Jeonju () is the 16th largest
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in South Korea and the capital of
North Jeolla Province
North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...
. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of
Wanju County
Wanju County (''Wanju-gun'') is a county in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It almost entirely surrounds Jeonju. This county should not be confused with Wonju, in Gangwon-do.
History
○ Mahan Baekje Kingdom Wansanju 16th year of King Gyeon ...
which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many residents who work in Jeonju). The name Jeonju literally means "Perfect Region" (from the
hanja
Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom.
(, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...
(; jeon) for perfect, (; ju) for region). It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities, and innovative festivals.
In May 2012, Jeonju was chosen as a Creative City for
Gastronomy
Gastronomy is the study of the relationship between food and culture, the art of preparing and serving rich or delicate and appetizing food, the cooking styles of particular regions, and the science of good eating. One who is well versed in gastr ...
as part of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's
Creative Cities Network
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project of UNESCO launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development.[Baekje
Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...]
kingdom was located in southwestern Korea which included the area Jeonju is now located. It is believed that Jeonju was founded as a market town within Baekje around 57 BCE.
Jeonju (along with Baekje in general) was conquered by the kingdom of
Silla
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms ...
in 660 CE. It soon became part of the Silla kingdom and in 685, Jeonju became one of the nine ''chu'' (a provincial capital of the kingdom). From 889 and onward, peasant revolts (caused from over taxation) became widespread throughout the kingdom and it also spread to Jeonju where it became the headquarters of one of the most powerful rebel leaders of the time, Gyeon Hwon. In 892 (or 900), Gyeon Hwon renamed the city Wansan and established it as the capital of the
Later Baekje
Hubaekje or Later Baekje (, ) was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Taebong and Silla. Later Baekje was a Korean dynastic kingdom founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, whom led the local gentry and popul ...
kingdom. From Wansan, Gyeon Hwon campaigned against Silla which climaxed with the destruction of
Geumseong
Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...
(the capital of the Silla kingdom) and the assassination of King
Gyeongae in 927. With the decline of Silla, Gyeon Hwon and
Wang Geon
Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Thre ...
(of the
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificat ...
kingdom) waged battle for control of the peninsula. However, Wang Geon and his forces invaded Later Baekje in 934 and Jeonju surrendered to him in 935.
Under
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificat ...
rule, Jeonju reverted to being a provincial capital and enjoyed relative stability and economic growth. However, in 1182, the city was taken by peasant rebels with the aid of governmental troops stationed there who resented being forced to do heavy labor along slaves. The rebellion was soon suppressed forty days after it began.
The
Joseon defeated Goryeo and founded a new dynasty in 1392 and took all their possessions including Jeonju. The Joseon considered Jeonju their ancestral home (an ancestor of
Yi Seonggye
Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...
of Joseon may have fled Jeonju after the 1182 peasant revolt). During the Joseon period, Jeonju became the capital of a reorganized Jeolla (one of the eight provinces of the Joseon). In 1413, Jeonju (along with three other cities) was given the honor of safekeeping copies of the ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty'' which still survives extant in the former Confucian academy in Jeonju.
The town was occupied by the
Donghak Peasant Revolution
The Donghak Peasant Revolution (), also known as the Donghak Peasant Movement (), Donghak Rebellion, Peasant Revolt of 1894, Gabo Peasant Revolution, and a variety of other names, was an armed rebellion in Korea led by peasants and followers o ...
in 1894. Jeonju (like the rest of Korea) was then
occupied by the Japanese beginning in 1910. The ancient walls of the old city were destroyed by the Japanese authorities with the Pungnammum Gate being the only remnant left today. Jeonju's population grew between 1925 and 1949 when it reached 100,000 inhabitants.
Jeonju was given metropolitan status in 1935, and the city was founded in 1949. During the
Division of Korea
The division of Korea began with the defeat of Japan in World War II. During the war, the Allied leaders considered the question of Korea's future after Japan's surrender in the war. The leaders reached an understanding that Korea would be l ...
, Jeonju was not in the immediate frontline of the war but by the armistice signing in July 1953, Jeonju (along with many other cities) suffered bombardment and the loss of many male residents who fought during the war.
Jeonju was given its modern boundaries and government system in 1963. It has since then industrialized rapidly.
Since the Joseon Dynasty period, it was a metropolis, but it did not experience industrialization in the 20th century compared to other parts of Korea. It does not have the industrial infrastructure, manufacturing, or heavy industries found in other major Korean cities. Today, traditional tourism and sightseeing is a major industry in the city.
