From the Editor – August 2025

We welcome this month and the August issue of the Gwangju News with “heated” applause! Of course, one would expect nothing less than “heated” as the mercury hits 35°C on a daily basis and we doggedly plod through Sambok, the Korean dog days. But no worries; here at the Gwangju News, we take to heart the Korean saying i-yeol, chi-yeol (fight heat with heat). Yes, we have been fired up in working on this August issue from the very first spark!

Our cover feature takes us to the cooler climes of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. A group of Gwangju residents made the northwestern trek for people-to-people diplomacy. The delegation discussed climate change and desertification, planted trees, taught taekwondo and K-pop, and much more.

The first of our history and tradition articles pays tribute to Admiral Yi Sunsin and his remarkable naval victory at Uldolmok (Myeongnyang) while vastly outnumbered by a fleet of Japanese warships. August 15 is Gwangbok-jeol – the restoration of light. Our story “Gwangbok-jeol: 80 Years of Liberation” pays tribute to that day and to those who sacrificed to make that liberation possible.

Summer is the time for travel. In our pages, we take you on a trip to a destination were you can beat the heat on icy beaches, visit its cool waterfalls, admire its geysers, and climb into its highlands – Iceland! Nearer home, you can visit the Busan Sea Festival. At Dadaepo Beach, you can enjoy the music and cultural events as well as water sports and wellness sessions. And even closer to home, you are taken on a tour of the Suncheon Bay National Garden, the Suncheon Open Film Set, and the Nagan-eupseong Folk Village.

What’s going on in town? We introduce you to KEET 2025, the Korea Environment and Energy Trade Fair; we tell you all about this year’s UNESCO Youth Camp, which focused on AI; and we let you know about ACE Fair Gwangju 2025, celebrating Asian content and entertainment.

And there’s much more: We bring you a report on K-pop concerts. We tell you who the “Hampyeong Tigers” are. We explain teeny-tiny nanorobots. We ask “Why study?” Our book review is of Light in August. Our designer vintage shop review is of Rocket Salad.And our column debuting this month is Inside the Gwangju News, featuring one of our writers each issue. Enjoy all this and more!