Jeonju Hanok Village

Jeonju Hanok Village is located in the city of Jeonju (in Jeollabuk-do Province in South Korea) and overlaps Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong. In this village are concentrated more than 800 Korean traditional houses called 'Hanok'.^[1] The village is famous among Koreans and travelers because it retains original Korean traditions within the industrialized modern city where past and present coexist in harmony. Jeonju Hanok Village was designated an International Slow City in 2010 in recognition of its relaxed pace of life where traditional culture and nature blend harmoniously.^[2] The number of visitors to Jeonju Hanok Village has increased sharply since the 2000s. In 2014, visitor numbers more than doubled, to 7.89 million compared to 3.17 million in 2007. Except Seoul, Jeonju is ranked third among major tourist cities throughout South Korea, behind Jeju and Busan.^[3]

History

View of Jeonju Hanok Villiage

The City of Jeonju has played a key role in the long history of Korea. Located in the fertile Honam plain, Jeonju has been an important regional center in the province for centuries. The city was once the capital of the Hubaekje Kingdom, which was founded by Gyeon Hwon in the 900's.^[4] The city was regarded as the spiritual capital of the Joseon Dynasty because the Yi royal family originated in the city. In the Joseon Dynasty, Jeonju governed not only the Jeolla-do area but also Jeju Island, which was considered the center of administration. This is why the city is called 'the ground of more than 1000 years history'.^[4]

Historically, people have lived here for a long time, estimated at more than 10,000 years ago. At first, people lived around the foot of a mountain. Then, in the Silla kingdom, people moved into the flat land surrounding the area. People in Jeonju city started to construct Jeonju Fortress and many villages formed naturally around the fortress. These villages were the beginning of today's Hanok village. When the village joined in the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905, Japanese merchants came to the fortress, driving local people out of the village. The Hanok Village was created when people gathered together to oppose the Japanese who wanted to destroy the fortress and invade the residential area at this time. Led by the Yangban (the nobility in Joseon Dynasty), reacting against Japanese housing styles and expressing national pride, they started to establish Hanok villages throughout the Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong districts. Today's Jeonju Hanok Village is one of these.^[5]

Attraction

Jeondong Cathedral

Jeondong Cathedral

The Jeondong Catholic Church in Jeonju (Historic Site No. 288) was completed in 1914 and was designed by Priest Poinel, who also designed the famous Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. It is the largest and oldest western-style structure in the Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do provinces. The church was built in the place where the first Catholic martyr, Yun Ji-chung (1759-1791), died.^[6] It is one of South Korea's three Catholic Churches, including Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul and Gyesan Catholic Church in Daegu, reflecting the early history of Catholicism in Korea. The architecture of the Jeondong Cathedral is a mixture of Romanesque and Byzantine style and is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Korea.^[7]

Omokdae

Omokdae

Located on the east side of Hanok Village is the place where Lee Seonggae, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, gave an outdoor banquet in Jeonju during his triumphant return to Gaegyeong after victory over Japanese coastal invaders at Hwangsan Mt.^[8] It is a high place, good for viewing the surrounding scenery. Many tourists start their journey here.^[9]

Daeseongjeon (shrine hall) at the Jeonju Hyanggyo

Jeonju Hyanggyo

Hyanggyo was the Confucian temple and school for local students in the Joseon Dynasty period. It was first built by King of Gongmin in 1354, Goryeo Dynasty. It was established at the Gyeonggijeon Shrine site in Jeonju, Korea; however it was relocated 2 times after two wars. The Jeonju Hyanggyo employs a less common style in being placed on level ground.^[10] The memorial shrine area centers on Daeseongjeon (Confucian Shrine Hall) in the front, while the educational area centers on the Myeongyundang (lecture hall) located in the rear. This is an unusual configuration for a hyanggyo. In all, there are 99 rooms at the Jeonju Hyanggyo.^[11] It is a designated Historical Treasure #379.^[10]

Gyeonggijeon

Inside of the Gyeonggijeon

Gyeonggijeon is the hall where the portrait of Lee Seonggae is enshrined. It was built in 1410, in the 10th year of King Taejong.^[12] Gyoenggijueon is designated as Private Historical Landmark of Korea #339. The portrait of Lee Seonggae is designated as National Treasure #317.^[13] Gyeonggijeon is located in front of the Jeonju Hanok Village, so visitors can easily visit the Gyeonggijeon first. The size of Gyeonggijeon was once larger than it is now. The west side of Gyeonggijeon and its annex were demolished to make room for a Japanese elementary school during the period of Japanese Colonialism.^[14] The remaining building is a simple structure that connects a set of outer and inner gates.

