Namwon Gwanghallu (treasure) is one of the most beautiful pavilions in Korea. Gwanghallu Pavilion, which is widely considered one of the four best examples of traditional pavilions in Korea (along with Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Seoul, Pubyokru Pavilion in Pyongyang, and Chokseoknu Pavilion in Jinju), was built in 1419 CE by Hwang Hui, who served as a prime minister during the Joseon Dynasty, when he was exiled to Namwon. The current building was rebuilt in 1638 CE (16th year of King Injo) after the pavilion burned to the ground during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597 CE. The garden where Gwanghallu is located is called Gwanghalluwon, and it holds an important place in the history of landscaping architecture in Korea. The landscaping culture of the Joseon Dynasty reflects principles from the five elements of yin and yang, feng shui geography, Neo-Confucian worldview, and Taoist ideology. Gwanghalluwon Garden is a great example of these dynamics. Gwanghallu means the “Palace of the Moon,” and the pond inside Gwanghalluwon Garden symbolizes the Milky Way. The bridge installed over the pond is an Ojakgyo Bridge, where Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo used to meet on the 7th of July every year. The three small islands created in the pond symbolize Bongnaesan Mountain, Bangjangsan Mountain, and Yeongjusan Mountain where the Taoist gods live. Overall, Gwanghalluwon Garden was built as an incarnation of a utopia where the gods live. Interestingly, the Garden is where Seong Chun-hyang and Lee Do-ryeong, the protagonists of Chunhyangjeon, first met each other. Gwanghalluwon Garden is home to a Chunhyang Sadang Shrine, which enshrines the portrait of Chunhyang drawn by Kim Eun-ho, Chunhyanggwan Hall, which contains various information related to Seong Chun-hyang, and a rebuilt thatched house of the house she used to live in.

Namwon Gwanghallu Pavilion was built when the famous Hwang Hui was exiled to Namwon during the Joseon Dynasty, and was initially called the Gwangtongnu Pavilion. It was renamed Gwanghallu after it was rebuilt by Jeong In-ji in 1434 CE (16th year of King Sejong). The current building was rebuilt in 1638 CE (16th year of King Injo) after the pavilion burned to the ground during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597 CE.

Exciting Sori Nongak (UNESCO Intangible Heritage) enjoyed in the birthplace of Pilbong Nongak refers to music played to galvanize farmers working in the field or people during Korea's traditional holidays. It is a popular form of performing art designed to build camaraderie in the community, and is also called Pungmul, Dure, or Gut. The Pilbong Nongak in Imsil (a national intangible Korean Heritage) is a village Pungmul-Gut that has been passed down in Pilbong-ri, Gangjin-myeon, Imsil-gun, Jeollabuk-do. Nongak in the eastern part of Jeolla-do is called Jwado Nongak, and Pilbong Nongak, which has been preserved best in its original form, is a great example of the Jwado Nongak. It started out as a more simple form of Nongak, but it grew more sophisticated in style around 1920 when Sangsoe (leader of a Nongak band, performer of the first Kkwaenggwari) Park Hak-sam was invited to lead Pilbong Nongak. Pilbong Nongak, with its strong and energetic melody, emphasizes group harmony and unity rather than the skill of a particular individual. The Training Center for Imsil Pilbong Nongak, where you can learn and experience Pilbong Nongak, is a place often visited not only by trainees of Nongak, but also by the general public. Especially during the holiday season, hundreds of students from all over the country come every week to learn the intricacies of Pilbong Nongak. The Training Center is located inside the “Pilbong Cultural Village,” and it offers various programs on traditional culture. The Center also has an exhibition hall on Pungmul instruments that can help you learn the history of Pilbong Nongak, indoor and outdoor performance halls where you can enjoy various performances, and a village hall where you can enjoy a night at a traditional Hanok house.

Imsil Pilbong Nongak
Pilbong Village had simple Nongak music passed down since ancient times. It evolved into the sophisticated music it is today sometime in the early 1920s when “Sangsoe” Park Hak-sam was invited to teach his style of Nongak to the locals in Pilbong Village. Imsil Pilbong Nongak is a great example of Nongak music with clear breaks in its Kkwaenggwari melody (Soegarak), which gives it a sense of strength and energy. It also emphasizes the harmony and unity of the group rather than individual skills.

Korea, surrounded on three sides by the sea, pioneered sea routes and engaged in maritime activities since ancient times. Merchant vessels that played a major role in transporting goods had to fight through the rough seas, but unfortunately, not all of them managed to sail safely to their destination. Ships that sank carrying precious cargo are called “treasure ships,” and have sparked people's imagination and curiosity for a very long time. Thanks to advances in technology, ships that had sunk in the past have been salvaged and brought out of the water, bringing the treasures that had been lost at sea with them. These shipwrecks and relics found at sea are called “underwater cultural properties” or “maritime cultural properties.” The Mokpo Maritime Museum, operated by the National Research Institute of Maritime Korean Heritage, is a venue that exhibits these cultural resources. Marine cultural properties excavated from all over the country are gathered and showcased at the Mokpo Maritime Museum, which means you can learn about the maritime culture of Korea, the development of shipbuilding technology, and the maritime culture of our ancestors. Inside, the Museum has real and model ships from the Goryeo Dynasty, while outside, it has replicas of ships from the Joseon Dynasty. Together, the exhibits give you a more vivid image of our maritime history and heritage. Various types of underwater relics can also give you a snapshot of when they were lost at sea. In particular, the Sinanseon excavated in 1976 is considered a valuable heritage that helps us understand the “maritime silk road” our ancestors managed to establish during medieval times in East Asia.

During the Joseon Dynasty, Japanese pirates and privateers often made landfall on the Jeolla-do and Gyeongsang-do Provinces. As such, the royal court set up a major naval camp presided over by the chief naval officer of the region in each Province. The Usuyeong was created in Jeolla-do, and the Jwasuyeong was created in Gyeongsang-do. Haenam served as the base for the Usuyeong. Today, the Usuyeong Tourist Site has been built on the old Usuyeong site to commemorate the Great Battle of Myeongnyang (Uldolmok) against the Japanese navy in 1597 CE (30th year of King Seonjo) led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin with only 13 vessels. Uldolmok, located between Haenam-gun and Jindo-gun, is a narrow and shallow channel with the fastest currents in Korea. It was called “Uldolmok” (meaning the “path of the sea that cries out loud”) because the sound of rapids crashing against the reef made it feel like the sea itself was crying out loud. Inside the Memorial Park of the Great Battle of Myeongnyang Battle is an exhibition hall in the shape of a Panokseon battleship to commemorate the Great Battle of Myeongnyang. Here, you can learn about Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the Great Battle of Myeongnyang, the Turtle Ship, various weapons, and the history of naval warfare around the world. Meanwhile, the nearby observatory gives you a panoramic view of Uldolmok, Jindogyo Bridge, and Jindo Tower. In front of Uldolmok, which continues to make its crying sounds to this day, you will find a statue of Yi Sun-sin in deep contemplation. Unlike most of the statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin that depict the great general wearing battle armor, the Yi Sun-sin in this statue is wearing a coat and holding a map.