Jungoe Park: A Hideaway in Gwangju

Written by Yoo Su-yeon and Han So-young.

In the spring, when the air is full of fragrant flower scents, we would like to introduce Jungoe Park, in the center of Buk-gu, Gwangju. Jungoe Park is a well-known attraction to Buk-gu residents, but unfamiliar to people living in different districts. So for these people, we would like to introduce one of Gwangjus best-kept secrets.

We used public transportation to go to the park. There are three bus stops near the park, and it takes about 10–15 minutes to walk from any of them to the park. The bus stops are named Physical Education High School / Korea Polytechnic V (체육고등학교/한국폴리텍5대학), Culture and Arts Center Back Gate (문화예술회관 후문), and Unam Byeoksan Blooming (운암벽산 블루밍). You can arrive easily by taking buses 29, 95, 58, 51, or 29 to these stops.

You can see a rainbow bridge on the way to the park after getting off at the bus stop. This rainbow bridge was erected just over the highway. It is said to have been created to symbolize the purpose of the Gwangju Biennale, to connect the separated Jungoe Park and cross the boundary to become one. If you cross this bridge, which has a beautiful meaning, you will meet a large lake, Unam Reservoir. As there is a track around this reservoir and a sports facility, it is a good place to take a stroll.
Also, there is a cherry blossom path where we entered the amusement park. It brought back memories of my childhood when I held my mom’s hand and went to the amusement park. Jungoe Park generally has a lot of family visitors, but due to the influence of COVID-19, there were very few visitors when we were there. This park is a place where people can relax in beautiful nature with many rides such as Viking rides, bumper cars, merry-go-rounds, and sky bicycles.

We took the park’s must-try sky bicycles. The picture shows you why you must take this ride. The ride has its tracks along the cherry blossom path, so you can feel as if you’re walking on cherry blossoms as you get on board. Also, you can take a selfie surrounded by cherry blossoms while riding a sky bike. It will be a very interesting picture because it will be different from those photos you have of yourself taken under cherry trees in bloom.

In addition to the rides, you should not forget to visit the various performance and exhibition facilities near Jungoe Park, including the Gwangju Museum of Art, the Gwangju Culture and Arts Center, the Gwangju Folk Museum, and the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall. There is also an area with a lawn where you can enjoy a picnic outside the amusement park. Every spring, many people come here to spread out their mats and eat packed lunches with their families. It is located next to the art museum, so it is quite scenic with beautiful sculptures next to it. At night, the sculptures light up, so you can enjoy a picnic even in the evening. It also has a big swing to have a good time with the kids.

Now is the time to keep social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but when the virus situation stabilizes, it would be great to visit Jungoe Park with your family or partner.

THE AUTHOR

Yoo Su-yeon is an intern on the Planning and Management Team at the GIC. She is very interested in eating delicious food and visiting famous restaurants. She always gets a lot of satisfaction out of cooking with fresh ingredients on her days off.

THE AUTHOR

Han So-young is an intern on the Planning and Management Team at the GIC. Her happiest moments are when eating delicious foods with people she likes. She likes to spend time with people but sometimes also enjoys cooking at home by herself and eating what she makes while watching Netflix. That’s the time she truly meets herself.