Pungnammun Gate

Pungnammun Gate

Pungnammun Gate is the south gate of the castle that enclosed Jeonju during the Joseon Dynasty. It is the only gate remaining after the destruction of the castle. Pungnammun Gate was designated National Treasure #308 on 21 January 1963.^[15] Jeonju was the provincial governor's capital during the Joseon Dynasty, so from early on in the dynasty, there was a set of fortifications enclosing the city. It had gates in all 4 directions, but all of them were demolished in 30th year of Seonjo(1597) Jeongyujaeran.^[16] After 3 years of repair work starting in 1978, Pungnammun Gate was restored to its old form. The column arrangement of the building is a very rare type of Korean-style building, especially the upper story of the castle gate.^[17]

Cultural facilities

Jeonju Traditional Cultural Center

The Jeonju Traditional Cultural Center is a cultural center where visitors and citizens of Jeonju can participate in a traditional wedding ceremony experience, recreation, educational experience, and traditional food experience. There are various programs for visitors, so it is best to book programs in advance.^[18]

Jeonju Crafts Exhibition Hall

The Crafts Exhibition Hall located in Jeonju Hanok Village is divided into 3 parts: exhibition hall, experience hall, and shopping mall. Visitors can attend craft exhibition events in the Exhibition Hall, and they can also participate in some craft experience programs. Many crafts are on sale in the shopping mall. The Jeonju Crafts Exhibition Hall is run by Jeonju University, and hours of operation are 10 am ~ 6 pm (7 pm for the summer season).^[19]

Jeonju Hanok Living Experience Center (Sehwagwan)

The Jeongju Hanok Living Experience Center is a traditional hanok building with a main building, detached house, servants' quarters, courtyard, and detached courtyard like a Yangban house. Visitors can personally experience the traditional Korean life style and traditional Korean living quarters.^[20]

Jeonju Traditional Wine Museum

The wine museum opened in 2002 to introduce and reenact the traditional brewing of home-made liquor. Each household brewed its own rice wine or other alcoholic beverages and also held memorial services for ancestors and entertained guests with wine. However, this custom was ended by the Japanese Liquor Tax Act. The Jeonju Traditional Wine Museum offers educational classes in home-brewing liquor, research related to home-brewed liquor, and various experience programs. Operating hours are from 9 am to 6 p.m., and there is no admission fee.^[21]

Traditional Hanji (Korean Paper) Center

Traditional hanji(Korean Paper) is reproduced by hanji production techniques at the traditional Hanji Center. Authentic hanji is made here, and 80% of production is exported to Japan. The rest sold in Korea. Visitors can participate in various papermaking programs that include designing patterns for the paper.^[22]

Controversy

As Jeonju Hanok Village becomes more famous it undergoes many changes, including being the subject of various controversies.

Commercialization

A long line of stores in Jeonju Hanok maeul

The area has been criticized as an extinction of traditional culture caused by the relentless pursuit of profit. With more than 6 million visitors, commercial facilities in Jeonju Hanok Village have increased sharply over the last two years. More than 100 commercial facilities have grown (506 facilities reported in total), while a quarter of this area is living space.^[23] This is especially true in food and beverage vending and accommodations. Over 50% of commercial facilities here opened after 2013 and have increased regularly. At the same time, traditional tea houses have decreased from 10 to 6. Places for experience-oriented handicraft workshops have been replaced by modern souvenir shops.^[24] One of the main reasons for these changes is that the majority of visitors are in their twenties, bringing on a reorienting towards the twenties demographic. The changes are also linked to increasing sales in modern souvenir shops. A current trend among young people now is spending time together dressed in Korean traditional clothes, hanbok, and looking for ornaments and daily supplies.^[25] The other problem in this commercializing trend is overpricing. There is a variety of very good food in Jeonju, but criticism for high prices applies to dishes like Jenju bibimbap, tteok-galbi, kong-namul-gukbap, and others. Street food shares a similar problem. In only a few years, many street foods have appeared, like odeng, dakkochi, dumplings, beer, etc. and these are expensive compared with other places outside Hanok Village. Accommodation facilities likewise—room charges are comparatively high because of the high volume of visitors for the number of accommodation facilities.^[26] Controversy opposes commercialization and preserving tradition, with some arguing that Jeonju Hanok Village must be developed with long-term goals in mind, not just immediate profit.^[27]

Gallery

• 
  Hanok Village (Jeonju) - 2012 (1).
• 
  Hanok Village (Jeonju) - 2012 (2).
• 
  Hanok Village (Jeonju) - 2014 (1).
• 
  Hanok Village (Jeonju) - 2014 (2).
• 
  Hanok Village (Jeonju) - 2014 (3).
• 
  Gyeongi jeon entrance - 2014.
• 
  Jeondong Catholic Church (Jeonju) - 2014.

Media

• KBS《Look Back At Myself(Korean: 나를 돌아봐)》(October 17, 2015)
• KBS《Look Back At Myself(Korean: 나를 돌아봐)》(October 16, 2015)
• tvN《Wednesday Food Talk(Korean: 수요미식회)》(September 16, 2015)
• SBS《Running Man(Korean: 런닝맨)》(January 12, 2014)
• KBS《Documentary 3 days(Korean: 다큐멘터리 3일)》(November 25, 2012)
• KBS《1 Night 2 Days(Korean: 1박 2일) - Jeonju special》 (September 16, 2007)
• KBS《1 Night 2 Days(Korean: 1박 2일) - Jeonju special》 (September 9, 2007)
• KBS《1 Night 2 Days(Korean: 1박 2일) - Jeonju special》 (September 2, 2007)

See also

• Korean architecture
• History of Korea
• Namsangol Hanok Village
• Korean Folk Village
• Hahoe Folk Village
• Yangdong Village of Gyeongju

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeonju Hanok maeul.

• Official Jeonju tour website