Gwangju Dong-gu to Host '2024 Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour' Over Two Days

Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that it will hold the '2024 Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour' over two days on the 26th and 27th at various local cultural heritage sites including the 5·18 Democracy Square, Gwangju Eupseong Historic Site, and Seoseok Elementary School.

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Selected as an excellent project last year and awarded the Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration Award, the 'Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour' is a nighttime cultural enjoyment festival utilizing Dong-gu's cultural heritage. A total of 28 programs themed around the eight "Ya" (night) elements?night view, night tour (historical tour), night exhibition, night performance, night experience, night food, night market, and night lodging?will be held.

This year, under the theme of "Memory of Stone," which gathers scattered memories of history and stacks stone monuments, the event highlights the Gwangju militia, notable figures of Dong-gu, and student independence activists who shaped the era during the Japanese colonial period in Gwangju.

The programs focusing on the "militia" will take place around the 5·18 Democracy Square. These include the opening theme performance "All Militia," the experience program "Gwangju Cultural Heritage Hanmadang" covering militias from Gwangju’s five autonomous districts, and the mini parade experience "Little Militia Corps," where participants patrol the event area as militia members.

At the Gwangju Eupseong Historic Site, programs themed around "Notable Figures of Dong-gu" will be held. These include "Seongdol Cafe Dongin (東人)," a theatrical experience meeting modern women of Gwangju over tea; "Atelier Mudeungdeung (無等等)," an exhibition featuring Dong-gu’s notable figures; and "Traditional Play Academy," where visitors can learn and enjoy traditional games.

Programs related to "student independence activists" will be held around Seoseok Elementary School. A special station called "Gwangju Station·Naju Station," transporting visitors back to 1929 when the Gwangju Student Independence Movement occurred, will be operated, along with "Student Independence Memory School," a mission-based experiential play about the Gwangju Student Independence Movement.

In addition, to respond to the climate crisis, programs such as "Making Paper Bags" and the use of reusable containers will be offered to promote sustainable use and preservation of cultural heritage. Furthermore, the festival currency called ‘1 Won,’ which can be used at the festival site and Dongmyeong-dong shopping district linked to the Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour, will be distributed to contribute to revitalizing the local economy.

Other diverse historical travel experiences centered on cultural heritage await visitors, including ▲Children’s Cultural Heritage Guide Tours ▲Gwangju Eupseong Two-Day Market (themed market and local desserts) ▲Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour Dinner Package (linked with lodging). For more details, inquiries can be made through the Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour website, the Culture and Tourism Division, the Cultural Arts Department, or the Dong-gu Cultural Heritage Utilization Project Office.

Im Taek, Mayor of Dong-gu, said, "Marking the 8th year of the Gwangju Cultural Heritage Night Tour, we have planned new content that focuses not only on cultural heritage but also on the figures of Gwangju." He added, "We hope visitors will experience the various sights, activities, and foods offered over two days in Dong-gu, the heart of Gwangju’s history."

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