Culture
*Jeonju
bibimbap
Bibimbap
* ( , from Korean , literally "mixed rice"), sometimes romanized as bi bim bap or bi bim bop, is a Korean rice dish. The term "bibim" means "mixing" and " bap" refers to cooked rice. ''Bibimbap'' is served as a bowl of warm white ri ...
전주비빔밥, a traditional local food, is well known across South Korea. There are 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 Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...
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 the latest styles and traditional Korean clothing made of paper.
*The
Jeonju Hanok Village (Hanok Maeul) is a traditional-style village in the heart of Jeonju, housing over 800 traditional "hanok" style buildings. It contains many traditional tea shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants.
*
Jeongdong Catholic Church was built on 1908–1914 by French priest Xavier Baudonet on the site of the Korean Catholic martyrs in 1791 and 1801. This Byzantine and Romanesque church has been designated Korea National Treasure No. 288.
*The
Jeonju International Sori Festival
Founded in 2001, Jeonju International Sori Festival (전주세계소리축제) is South Korea's main event for traditional music and, since 2011, world music. In 2012, 2013, and 2014, Songlines listed Jeonju Sori Festival among the World's Best ...
was among
Songlines
A songline, also called dreaming track, is one of the paths across the land (or sometimes the sky) within the animist belief systems of the Aboriginal cultures of Australia which mark the route followed by localised "creator-beings" in the Dr ...
' 25 Best International Festivals in 2014.
*The
Jeonju International Film Festival
Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF, Korean: 전주국제영화제, Hanja: 全州國際映畵祭) is an Asian film festival. It was launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival with partial competition. It introduces independent a ...
draws about 50,000 visitors annually.
*Jeonju is the hometown of the
breakdancing
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in t ...
crew
Last for One, international
Battle of the Year
Battle of the Year, commonly referred to as BOTY, is an annual international breakdancing competition that began in 1990. It has been regarded as the premier b-boying competition in the world
and has been referred to as the "World Cup of B-Boying" ...
champions.
*Gyeonggijeon is a place to enshirine the portrait of Lee Sunggye called the first king of the Chosun dynasty.
The local mountains and parks are popular for outdoor recreation due to its rural location. There are historical sites in the area. The city has a zoo, a park, and the Hanguk Sound and Culture Hall, a large, modern concert complex on the
Jeonbuk National University campus.
Notable people
*
Defconn
Yoo Dae-joon (; January 6, 1977), known by his stage name Defconn, is a South Korean rapper and television personality.
Biography
2004
In 2004, Defconn received the Korean Music Award for "Best Hip-Hop Album". His songs are mostly comical, som ...
(born Yoo Dae-joon 1976), rapper and TV personality
*
Lee Min-woo
Lee Min-woo (hangul: 이민우; born July 28, 1979), also known mononymously credited as M as a solo artist, is a South Korean entertainer, known as a member of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. Lee was the first Shinhwa member to debut a ...
(born 1979), singer and member of
Shinhwa
Shinhwa () is a South Korean six-member boy band based in Seoul, composed of Eric Mun, Lee Min-woo, Kim Dong-wan, Shin Hye-sung, Jun Jin, and Andy Lee. Launched by SM Entertainment on March 24, 1998, the group signed with Good Entertainment ...
*
Lee Chang-ho
Lee Chang-ho ( ko, 이창호; born 29 July 1975 in Jeonju, North Jeolla) is a South Korean professional Go player of 9-dan rank. He is regarded by many as the best Go player of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was a student of Cho Hu ...
(born 1975), professional Go player
*
Kim Kyu-jong
Kim Kyu-jong["Kim Kyu Jong Official Site (more detailed information on me ...](_blank)
(born 1987), singer and member of
SS501
SS501 is a South Korean boy band consisting of five members: Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min and Kim Hyung-jun. They debuted in 2005 with the EP ''Warning'', which included their first number one song, "Never A ...
*
Yoon Kyun-sang (born 1987), actor
*
Taeyeon
Kim Tae-yeon (; born March 9, 1989), known mononymously as Taeyeon, is a South Korean singer. She debuted as a member of girl group Girls' Generation in August 2007, which went on to become one of the best-selling artists in South Korea and on ...
(born Kim Tae-yeon 1989), singer and member of
Girls' Generation
*
Kim Sung-kyu
Kim Sung-kyu (born April 28, 1989), referred to as Sunggyu or Sungkyu, is a South Korean singer and actor. He is the leader and main vocalist of South Korean boy band Infinite (band), Infinite.
