Gwangju Talks

Compiled by Lee Jeonghwa, Kim Hyunyung, Han Juyeon, and Yong Yurim

What changes have you noticed in South Jeolla over the past ten years?

Park Seong-Hyang/ 23

Above all, I think Naju Innovation City is the biggest change. Not only is KEPCO (Korean Electric Power Corporation) now located there, but many other public companies have come to the city, too. Another change can be seen in Suncheon. Many people used to confuse the city with other cities with similar names, such as Sunchang or Chuncheon, because the name recognition just was not there. However, after the Suncheon Garden Expo was held in 2013, the city’s recognition rose, and now people are no longer confused about Suncheon. The Yeosu Expo also helped Yeosu to further positively develop its reputation.

Choi Mi-Ran / 47

My hometown is Iksan, located in North Jeolla. Iksan is a small city near Jeonju. As one of many new suburbs and satellite cities, Iksan has grown a lot in the past ten years. Luxurious new streets have been constructed and my elementary school has been rebuilt. A middle school has also been constructed in my village. However, the old sections of the city have become weakened by the new sections, and many young people are moving to new parts of the city.

Yoon Na-Rae / 23

I am just turning 23 years old, so 10 years ago I was just 13. Even so, I can feel there have been a lot of changes made in Gwangju and South Jeolla… When I was an elementary school student, there were not so many places for cultural experiences to be had. But now, there are a lot of places for culture, such as the skating rink at the city hall and various festivals around Gwangju and South Jeolla province that relate both nationally and globally. I think that is the biggest change here.

Lee Jae-Hoon / 55

I think Naju Innovation City has made South Jeolla really different. Before, Naju was famous for its landscape. We called it the “Naju Plain”, the symbol of the plain in Honam Plains. Blue skies and open land used to make people calm in Naju. However, after the Naju Innovation City project finished, it changed quite a bit. The scene changed. There are now a lot of tall buildings, many people wear suits and there are more buses and cars. We can easily see these things. There are also apartments for those who work in South Jeolla. As far as I know, most people who work in Naju have homes in other cities such as Seoul but they have come to Naju for work. As new people have come here, South Jeolla has changed to become more like Seoul.