The 2023 Gwangju Together Day: Together We Celebrate Multiculturalism and Inclusion!

The Gwangju International Center (GIC) is proud to organize this event along with the Gwangju Immigration Service as its host. This year, it will be held in Jungoe Park, a family-friendly park in the Buk-gu area near Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall, Gwangju Culture and Art Center, Gwangju Art Museum, and Gwangju Folk Museum. It has easy access and spacious areas for all your family and friends to enjoy. Like in previous years, it is expected that we will see a lot of turnout, especially now that the mask rules have been lifted, making it easier to spend time and celebrate events outdoors.

Hwasun’s Nineteenth Annual Marathon

On the first weekend of November, the county of Hwasun was host to the 19th Annual Dolmen Marathon (제19회 화순 고인돌 마라톤 대회). In addition to being surprisingly well attended, it was one of the most well-organized, exciting, and high-energy race events that I’ve attended in about a decade.

The GIC’s End-of-Year Event: Adios 2022

There are a few weeks left before we say goodbye to 2022. Time flies, as many of us would agree, and many things have happened this year, such as the easing of restrictions for Covid-19, which resulted in the Gwangju International Center (GIC) being able to hold many events that were canceled last year. There are many things to be thankful for this year, but the GIC’s most important possessions – its members – are the ones we are most thankful for!

A Week of Multicultural Immersion

The Gwangju International Center (GIC) successfully organized the 2022 Gwangju International Community Week this October. Starting from Tuesday, October 11, when the GIC held Culture Night featuring four regions in the world, to that weekend’s Global Gwangju event at the Asia Culture Center, it was hard work for all involved, but it was also considered a job well done!

Gwangju International Community Week 2022: An Event by and for the Community

It is only a few weeks away from one of the biggest events organized by the Gwangju International Center. Gwangju International Day (or GIC Day) this year has been elevated to Gwangju International Community Week, which will be held from October 11–16 around the Asia Culture Center (ACC) and the Gwangju International Center (GIC).

Empower, Seek, Adapt: “Rise Together” at Gwangju’s Refugee Women Bazaar  

On the historical grounds of the May 18th square near the Asia Culture Center, the first Refugee Women Bazaar in Gwangju took place. Let me be clear and state that there is a distinct difference between “refugees” and “immigrants.” These women sought refuge in South Korea due to multiple factors ranging from war and political oppression to state-enforced imprisonment. What must be acknowledged is that they ran away from threats. No matter the variables of their individual circumstances, they shared one thought in heart: to seeking a better life.

My Memories Are a Movie: A Different Kind of Chungjang Festival

Reflecting back on the period from the 1970s to the 1990s, this year marks the 19th year of Chungjang Festival, which is now a global event. The street area from Chungjang-ro 4-ga to 5-ga will also be decorated with nostalgic movie art, and empty stores will be used as cosplay movie spots for dressing up as characters from such movies as Snow White, Spiderman, and Ironman, and the Goblin Alley area (광주광역시 동구 충장로 5가 127-1) will have movie character sculptures installed to provide a variety of attractions and experiences for the citizens.

The First Buskers World Cup in Gwangju

Once again establishing itself as a city of the arts, Gwangju is going to hold the very first Buskers World Cup in October 2022. Artists and musicians from all over the world have applied, and we expect a huge turnout at the event. We at the Gwangju News wonder how this event is being organized and about its backstory. So, we tracked down the people at Gwangju’s Dong-gu District Office – the main organizer of the event – to get more information. Below is our interview.