In November 2012, Kim began his solo career with ...
(born 1989), singer and member of
Infinite
Infinite may refer to:
Mathematics
* Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set
*Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit
Music
*Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band
*''Infinite'' (EP), debut EP of American m ...
* E-Tion (born Lee Chang-yoon 1994), singer, dancer and member of
ONF
*
Hwasa (born Ahn Hye-jin 1995), singer and member of
Mamamoo
*
Wheein
Jung Whee-in (; born April 17, 1995), known professionally as Wheein, is a South Korean singer under The L1ve. She is best known as a member and vocalist of South Korean girl group Mamamoo. In April 2018, Wheein made her debut as a solo artist ...
(born Jung Whee-in 1995), singer and member of Mamamoo
*
Choi Yujin (born 1996), singer and member of
CLC and
Kep1er
Kep1er (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed through the Mnet (TV channel), Mnet Reality show, reality survival competition show ''Girls Planet 999'' in 2021 and managed by Swing Entertainment and Wake One Entertainment. The group is composed ...
* Baekgyeol (born Jung Se-min 1997), singer and member of
GreatGuys
*
Choi Byung-chan
Choi Byung-chan ( ko, 최병찬, born November 12, 1997), also known as Byungchan, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as a member of South Korean group Victon in 2016. In 2020, he made his acting debut in the drama ''Live On''.
Car ...
(born 1997), singer and member of
Victon
Victon ( ko, 빅톤; stylized as VICTON, an acronym for Voice to New World) is a South Korean boy group formed in 2016 by IST Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Han Seung-woo, Kang Seung-sik, Lim Se-jun, Do Han-se, Choi Byung ...
*
Yang Hong-seok, (born 1997), basketball player for
Suwon KT Sonicboom and the
South Korean national team
* New (born Choi Chan-hee 1998), singer and member of
The Boyz
Boyz or The Boyz may refer to:
Music Bands
* The Boyz (German band), a German boy band of the 1990s
*The Boyz (American band), an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, established in 1975
*The Boyz (South Korean band), a South Korean ...
*
Na Jae-min
Na Jae-min (; born August 13, 2000), known mononymously as Jaemin, is a South Korean rapper, singer, dancer and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy group NCT, primarily promoting with the fixed sub-unit NCT Dream.
Early life
Na J ...
(born 2000), singer and member of
NCT
* Kim Hyun-jin (born 2000), singer and member of
LOONA
Loona (commonly stylized in all caps or as LOOΠΔ; ; ja, 今月の少女, Kongetsu no Shōjo, Girl of the Month) is a South Korean girl group formed by Blockberry Creative. The group was introduced to the public through a pre-debut project t ...
*
Hwang Ye-ji Huang or Hwang may refer to:
Location
* Huang County, former county in Shandong, China, current Longkou City
* Yellow River, or Huang River, in China
* Huangshan, mountain range in Anhui, China
* Huang (state), state in ancient China.
* Hwang Riv ...
(born 2000), singer and member of
Itzy
Itzy (stylized in all caps; ) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment and consisting of members Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. They debuted on February 12, 2019, with the release of their single album ''It'z Different'' ...
(Originally from
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
)
*
Choi Yeon-jun Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (surname), Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a ...
(born 1999), singer and member of
Tomorrow X Together
Tomorrow X Together (, ; Tomorrow by Together, stylized TOMORROW X TOGETHER), commonly known as TXT ( ), is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Entertainment, now known as Big Hit Music. The group consists of five members: Yeonjun, Soobin ...
(Originally from Seoul)
*
So Yi-hyun
So Yi-hyun (; born Jo Woo-jung, 조우정; August 28, 1984) is a South Korean actress, with starring and supporting roles in ''Hyena'', ''Assorted Gems'', ''Gloria'', '' Heartstrings'', ''Glowing She'', ''Cheongdam-dong Alice'', and '' Who Are Y ...
(born 1984), actress
*
Lee Yoo-mi
Lee Yoo-mi (; born July 18, 1994) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles as Ji-yeong in ''Squid Game'' (2021) and Lee Na-yeon in '' All of Us Are Dead'' (2022). For the former, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Gue ...
(born 1994), actress
Administrative districts
Jeonju is divided into two wards,
Deokjin-gu
Deokjin-gu is a non-autonomous district in the City of Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, South Korea.
Administrative divisions
Deokjin-gu is divided into 15 neighbourhoods (''dong'').
