. 

Me outside Pungnam Gate