“Alssulshinjap Visits Jeonju”: Where Did They Visit?

“Alssulshinjap” is a very popular television talk show. In the show, a team of experts travel around Korea. In the last episode of Alssulshinjap season 1, the team visited Jeonju.

Through the episode, the locals were able to rediscover their hometown. The visitors must have made their visit to the city more meaningful.

Many people have followed the tour route taken by the Alssulshinjap team. In today’s post, I will introduce you to the landmarks of Jeonju the team visited.

Make hanji paper for yourself at Hanji Museum

Kim Young-ha, a best-seller novelist and a crew of the Alssulshinjap team, is famous for trying out unique experiences available at his destinations. In Jeonju, along with singer Yoo Hee-yul, he experienced making hanji (Korean traditional paper) for himself. They visited Jeonju Hanji Museum, located in the Palbokdong district.

On the second floor of the museum is the exhibition on the history of hanji paper and haji products. I was impressed by the giant hanji screen for film and video projection. On the first floor, I tried making my own hanji paper. It wasn’t difficult!

Jeonju Cinema Street, the capital of ‘independent and alternative films’

Jeonju Cinema Street is where Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is being held every year. The Alssulshinjap teams shared stories of their favorite films, memories of and opinions about the future of the JIFF.

Novelist Kim Young-ha used to be a judge for the JIFF. The film festival promotes ‘alternative films,’ which pursue different ways of expression from blockbuster entertainment films, and also ‘independent films,’ which are produced without financial supports from existing commercial capitals.

Jeondong Cathedral, the most beautiful cathedral building in Korea

Jeondong Cathedral is one of the most famous landmark in the city. The cathedral was built in 1914, under the supervision of François-Xavier Baudounet (1859-1915). The cathedral stands over the site where the Catholics were martyred in late Joseon Dynasty. Writer Yoo Si-min and scientist Jeong Jae-seung talked about how the commoners that suffered under the strict caste of the Joseon Dynasty were attracted by Catholicism.

The cathedral inspired them to debate over whether to face the painful realities in life or to forget the painful realities through concentrating on something that cannot be scientifically proven.

Meet the face of kings at the Royal Portrait Museum

Yoo Hee-yul and Kim Young-ha visited the Royal Portrait Museum located in the Gyeonggijeon Palace. Due to a series of wars, there only remain three royal portraits today. The portrait of Taejo, the founder of Joseon Dynasty is located in the main building of the palace. His portrait in the museum is imitation.

The portraits of Joseon Dynasty took great importance in representing the reality as precisely as possible, trying not to miss a strand of hair. It is said that the people of Joseon Dynasty treated the royal portraits as a manifestation of the king himself.

Jeonju Sago, the last sanctuary of the Annals of Joseon Dynasty

Yoo Hee-yul and Kim Young-ha visited Jeonju Sago (Archive), which is also located within Gyeonggijeon Palace.

Jeonju Sago is famous for hosting the only Annals of Joseon Dynasty that survived Japanese invasion four hundred years ago. Today, the building has become the museum of the Annals.

Earn modestly but live affluently at Chungnyun Mall

The favorite place of Professor Jeong Jae-seung was Chungnyun Mall, located on the second floor of Nambu Market. Chungnyun Mall is nation-wide famous for suggesting an alternative paradigm of a market. There are other successful places that benchmarked the mall.

Introducing the motto of Chungnyun Mall: ‘earn modestly but live affluently’, Jeong Jae-seung pointed out that the young people these days don’t single-mindedly go after money. He admired that the motto exactly represents the ideal of ‘work-life balance.’ I was also able to think about what’s really rewarding in my life while working to make a living.

This concludes my walking down the memory lane of the Alssulshinjap visit. I’m a local of Jeonju, but the show has given me a great opportunity to rediscover the histories and values of the landmarks of the city.