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Gwangju Gossaum Festival
Gwangju(Nam-gu)

In Gossaum, the term 'go' originates from otgoreum (the ribbon bow on a traditional Korean jacket) and refers to a knot tied in a long string to make a loop. Therefore, gossaum, a compound of go and "ssaum," which means fight, indicate a "match or fight against two teams pulling on knotted ropes." Traditionally, Gossaum has been a competitive team sport enjoyed by men. It was often played in the Jeollanam-do area around Jeongwol Daeboreum (the 15th of January according to the lunar calendar). Gossaum, which has been enjoyed for over 800 years, was designated National Intangible Cultural Asset No.33 in 1971. The Gwangju Gossaum Festival, a gala event for gossaum, was first held in 1982. It attracts more and more visitors each year and contributes to promoting the local economy. At the Gossaum Festival, one of the longest-running folklore festivals in Korea, various folk activities originating from traditional Korean culture are performed. The folk customs have gained recognizable names and diverse events that are planned each year, including a celebration of the eve, a service to worship the god guarding the village, a village exorcism, gossaum demonstrations, folk play performances and activities for visitors to participate in, such as a Daeboreum food tasting and a plaza where one can experience traditional folk games. On the eve of the festival, a wide range of events are organized for visitors including kite flying, a traditional costume exhibition with a chance to try them on, rope walking, Daeborum food tasting (rice balls, rice mixed with vegetables and seasoned herbs), and jumping over burning straw ropes to chase away one’s bad luck. There are also many other attractive spectacles to take in including a gossaum nori photo exhibition, a traditional folklore contest, a Nanta (percussion) performance, fireworks, the burning of a very large daljip (a “moon house”), a village exorcism and saem gut (well exorcism) that goes on until dawn. A variety of programs are also lined up including a Daedong farm music performance consisting of about 300 musicians, gossaum demonstrations, Korean traditional martial art performances and a tug-of-war between two teams pulling a thick rope. The greatest highlight of the Gwangju Gossaum Festival is the burning of a 20-meter high, 15-meter wide daljip, which translates literally to “moon house.” The daljip, a pile of branches, is the largest one in Korea and its flames can rise as high as 100 meters or more, inspiring awe among all viewers. Visitors can also enjoy the traditional cultural heritage of the Gwangju area since a number of cultural relics including General Go, Gyeong-myeong sites (Pochung Shrine and Samgangmun Gate) are located within one kilometer of the venue.

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Gwangju National Science Museum (국립광주과학관)
Gwangju(Buk-gu)

Gwangju National Science Museum opened in 2013 to promote science by the government. The museum specializes in light and science with special spaceship shaped exterior. Many of the exhibitions consist of hand-on programs, providing visitors a chance to use their imagination to further learn about science.

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Ariene Guesthouse (아리네게스트하우스) [한국관광품질인증/Korea Quality]
Gwangju(Nam-gu)

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Gwangju Biennale
Gwangju(Buk-gu)

Gwangju Biennale is an international contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years. Taking place in 2014, the event marks 10th anniversay and will celebrate the importance of being together though the theme of “Burning Down the House (터전을 불태우라).” It will bring together many different people, different times, various roles in arts production, and numerous different positions toward power such as exist  in various social, political, and cultural situations. The biennale consists of an exhibition, several workshops, e-journals, books, and various programs such as residency programs and new commissions. [About the 2014's theme] Burning Down the Houseexplores the process of burning and transformation, a cycle of obliteration and renewal witnessed throughout history. Evident in aesthetics, historical events, and an increasingly rapid course of redundancy and renewal in commercial culture, the Biennale reflects on this process of, often violent, events of destruction or self-destruction―burning the home one occupies―followed by the promise of the new and the hope for change. In the 1930s the critic Walter Benjamin coined the term ‘Tigersprung’ (the tiger’s leap) for a new model of history where the past is activated in and through the present within a culture industry that demands constant renewal. What can the ‘Tigerspung’ mean for today’s ‘tiger economies’ like South Korea in a context where economic and political powers deliver the eternally new of fashionable commodities and industrial progress at the apparent expense of a cultural past? Burning Down the House looks at the spiral of rejection and revitalization that this process implies. The theme highlights the capacity of art to critique the establishment through an exploration that includes the visual, sound, movement and dramatic performance. At the same time, it recognises the possibility and impossibility within art to deal directly and concretely with politics. The energy, the materiality and processes of burning ― the manner in which material is changed and destroyed by flames into the residue of dramatic interventions or remnants of celebrations ― have long informed artistic practice. The transformative powers of fire are central to the way in which this exhibition has been imagined. -Courtesy of Gwangju Biennale Foundation  

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Dasomchae(다솜채)[한국관광품질인증/Korea Quality]
Gwangju(Gwangsan-gu)

Built more than 80 years ago, Dasomchae is a 'hanok (traditional Korean house)' guesthouse located in Songjeong-dong, Gwangju-si. It has 12 guestrooms whose walls are covered with healthy, natural red clay. The blankets are filled with natural cotton for a good night's sleep. There are lots of grapevines and trees in the front yard, including yew, locust, Japanese angelica, pomegranate, jujube, and apricot trees. In summer, the chimney is covered with trumpet flowers, making for a picturesque view. There is also a Korean A-frame that has actually been used for decades. Located a mere 10 minutes away by car from Songjeong Station, the guesthouse is very conveniently located for those wishing to visit various tourist destinations in the city.

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Gwangjuho Lake (광주호)
Gwangju(Buk-gu)

Gwangjuho Lake is located at the base of the Mudeungsan Mountain, which creates a beautiful view. Many people come to the lake not only for the relaxing setting, but also for the great fishing. Near the upper stream of the lake there are beautiful arbors built during the Joseon Dynasty that display the traditional garden culture of that time. One of these arbors is the Sikyeongjeong Pavilion, a historic site written about by Jeong Cheol, a famous statesman and poet during Joseon Dynasty.

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Jeonpyeongje Reservoir (전평제)
Gwangju(Seo-gu)

Jeonpyeongje was a neglected reservoir for decades originally built to provide agricultural irrigation to farms in the Maewol-dong and Byeokjin-dong regions as well as to prevent both floods and droughts. Since 1999, the reservoir had been changed little by little into a rest area and in 2002 was developed into an ecological park.

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Ssangam Park (쌍암공원)
Gwangju(Gwangsan-gu)

Ssangam Park is located in front of the Gwangju Institute of Science and technology within Cheomdanjigu (the high-technology district) in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Thanks to the beautiful lake at its center, the park is also known as “Lake Park.” The lake is surrounded with landscaped azaleas and pine trees and is home to several fountains. At least once a month, a cultural festival takes place at the park. Convenience facilities include 146 benches, 3 restrooms, and 3 playgrounds. The park is especially popular among students since it has a gym and a wide grassy field perfect for playing sports.

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Yeongsangang River Culture Pavilion (영산강문화관)
Gwangju(Nam-gu)

With the slogan “Yeongsangang River, where Nature and Life Coexist,” Yeongsangang River Culture Pavilion consists of an open space that blends well with the surrounding natural environment. The center provides a variety of educational programs and hands-on events, through which visitors can increase their understanding of the Yeongsangang River restoration project, the history of Namdo region, and the cultural and ecological environment of the area.

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