Gwangju Talks

If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?

Gwangju News

Far from being a time of utter despair, frigid winter is when we can look forward to a beautiful spring over the horizon. Incidentally, I like the saying that “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Alexander Pope (1688–1744) famously said, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Deeply comforting is this inexhaustible capacity of ours to hope for better things down the road. No matter how dire the circumstances may be, this inborn optimistic streak in us will always come to our rescue and deliver us from the darkest abyss imaginable. 

Language Teaching

Learner Journals and Portfolios for Language Improvement

Gwangju News

This article reports on a quite successful, combined journal-portfolio project with 76 university students over a one-semester period. Its purpose was to determine satisfaction with the project, its effectiveness in improving autonomous learning program design, and its effectiveness in improving autonomous study habits.

Around Korea

Beyond Bukhansan

Gwangju News

In fact, arguably the first mountain you’d think of when South Korea comes to mind is Bukhansan, nestled in its eponymous national park spread out over 30.86 square miles along the northern periphery of Seoul. Unsurprisingly, it tops most peoples’ to-do list and would likely be your first port of call as a hungry hiker newly moved here. But there are many more mountains to be explored beyond Bukhansan.

Lost in Gwangju/Honam

Hwasun’s Hidden Shrines and Fortress Ruins

Gwangju News

This month, we’ll turn to the interior for a visit to Hwasun County, located just southeast of Gwangju. There we’ll visit a pair of abandoned family shrines and the ruins of a mountain fortress dating back to the Goryeo era.

International Community

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

Gwangju News

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!

Human Rights

The 2022 Human Rights Education Training Program for Sustainable and Inclusive Communities

Gwangju News

Following the successful completion of the 2021 Online Human Rights Education Training Program for Sustainable and Inclusive Communities in November last year, this year Gwangju Metropolitan City, represented through the Gwangju International Center (GIC), conducted another KOICA Fellowship Program: the CIAT (Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow).

Human Rights

The 12th World Human Right Cities Forum: Views from Participants

Gwangju News

The 12th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) was held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center for four days, October 10–13, 2022. During this year’s Forum, 38 programs were organized with 320 domestic and foreign speakers and around 1,800 participants in total. Under this year’s theme, “Climate Crisis and Human Rights,” we concluded that it was important to recognize that the climate crisis could also impact human rights, not just the environment.

GFN Radio

Top of The Drop

Gwangju News

This is the latest installment of the most recent column addition to the Gwangju News: “Top of The Drop,” by Daniel Springer of the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN). Each month, “Danno” picks his favorite newly released tunes that you may have missed, along with some upcoming albums and EPs that you might want to keep on your radar.