Gwanghallu Pavilion

Gwanghallu is a large open pavilion on the edge of Namwon, first raised in the fifteenth century and rebuilt in 1626, standing over a pond with three artificial islands - a layout meant to represent the mythical isles of the immortals, with the pavilion as the moon palace the name refers to. Ojakgyo, a low stone bridge of four arches, crosses the water. It is the setting of Chunhyangjeon, the pansori story of the daughter of a courtesan and a magistrate's son, which is the most widely known narrative in Korean traditional performance; the garden is where the two are said to have met, a shrine to Chunhyang stands in the grounds, and Namwon runs a festival around the tale each spring. Whether the characters existed is not the point locally - the story is the town's identity. The garden is flat, compact and central, and the pavilion floor is open to walk on.

What's there

• The pavilion over the pond - open floor above the water.
• The three islands - the immortals' isles in the pond.
• Ojakgyo bridge - four stone arches across.
• The Chunhyang shrine - the story's memorial in the grounds.

When to go

April to June and October; the Chunhyang festival falls in spring and fills the town. Evenings are lit. Mornings are quiet.

Practical notes

It is a small town garden, an hour's walk. Ticketed. The literary associations carry most of the interest, and they translate poorly without some background.

Nearby

Jirisan's western approaches are close; Jeonju is about 60 km north.

Key facts