Published by the Gwangju International Center since 2001
Located about an hour and change southeast of Gwangju, Obong-san (literally “five-peak mountain”) has left me smitten for its topographical variety, bucolic bayside views, and one of the most unique rock formations I’ve ever seen: Knife Rock (칼바위). In this edition of “Lost,” I’ll carve out a few paragraphs on what puts this mountain in my top 10.
A good memory and high levels of intelligence are what elephants are admired for in Asian culture, and in Korea, elephants symbolize wisdom and longevity. They are considered to bring good luck and prosperity. But why is it that elephants are the victims of so much suffering?
Sunchang County’s been on a roll lately in terms of tourism promotion. The county boasts a pair of suspension bridges at Gangcheon-san and Chaegye-san, plus the new zigzagging boardwalk up Yonggwol-san. The county’s tourism crown jewel is probably its hanok-inspired Gochujang Village, adjacent to which is the new Sunchang Fermentation Theme Park (순창발효테마파크), which is about the most Jeolla pair of tourism facilities imaginable.
In this new column, our correspondent, Umesh Mansukhani, visits areas around Gwangju to give our readers an overview of what makes each and every district great in its own way.
Our first impression of Saudi Arabia – the land of mystery, the land of God – was a mixture of excitement and fear. When we arrived at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after a long 12-hour journey, we were flooded with unfamiliar yet unforgettable feelings.
One of the things that surprised me most about Okinawa was the serious lack of spontaneous karate demonstrations as well as the virtual dearth of enigmatic old men who were willing to use unconventional training techniques to turn me into a karate-fighting machine in mere days. But apart from this, Okinawa is by far one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Asia.
To mark my fifth year stewarding the “Lost” column, I’d like to return to Gwangju proper, specifically Yang-dong. This month, I’ll scribble the pages of the Gwangju News with a tale involving hostess bars, North Korean collages, menacing graffiti, courteous cult invites, and a tenacious cat I call Achilles who, like Yang-dong itself, refuses to die despite all odds.
Chungjang Street, named after the posthumous title of General Kim Deok-ryeong, was the site of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Today it is Gwangju’s major downtown area. The streets are lined with shopping malls, clothing stores, restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, banks, and hotels, providing the ultimate experience of modern culture in Gwangju. It is the city’s hub of fashion, both trendy and traditional.
