Jeonju is a
city||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
in
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
, and the capital of
Jeollabuk-doJeollabuk-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Jeolla province, and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...
, or North Jeolla Province. It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals.
Located in the fertile
HonamHonam is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to North and South Jeolla Provinces....
plain, famous for strawberries and exceptional produce, Jeonju has been an important regional center in the province for centuries. Once, the city was capital of
HubaekjeHubaekje, or Later Baekje, was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Hugoguryeo and Silla. It was officially founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, and fell to Wanggeon's Goryeo army in 936. Its capital was at Jeonju, in present-day North Jeolla province...
, which was founded by
Gyeon HwonGyeon Hwon was the king and founder of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" . He was also the progenitor of the Hwanggan Gyeon clan...
.
Jeonju is a
city||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
in
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
, and the capital of
Jeollabuk-doJeollabuk-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Jeolla province, and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...
, or North Jeolla Province. It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals.
History
Located in the fertile
HonamHonam is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to North and South Jeolla Provinces....
plain, famous for strawberries and exceptional produce, Jeonju has been an important regional center in the province for centuries. Once, the city was capital of
HubaekjeHubaekje, or Later Baekje, was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Hugoguryeo and Silla. It was officially founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, and fell to Wanggeon's Goryeo army in 936. Its capital was at Jeonju, in present-day North Jeolla province...
, which was founded by
Gyeon HwonGyeon Hwon was the king and founder of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" . He was also the progenitor of the Hwanggan Gyeon clan...
. The city was regarded as the spiritual capital of the
Joseon DynastyJoseon , was a Korean sovereign state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong...
because the
YiLee is the common English spelling of 이 , a common Korean family name. The proper pronunciation in South Korea is like the English letter "E". Although in North Korea the name is still spelled as "리" and pronounced "Lee". Many times South Koreans will knowingly introduce themselves as "Lee" to...
royal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term "imperial family" more appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress regnant, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate in reference to the...
originated there.
The town was occupied by the
DonghakDonghak is a Korean religion founded in 1860 by Choe Jeu. Donghak venerated the god "Haneullim" , and believed that man is not created by a supernatural God, but man is instead caused by an innate God...
peasants' movement in 1894. Jeonju was given metropolitan status in 1935, and the city was founded in 1949.
Culture
- Jeonju bibimbap
Bibimbap is a popular Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed meal." Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul and gochujang . A raw or fried egg and sliced meat are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating...
비빔밥 , a traditional local food, is well-known across South Korea. There are also several very popular vegetarian restaurants serving Jeonju style food and pine wine.
- The National Jeonju Museum exhibits ancient relics from the Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
days.
- There are extensive royal museums, temples, a castle fortress on a hillside, and a well-known paper museum, as well as an annual paper fashion show highlighting both the latest style and traditional Korean clothing made of paper.
- The Jeonju International Film Festival
The Jeonju International Film Festival has been held annually since 2000 in Jeonju, South Korea, focusing on digital, independent and art films.-2000:*April 28-May 4: 184 films from 21 countries...
draws about 50,000 visitors annually.
- Jeonju is the hometown of the breakdancing crew Last for One
Last For One is a break dancing crew that formed in 1997. With their win in the 2005 Battle of the Year, they have been recognized as a worldwide known name and a contributor to the Korean wave, their fans respectively calling them the 'Dancing Taeguk Warriors.' They were heavily featured in the...
, international Battle of the YearBattle of the Year, commonly referred to as BOTY, is an annual international breakdancing series that began in 1990. It is a crew competition. Regional qualifying tournaments, also known as preliminaries, are held worldwide culminating in the BOTY International, the world finals event which is...
champion.
People and everyday life
Education is a major industry in the city, but it does not have the manufacturing or heavy industries found in other Korean cities. Given its rural location, the local mountains and parks are popular for outdoor recreation. There are also various historical sites in the area. The city also has a zoo, a large park, and the Samsung Sound and Culture Hall, a large, modern concert complex on the
Chonbuk National UniversityChonbuk National University in Jeonju, South Korea is the Flagship Korean National University for Jeollabuk-do province, also known as Jeonbuk or Chonbuk.-Overview:...
campus.
Administrative districts
Jeonju is divided into 2 wards, Deokjin-gu (덕진구) and Wansan-gu (완산구), which in turn are divided into approximately 40 neighbourhoods.
Sister cities
San Diego,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, USA
SuzhouSuzhou is a city on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu, China. The city is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction...
, Jiangsu Province,
ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
Kanazawais the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan.- Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's...
,
Ishikawa Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
External links