Namgwangju Market (남광주시장) - Area information - Korea travel information

Namgwangju Market (남광주시장)

Namgwangju Market (남광주시장)

1.1Km    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.

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

Yangnim-dong Missionary Cemetery (양림동 선교사 묘지)

1.1Km    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.

10y Ground (10년후그라운드)

10y Ground (10년후그라운드)

1.2Km    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.  

Owen Memorial Hall (오웬기념각)

Owen Memorial Hall (오웬기념각)

1.3Km    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)

1.3Km    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.

Art Polygon Horanggassinamu (호랑가시나무 아트폴리곤)

Art Polygon Horanggassinamu (호랑가시나무 아트폴리곤)

1.4Km    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.

Gwangju Yangdong Market (광주 양동시장)

Gwangju Yangdong Market (광주 양동시장)

1.4Km    2022-04-06

238, Cheonbyeonjwa-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-366-0884

Yangdong Market started in the 1910s as a traditional market held on dates ending in 2 and 7 of every month on the white sand beach under Gwangjugyo Bridge. The market has a long history and local citizens have many sayings referring to the multitude of items available here. During the May 18th Democratic Uprising, both Yangdong and Daein Markets were a grand venue where the citizens of Gwangju gathered together to rally for democratization of the nation. Merchants of the markets provided food, beverages, and medicine to the protestors and participated in the movement alongside their fellow citizens.

Yangdong Market is an outstanding traditional market among all markets throughout the nation. The market has upgraded with the times to include modern conveniences, including a consolidated market logo, online shopping mall, and merchant education classes.

Arirang House (아리랑하우스)

Arirang House (아리랑하우스)

1.4Km    2016-10-18

2, Mudeung-ro 321 Beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-525-2111~5

With a proud 20-year history, Arirang House is famous for its kimchi, which won a prize at the first Kimchi Festival. In 2003, the restaurant collaborated with Shilla Hotel and Paradise Hotel and successfully hosted a royal cuisine demonstration event, contributing to the promotion of Korean cuisine.

Arirang House serves delicious Korean cuisine in an elegant style. The food is carefully prepared by 11 chefs, including the chef who has thirty years of experience. The kitchen is divided into the side dish team, the special dish team, and the main course team to prepare a total of thirty or so specialized dishes. The flavors are enhanced by using only the freshest natural ingredients and not using any artificial seasonings. Prices vary by course, and each course comes with raw beef, samhap (a combination of three special foods), assorted raw fish, and steamed short ribs. The bossam kimchi (kimchi with slices of steamed pork) is also one of their specialties.

Geumsoojang Tourist Hotel (금수장관광호텔)

Geumsoojang Tourist Hotel (금수장관광호텔)

1.4Km    2020-04-24

2, Mudeung-ro 321beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju
+82-62-525-2111

Geumsoojang Tourist Hotel is located in the old downtown center, just a seven-minute walk from Gwangju Station. It is known as the best "business hotel with expert Korean cuisine.” It has clean and comfortable guestrooms, other convenient facilities, an organized-customer management system, economic rates, and excellent service.

LEEKANGHA Art Museum (이강하미술관)

LEEKANGHA Art Museum (이강하미술관)

1.4Km    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.