Connecting Four Major Poets' Individual Galleries
Attracting Visitors
The Ttangkkeut Pilgrimage Literature Museum, located in Haenam, Jeollanam-do, a region renowned for its poetry, has reopened after more than a year of remodeling. Situated near the Gosan Historic Site, the museum has retained its traditional hanok exterior, while the interior exhibition spaces have been reimagined with a modern sensibility, earning praise from visitors.
On July 16, Haenam County announced that the Ttangkkeut Pilgrimage Literature Museum, a public literary museum with a total area of 1,484 square meters, has completed a comprehensive remodeling. This included the reorganization of exhibition spaces, environmental improvements, and the installation of new content. The museum has now begun full-scale operations.
Haenam County has completed the remodeling of the Ttangkkeut Pilgrimage Literature Museum and has begun full-scale operations. Photo by Haenam County
Upon entering the museum lobby, visitors are greeted by plant interiors that bring the lush greenery of the outdoor landscape inside, complemented by stylishly colored designer furniture. In one corner of the lobby, a dedicated video room introduces the "History of Haenam Literature," helping visitors understand the flow of local literature before viewing the main exhibits.
The exhibition area connects to four individual galleries dedicated to Haenam-born poets?Lee Dongju, Park Seongryong, Kim Namju, and Ko Jeonghee?along a curved entrance path. Visitors can freely appreciate each poet's character and body of work in independent spaces tailored to their literary worlds.
The "Poet of Tradition and Jeonghan" Lee Dongju Gallery recreates a hanok structure and screens his representative work "Ganggangsullae" as video content. The "Poet of Grass Blades" Park Seongryong Gallery restores an old study and adds panels featuring neologisms to enhance visitor interest.
The "Poet of Freedom and Revolution" Kim Namju Gallery features an exhibition space modeled after a prison, where visitors can experience his "foil poetry" firsthand and listen to recordings of the poet reciting his own works. The "Poet of Women's Liberation and Love" Ko Jeonghee Gallery visually interprets her poetic world through exhibition panels inspired by the ridgeline of Jirisan Mountain and digital frames.
After touring the exhibitions, visitors can enjoy the "Literature Therapy" space, which uses immersive content to showcase the nature and poetry of Haenam, and explore the "Literature Archive," where they can search for Haenam writers and literary landmarks. Additionally, the "Stamp Pilgrimage" program, in which visitors collect stamps from each gallery to complete a single picture, has become especially popular.
Since its reopening, the museum has seen a steady stream of school groups and organizations from the region, and opportunities to experience the depth of Haenam literature have expanded through guided tours by professional docents. The name "Ttangkkeut Pilgrimage Literature Museum" reflects both Haenam's symbolic status as the "Land's End" and honors the footsteps of writers who have visited Haenam as a literary pilgrimage site. Haenam County also expects the museum to create synergy as a literary tourism destination in connection with nearby sites such as the Gosan Historic Site.
A county official stated, "The Ttangkkeut Pilgrimage Literature Museum is gaining attention as a leading literary tourism destination that elevates the prestige of Haenam, the home of poetry. We will continue to strive to make it the best literary museum in Korea through diverse exhibitions, educational programs, and hands-on experiences."
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