Gwanghallu Garden

Gwanghallu Garden in central Namwon is the setting of the classic tale of Chunhyang, where she is said to have first met Yi Mong-ryong. The pond represents the Milky Way, the pavilion the palace on the moon and the islands the mountains of the immortals, so the garden is often described as heaven brought down to earth. Its centrepiece, Gwanghallu Pavilion, was upgraded from Treasure to National Treasure in July 2026.

History: from Hwang Hui's pavilion to National Treasure

Gwanghallu is said to have begun as Gwangtongnu, a pavilion built by the statesman Hwang Hui while he was in exile in Namwon in the early Joseon period. It was later renamed Gwanghallu, a name that casts the pavilion as the palace on the moon. In the late 16th century, the Jeolla governor Jeong Cheol and Namwon magistrate Jang Ui-guk dug the pond in front of the pavilion and added three islands and the Ojakgyo bridge, creating the basic layout of today's garden.

The pavilion burned down in 1597 during the second Japanese invasion and was rebuilt to its current size in 1626 by the magistrate Shin Gam. In 1881 a corridor was added at the back; it works as a staircase and also stops the main hall from leaning backwards. Designated a Treasure in 1963, Gwanghallu became a National Treasure on 1 July 2026, about 63 years later, thanks to its clear written records, such as its ridge-beam inscription and local gazetteers, and the community's long-standing care for it. The garden as a whole is a national Scenic Site.

What to see

• Gwanghallu Pavilion: A five-by-four-bay pavilion with a hipped-and-gabled roof. Look for the dragon and turtle carvings in the brackets, the heated ondol room in the eastern annex and the stair corridor at the back. It is counted among Korea's great pavilions alongside Gyeonghoeru, Chokseongnu and Bubyeongnu.
• Ojakgyo Bridge: A stone bridge over the pond named after the bridge where the star-crossed lovers Gyeonu and Jiknyeo meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month. Four arched openings let water flow between the two halves of the pond, and it is about 58 m long.
• Three islands: Yeongju, Bongnae and Bangjang represent the three sacred mountains where immortals were believed to live. Yeongju has a small pavilion, Yeongjugak.
• Wanwoljeong: A pavilion standing in the water, used every year as a main stage of the Chunhyang Festival.
• Chunhyang Shrine and Wolmae's House: The shrine holds a portrait of Chunhyang by the painter Kim Eun-ho, and Wolmae's House recreates Chunhyang's home from the story.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: April–October 08:00–21:00, November–March 08:00–20:00, open every day. Entry is free after 18:00.
• Admission: Adults KRW 4,000, youth and soldiers KRW 2,000, children KRW 1,500. Preschoolers, visitors aged 65 and over and Namwon residents enter free. Car parking costs KRW 2,000.
• Time needed: Allow 60–90 minutes to walk around the garden and see the shrine and Wolmae's House.
• Best time: The Chunhyang Festival is held every year around Dano, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Arrive around sunset to see the pavilion and pond lit up and take advantage of the free evening entry.
• Good to know: Films such as Masquerade, The King and the Clown and The Face Reader were shot here. The Yocheon stream in front of the garden has a musical fountain, handy for an evening stroll.
• Getting there: It is right in central Namwon and easy to explore on foot, close to town sights such as the loach-soup street.