Jeonnam Blending Tradition and Culture... How About a Trip?

Jeollanam-do Selects Modern and Contemporary Historical Travel Destinations for February
Recommends Mokpo, Gangjin, Haenam, Yeongam, and More

Snowy Scenery of Gurim Village, Yeongam, Jeonnam. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeollanam-do has recommended Mokpo Modern History Museum, Dongbonwonsa, Dasan Chodang and Yeongnang Birthplace in Gangjin, Daeheungsa Temple and Nokudang of the Haenam Yoon Clan in Haenam, and Dogapsa Temple and Gurim Village in Yeongam as travel destinations where visitors can experience history from the late Joseon period to modern times this February.

Starting this year, Jeollanam-do will promote four must-visit travel destinations each month through the nation’s largest travel community channel, “Travelholic,” which has 1.45 million subscribers.

Mokpo, selected this time, is filled with historical sites that preserve traces from the port opening era. On 1897 Port Culture Street, modern-style houses and shops remain. The Mokpo Modern History Museum is an exhibition hall where visitors can explore Mokpo’s beginnings and its modern history. Dongbonwonsa is a Japanese Buddhist temple built in the 1930s, featuring Japanese wooden Buddhist architecture.

In Gangjin, visitors can experience the spirit of Silhak (practical learning) and literary sensibility of the Joseon era. Dasan Chodang is where Jeong Yak-yong, a late Joseon Silhak scholar, spent his exile and wrote “Mokminsimseo.” Here, one can experience Dasan’s philosophy and the contemplative culture of the Joseon period. Yeongnang Birthplace is where Kim Yeongnang, a master of Korean lyric poetry, spent his childhood. The site still preserves the well, persimmon tree, and jangdokdae (traditional jar stand) that inspired his poems.

Haenam is a region where visitors can experience both Buddhist traditions that protected the nation and the culture of Joseon-era yangban (nobility). Daeheungsa Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with beautiful forest trails for walking and opportunities to experience templestay programs. Nokudang is where the Joseon scholar Yoon Seon-do lived, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of a noble family of the era.

Yeongam is a region with a rich history dating back to the Samhan period, where Buddhist and traditional village cultures are well preserved. Dogapsa Temple, founded at the end of the Silla period, is a historic temple that still maintains its Buddhist traditions. Gurim Village, formed during the Samhan period, is an ancient village with over 2,200 years of history, where traditional houses and old trees remain as they were in the past.

Shim Woojeong, head of Jeollanam-do’s Tourism Division, said, “Jeollanam-do has many historical travel destinations where the past and present coexist. We hope you will take the time to discover the history and culture of Jeollanam-do.”