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Illustration: Jeonju
Jeonbuk · southwest Korea

Jeonju 전주

Traditional houses and the home of bibimbap

4 places2 local dishes

Why go

Right in central Jeonju is a neighborhood with more than 700 hanok (한옥, hanok), traditional Korean houses with curved roofs. You can wander the alleys, sleep in a traditional house and eat very well: Jeonju has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2012.

Getting there

KTX from Yongsan Station to Jeonju Station, approx. 2 hours depending on the train. Express bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal, approx. 2 hours 40 minutes. From the station or terminal, a bus or taxi takes you to the hanok village.

Travel times are approximate. Verified in October 2026.

What to see

  1. Jeonju Hanok Village

    전주한옥마을 Jeonju Hanok Maeul

    More than 700 traditional houses in the Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong neighborhoods. There are tea houses, hanji (한지, hanji) paper workshops and places to rent hanbok (한복, hanbok), the traditional dress. Early in the morning it is much quieter.

  2. Gyeonggijeon Shrine

    경기전 Gyeonggijeon

    Built in 1410 to keep the portrait of King Taejo, founder of the Joseon dynasty, and rebuilt in 1614 after the Imjin War. It has gardens with bamboo and old trees, and inside the grounds is a museum of royal portraits.

  3. Jeondong Cathedral

    전동성당 Jeondong Seongdang

    A red brick Catholic church finished in 1914, in Romanesque and Byzantine style. It stands where Korean Catholic martyrs died in 1791. It is a working church, so enter respectfully and dress modestly.

  4. Nambu Market

    남부시장 Nambu Sijang

    A big traditional market a short walk from the hanok village. On Friday and Saturday nights a covered night market opens, with Korean and international food stalls and live music.

What to eat

  1. Jeonju bibimbap

    전주비빔밥 Jeonju bibimbap

    Rice topped with many vegetables, meat, egg and gochujang (고추장, gochujang) chili paste. You mix it all before eating. It is the dish that made the city famous.

  2. Bean sprout soup with rice

    콩나물국밥 kongnamul-gukbap

    A light, hot soup of soybean sprouts with rice. It is Jeonju's classic breakfast, especially on cold days.

Best time to go

Spring and autumn, the best weather for walking. In autumn the trees in the village turn yellow and red. Weekend middays get crowded.

Tip

Nambu night market opens on Fridays and Saturdays from 19:00, or from 18:00 between November and February (verified in October 2026). If you stay in a hanok house, ask in advance whether the bathroom is private.

Sources