By rail
Jeonju station, ~1.5–2 h by KTX from Seoul
East Asia · South Korea
Jeonju, South Korea
A hanok village and the home of bibimbap
Getting there
By air
Incheon (ICN), ~3 h
Best time to visit
April to May and September to October — mild
Don't miss
Jeonju Hanok Village
Gyeonggijeon
Jeondong Cathedral
Omokdae
Things to do
A night in a hanok
Bibimbap at its source
The Nambu Market night stalls
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Mobius6 · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes
A quieter corner
The Jaman Mural Village on the hill
Questions travellers ask
How far is Jeonju from Seoul by train?
About 1.5 to 2 hours by KTX to Jeonju station. From Incheon (ICN), allow around 3 hours.
Which dishes is Jeonju famous for?
Jeonju bibimbap, eaten in the town that is its home, and kongnamul gukbap.
What should I do in Jeonju?
Spend a night in a hanok, browse the Nambu Market night stalls and wander up to the Jaman Mural Village on the hill.
When is Jeonju at its most pleasant?
April to May or September to October, when it's mild. Comfortable shoes help.
About Jeonju
- Inland
Where it is
Jeonju is the capital of Jeonbuk State, formerly North Jeolla Province, in the south-west of South Korea, on the eastern edge of the Honam plain with low mountains beyond, south of Seoul.
History
Jeonju was the seat of the Later Baekje kingdom in the 10th century and the ancestral home of the Yi clan, who founded the Joseon dynasty in 1392. The Gyeonggijeon shrine, built in 1410, holds a portrait of the dynasty's founder, King Taejo, and for centuries the city was the administrative centre of the Jeolla region.
People
Jeonju's people speak Korean in the Jeolla dialect, and the city is known across the country for its food, from bibimbap and kongnamul gukbap, a bean-sprout soup, to makgeolli houses where dishes arrive with every kettle. Craftspeople still make hanji paper and folding fans, and pansori singing has deep roots in the region.
Known for
- The Jeonju Hanok Village
- Jeonju bibimbap
- Gyeonggijeon shrine and its royal portrait
- The Jeonju International Film Festival
- Hanji, traditional mulberry paper
Did you know?
Jeonju was named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2012, recognising a food culture built on bibimbap, fermented sauces and the harvests of the Jeolla plains.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.