Mokpo Food Culture Gallery - Haegwan 1897 Prepares for Opening 'All Set'

Expected Role of Mokpo, the City of Taste, as a New Gourmet Tourism Hub

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] Mokpo City, Jeollanam-do is making every effort to prepare for the opening of the Mokpo Gourmet Culture Gallery - Haegwan1897 (hereinafter referred to as Mokpo Gourmet Culture Gallery).

According to the city on the 27th, with the opening scheduled for next month, they are busy with final inspections, including checking the overall systems and facilities and conducting simulations of all content within the space.

The Mokpo Gourmet Culture Gallery, newly transformed into a complex cultural space combining Mokpo’s unique resources such as food, culture, and history, has its greatest role as a gourmet platform.

As a representative space promoting the taste of Mokpo, it is expected to serve as a catalyst that sparks curiosity and interest in Mokpo cuisine and leads visitors to dine at local restaurants.

In particular, the Large Warehouse is the space designated for this function, with each end of the warehouse consisting of a Small Food Zone and a Food Lab.

The Small Food Zone, which recruited and selected private operators last March, has completed preparations for opening and will begin operations upon the gallery’s opening. It will operate as a hub promoting Mokpo as a city of taste by selling new menu items using the "9mi" (nine delicacies), cotton candy bread, loquat dacquoise, seasoned seaweed shrimp chips, and other snacks to visitors.

Opposite the Small Food Zone, the Food Lab will host various gourmet programs such as cooking classes led by professional instructors and launch schools for premium meal kits from top restaurants. They will run diverse programs on a weekly and monthly basis that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can participate in, and also plan to introduce gourmet tourism products targeting tourists.

The Large Warehouse also functions as a conference hall. The central lounge located between the Small Food Zone and the Food Lab features a high ceiling that provides an open and spacious atmosphere. A large LED screen is installed at the front, where media art enhances the grandeur of the space and can also be used as a presentation panel during meetings and events.

Satisfaction with these functions was confirmed during a discussion on development plans for southern region tourism held on the 20th at the Large Warehouse, attended by advisory groups from the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute and local government officials from Mokpo City, Jangheung County, and Muan County.

One meeting participant stated, “It was refreshing to hold a meeting in a remodeled old warehouse building. It is said that space greatly influences thinking, and the unique atmosphere of the Large Warehouse seems likely to foster active communication and creative discussions.”

The city plans to leverage the unique characteristics of the Large Warehouse to host various events such as meetings, forums, seminars, and performances, while continuously discovering new content to further enhance its competitiveness.

The Small Warehouse is composed of a smart tourism platform where tourists can obtain information about tourist sites or rest, and a historical exhibition hall introducing the diverse stories of Haegwan (Customs).

The historical exhibition hall showcases Mokpo’s unique history and international character since its opening as a port in 1897, and introduces figures related to Haegwan, sparking interest in Mokpo.

Visitors can experience Mokpo’s history through various content such as exhibition panels and videos. Standing in front of the model of the ancient excavation site and using a tablet PC, they can also view a restoration of the old customs office implemented through AR (Augmented Reality).

The former main building site of Mokpo Customs, located in the outdoor space, will be used as an open learning center, and the courtyard between buildings will be utilized as a cultural and artistic performance space.

A city official stated, “The Mokpo Gourmet Culture Gallery is expected not only to be a hub that promotes the excellence of Mokpo’s gourmet culture and its status as a cultural tourism city but also to breathe new life into the original downtown commercial district.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.