See also
* Wansan-gu
Wansan-gu is a non-autonomous dist ...
(덕진구) and
Wansan-gu
Wansan-gu is a non-autonomous district in the City of Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, South Korea.
Administrative divisions
Wansan-gu is divided into 18 neighbourhoods (''dong'').
See also
* Deokjin-gu
Deokjin-gu is a non-autonomous dist ...
(완산구) that, in turn, are divided into approximately 40 neighborhoods.
Transportation
Many city buses and taxis are available in Jeonju. However, tourists are often advised to walk between points of interest, as many attractions are near each other.
Attractions
*
Jeonju International Film Festival
Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF, Korean: 전주국제영화제, Hanja: 全州國際映畵祭) is an Asian film festival. It was launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival with partial competition. It introduces independent a ...
usually runs from the end of April to May for one week annually.
Sports
![Jeonju World Cup Stadium 2016](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Jeonju_World_Cup_Stadium_2016.jpg)
Jeonju hosts
K League
K League (Hangul: K리그) is South Korea's professional football league. It includes first division K League 1 and second division K League 2.
History
Until the 1970s, South Korean football operated two major football leagues, the National S ...
team
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors ( ko, 전북 현대 모터스) is a South Korean professional football club based in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province that competes in the K League 1, the top tier of South Korean football. Playing at the Jeonju World Cup St ...
. The team's home ground is the
Jeonju World Cup Stadium
Jeonju World Cup Stadium is a football stadium in the South Korean city of Jeonju. It is the home of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The stadium's capacity is 42,477. The final of 2011 AFC Champions League was held at this stadium.
History
The Jeonju Wo ...
.
Jeonju also hosts a semi-professional football team,
Jeonju Citizen FC
Jeonju Citizen FC is a South Korean association football, football club based in the city of Jeonju. It is currently a member of the K4 League, the fourth tier of league football in South Korea.
Season-by-season records
;Key
*W = Winner
*RU = ...
, which plays in the
K4 League
The K4 League is the fourth tier of the South Korean football league system. After 2019, the semi-professional Korea National League and the former amateur K3 League were rebranded into the current K3 League and K4 League.
Competition format
T ...
. Their home ground is the
Jeonju Sports Complex Stadium
Jeonju Sports Complex Stadium (also Jeonju Civil Stadium; ko, 전주종합운동장) is a multi-purpose stadium in Jeonju
Jeonju () is the 16th largest city in South Korea and the capital of North Jeolla Province. It is both urban and rural d ...
.
In addition, Jeonju also hosts
Jeonju KCC Egis
The Jeonju KCC Egis is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League.
Current roster
Enlisted players
Honours
Domestic
Korean Basketball League
*KBL Championship
:: Winners (5): 1997–98, 1998– ...
, a professional basketball team which competes in the
Korean Basketball League
The Korean Basketball League (KBL; ) is a professional men's basketball league in South Korea which was established in 1997. The league consists of ten teams and each team plays a total of 54 games (27 home and 27 away) in the regular season.
H ...
.
Climate
Jeonju has a cooler version of a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cwa'') or
humid continental
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(''Dwa'') depending on whether the -3 °C or 0 °C isotherm is used.
Jeonju, like all of Korea, has four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter). The winters can have a mix of days that are cool to days that are quite cold. The colder days are often influenced by a high pressure front that brings cold air from Siberia.
In the summer, the humidity of Southeast Asia comes over the Korean peninsula from June through September. Temperatures in spring (late April and through May) and fall (after September 25 and through October) are often in the mid-20s℃ and with low humidity.
Sister cities
*
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
, United States
*
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade ...
,
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
, China
*
Kanazawa
is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Overview Cityscape
File:もてな ...
,
Ishikawa, Japan
*
Antalya
Antalya () is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, fifth-most populous city in Turkey as well as the capital of Antalya Province. Located on Anatolia's southwest coast bordered by the Taurus Mountains, Antalya is the largest Turkish cit ...
, Turkey
*
Mokpo
Mokpo (; ''Mokpo-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of fe ...
,
South Jeolla
South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
, South Korea
See also
*
List of cities in South Korea
The largest cities of South Korea have an autonomous status equivalent to that of provinces. Seoul, the largest city and capital, is classified as a ''teukbyeolsi'' ( Special City), while the next six-largest cities are classified as ''gwangye ...
*
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
References
External links
Jeonju city government home pageJeonju tourcity government home page
{{Authority control
Cities in North Jeolla Province