Though Seoul undoubtedly offers just about everything you want to see, eat, and do in South Korea, there’s magic to be discovered throughout the country. Among the places you don’t want to miss is Jeonju, located in southwest South Korea. Five years ago, when we hopped off the train on a rainy Monday evening and arrived in Jeonju, I had no idea I was about to be enchanted.
At the heart of the city lives Jeonju’s Hanok Village (traditional tile-roofed Korean buildings), where you can find cafes, food, shopping, sightseeing, and tourist attractions. Because we arrived late in the day and were a little limited by the rain, we decided to do some sightseeing exploration while searching for our dinner spot. Strolling along the Hanok Village, we stopped by a few shops, sniffed around at some food stalls (trying our best not to salivate too much), and noticed numerous signs outside of some restaurants featuring a famous person who enjoyed a meal there or a show that filmed there. It was a lot to see with so little time.
But what we were seeing was nothing short of dreamy and cute- the wet streets gleamed with the reflections of colorful lights from the lamp posts and stores. In the distance, twinkling fairy lights illuminated the sidewalks as it gently rained. All the trees had something like little knitted sweaters on them. As I looked around and tried my best to paint these images into my memory, I noticed that the people were not in a rush; groups huddled together under shared umbrellas were deep in conversation while checking out the instant photo studio, or standing at some of the food stalls while enjoying a snack. Though we were in a large city, it felt that life in Jeonju took its time.
We made our way to Omokdae, a historical landmark at the top of a steep hill overlooking the Hanok Village and some of the city. You can sit and walk around inside Omokdae, but you must take off your shoes before going up the stairs- this is to help preserve and keep it clean. At this point, it was pouring so we had great timing and even better views. Nearby Omokdae is Imokdae, containing a historical memorial stone marking where the King’s ancestor was born.
On the way to dinner, we made two stops. We first stopped by the Kakao Friends store, a stationary and merchandise store featuring the Kakao Friends crew. Going into one of these stores is never a disappointment, but what makes this specific one special is that all of the stationaries and goodies are Jeonju-themed, making them limited edition items. After, we paid our respect at the Statue of Peace– a touching tribute and painful reminder of the Korean women forced into sexual slavery to the Japanese military during WWII.
Although Jeonju is South Korea’s food capital and is even designated a UNESCO city of gastronomy, we were craving hot pot to warm us up on this cold night. We went to Nambu Market, Jeonju’s lively night market, and ate at a Chinese hot pot restaurant. Although I can’t remember the name or exact location, I remember it really hit the spot. By the time we left the restaurant though, Nambu was quieting down and slowly closing up for the night- the perfect way to end the day.
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The next morning, fortunately, brought us a dry day, which meant we were able to leisurely stroll around and enjoy Gyeonggijeon Shrine and its’ surroundings. I must say that while walking around, the birds singing from the tree branches made us forget it was a cloudy day. We were able to appreciate the shrine and portrait of King Tae-jo (founder of the Joseon Dynasty- the last and longest imperial dynasty of Korea), as well as the on-site Royal Portrait Museum that contains other royal portraits and related royal relics. I’m horrible at describing things, but I hope that the vlog I edited can give you a glimpse of what we were experiencing there. It’s worth walking around the entire place and taking it all in.
Our last stop in Jeonju was Jeondong Cathedral, built between 1908 to 1914. The architectural style of this church is a mix of Roman and Byzantine styles, and inside the church reflects that well. We were able to attend mass there and purchase a lovely bracelet at the church’s souvenir shop. The Father who held the mass was kind enough to bless our purchase and talk with us.
Before leaving for the train station, we enjoyed a cup of hot coffee at a three-story Starbucks- the perfect end to this trip.