Quote: Pungnammun Gate is the official symbol of the city and is highly reminiscent of the more famous Namdaemun Gate in Seoul. It remains an inspiring site, though its modern surroundings – a crowded roundabout lined with small shops and parked cars – engenders a startling feeling akin to finding the Arc du Triomphe in the middle of a housing estate. The nearby Gaeksa guesthouse, a recently refurbished single story structure that once served as lodgings for representatives of the king, is the fulcrum of the city centre, Pungnammun and the old town to the immediate south and the main shopping streets, cinemas and department stores to the north.

Deok-jin Kongwon is the best public park in the city. Centred on a huge lotus pond that once formed part of an ancient protective moat, the park contains a musical fountain, a small waterfall and statues of local luminaries. Two metal suspension bridges bounce over the lotus flowers, meeting at a viewing platform in the middle, while a winding wooden walkway cuts through a corner of the pond, the flowers so close you’re almost lost in the midst of them. The park is located near Jeonbuk National University in the north of the town, a ten-minute walk or a basic taxi fare from either of the bus stations.

Belying its mundane location on a main road opposite the Jeonbuk Ilbo building, the Hangookgwan restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the city. While there are other things on the menu the main reason to come here is to try their renowned Jeonju Bibimbap, which comes in two varieties at a price of seven or ten thousand won. Following a starter of bean sprout soup, the hot stone pot is brought directly to the table, fizzing and bubbling with heat. A large dollop of hot chili sauce covers a still frying egg on top of a bed of rice, seasonal vegetables and marinated slices of beef. The accompanying side dishes - all of which are replaced free of charge the instant you finish them - include miniature pancakes, two types of Gimchi, and an assortment of vegetables, with traditional cinnamon tea for dessert. Don’t miss it.

The city’s newest tourist attraction is the World Cup stadium, home of the K-League team the Jeonbuk Motors and located 9km north of the city centre and best reached by bus. The 154, 29-1, 46-1, 87-1, 229 and 5-1 all run to the stadium; the 46-1 stops directly in front of the Jeonbuk Ilbo building opposite the Hangookgwan.

From journals Where Dynasties Begin