Experience the best of Jeonju

Jeonju is the capital of North Jeolla province in south-west South Korea, and the symbol of its past is the Hanok Village, a quarter of several hundred traditional tiled-roof houses in the city centre. Nearby stand Gyeonggijeon, a shrine holding a portrait of Taejo, the founder of the Joseon dynasty, and Jeondong Cathedral, a Romanesque and Byzantine-style church built in the early twentieth century.

Jeonju is also known for its handmade paper, hanji, and for pansori, the Korean art of sung storytelling. Mount Moak, with Geumsansa Temple, is a short drive to the south, and the horse-ear peaks of Maisan lie farther east in Jinan. Seoul lies a little under two hundred kilometres to the north.

Jeonju is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and bibimbap, rice topped with seasoned vegetables, egg and chilli paste, is its signature dish, alongside bean-sprout soup with rice. Makgeolli taverns bring dishes to the table with every kettle of rice wine, and Nambu Market is lively after dark. Autumn colour in the hills is a highlight.