Gongju Opens New Annex of Nataejoo Pulkkot Literature Museum, Marking a New Leap as a Literary Landmark

From Special and Permanent Exhibitions to Interactive Programs...
Anticipation for Gongju's New Literary Landmark

On July 29, Gongju City held the opening ceremony for the new building of the 'Nataejoo Pulkkot Literature Museum' and officially began its operation.

At the ceremony, more than 100 people attended, including Gongju Mayor Choi Woncheol, poet Na Taejoo, and representatives from the Korean Writers' Association.

The 'Pulkkot Poet' Na Taejoo Literature Museum, which opened in 2014 after renovating a house from the Japanese colonial period, has since served as a focal point for local literature.

However, the need for expansion had been continuously raised due to limited space and issues with heating and cooling.

In response, the city invested a total of 7.8 billion won through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's urban regeneration project to construct a new building with one basement floor and two above-ground floors, totaling a floor area of 950 square meters.

The newly opened annex features a planning and permanent exhibition hall, Pulkkot Lounge, storage, and a community space for residents.

The original museum is being renovated as the 'Poet's House,' transforming it into a creative space for poets and a venue for literary exchange, and it will soon be open to the public.

The museum will exhibit not only Na Taejoo's representative poems but also various artworks such as ceramics and paintings he has collected. Interactive programs such as 'Conversations with an AI Poet' and 'Writing My Own Poem' will also be offered, and collaborative exhibitions with local and national artists are planned.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It is closed on Mondays (with substitute holidays the day after public holidays), as well as on Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok.

Mayor Choi Woncheol stated, "With the construction of the new museum, we will actively consider registering as a public literature museum," and added, "I hope this space becomes a meeting place for those who love literature."