Namwon

Namwon is in North Jeolla. It is located in the southeastern part of Jeollabuk-do. The distance between east and west is 44.7km, and the distance between north and south is 28.6km. The area is 752.2㎢, accounting for 9.3% of the total area of Jeollabuk-do. As of 2020, the population was 81,615 people, accounting for 4.4% of the total population of Jeollabuk-do.

Namwon is known in Korea as the "city of lovers", and is indeed twinned with Verona the city of Romeo and Juliet. This arrises from a famous love between Lee Mong Ryong and Chunhyang who are kept apart by power and corruption. Namwon is also known as the cradle of Korean classical music and pansori, which includes the history of Chunhyang (Chunhyangjeon / 춘향전 / 春香 傳 or Song of the faithful Chunhyang).

Namwon is on the high speed KTX train line between Seoul and Yeosu.

Namwon is also served by 32 express buses from Seoul every day, with a journey time of 4 hours.

• 🌍 Gwanghallu Gardens (광한루원), 전북 남원시 요천로 1447, ☏ +82 63-620-8907. 08:00~22:00(Everyday). It is a garden built in the early Joseon Dynasty, and there is Gwangallu Pavilion where Chunhyang and Lee Do-ryeong met in Korean classical literature, and the garden where the Gwangallu Pavilion is located is collectively called Gwangalluwon (廣寒樓園). \4000(Adult), \2000(Adult), \1500(Children). (updated Oct 2015)
• 🌍 Chunhyang Theme Park (남원춘향테마파크), 14-9 Yangnim-gil, Eohyeon-dong, ☏ +82 63-620-5790. April–October: 09:00 - 22:00 November–March: 09:00 - 21:00. Paid park dedicated to Namwon's famous love story, Chunhyangge. It depicts various scenes from the story and also has a pottery museum on premises. ₩3000. (updated Sep 2017)

Namwon is renowned for a number of handicrafts and local products such as:

• Lacquered wood containers: made ​​from the alder and mountain ash trees of Jirisan, they are well known for their finesse
• Pottery: Traditional clay and glaze, they maintain food freshness
• Namwon kitchen knives, including steel dipped six times for strength.
• Rice Namwon (chammi): grown using organic methods, and irrigated with the waters of the river Sumjin.
• Jirisan wild ginseng: ginseng harvested by researchers
• Namwon is also famous for its traditional liqueurs, fruit and vegetables such as melons, grapes, peppers and apples

• The Suites Hotel Namwon, 38 Yongdam-ri, Jucheon-myeon, ☏ +82 63 630 7121. Korean style luxury rooms with a good view. (updated Oct 2015)
• Twins Park. Motel (updated Oct 2015)
• Jilisan Nine Dragon, ☏ +82 63 636 5733. ₩50,000-80,000. (updated Oct 2015)

• 🌍 Namgye-seowon (E of Namwon). One of nine Confucian academies (seowon) to make up the world heritage site Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies. (updated Jul 2019)