From the Editor – January 2026

The days have gotten short and the mercury has dropped lower. Dongji (the winter solstice) has slipped by almost unnoticed; Christmas sailed by oh-so quickly. And before we knew it, we were at the end December, at the end of 2025. We are happy to have provided you with twelve issues of the Gwangju News over the past year, now at 60 succulent pages monthly.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all our writers and production staff who have made our past year of publication possible.

But let us not dwell too much on the past. As we move into the new year, our magazine’s team remains in tact to provide you with a rich assortment of articles over the coming twelve months. We shall strive to maintain the quality that you have come to expect from this periodical.

Speaking of this periodical, our January feature is on the recently completed KOICA Fellowship Program for international administrators that the Gwangju International Center (GIC) has been deeply involved with. Our Global Focus is on the schooling situation in wartime Ukraine. And our Ponderings and Contemplations is on Gwangju as being a beacon for justice.

January’s Travel and Discovery section takes us on a trip to the Muju Ski Resort. We are also given a tour of the little-known museum at Incheon Airport. And a third trip is to Namwon to the Seed of Hope Farm – a goat farm, a rarity in Korea.

In our Community section we have a report on the recent performance of the GIC Citizen Choir and the recent Gwangju Queer Festival. We also have an article on one of Gwangju’s “friendship cities” – Qingdao, the beer capital of China.

For the scientific and techie-minded, we have an article on innovations in healthcare devices and about the harmful mercury content in our seas and fish.

The Culture section opens with an essay on the “polite violence” of collectivism. A second essay muses on leaving Korea after three short years. We have a movie review of A Taxi Driver and a book review of Being Mortal.

Our food and beverage reviews this month include two on cafés – Overleaf and Cheenus – and two on restaurants: High Street for Mexican and Al-Aziz for Central Asian cuisine. In the well-being realm, we have a piece that discusses overcoming loneliness by connecting with the self.

Don’t miss our Gwangju sports updates on baseball, football, and volleyball, and check out all the upcoming events for the month. Enjoy!