GYEONGAM-DONG RAILROAD VILLAGEGE
Although the trains don’t run anymore, the street, with shacks that look to be on the verge of collapse, is becoming popular as a memory trail and a destination for taking great photographs.
Take a Trip Back in Time along the Railroad
Gunsan, which boasts many modern cultural heritage sites, has gained popularity as a place where you can travel back in time, and the well-known Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is at the center of that popularity. The houses standing precariously close to the tracks show life at that time just as it was. Although the trains don’t run anymore, the street, with shacks that look to be on the verge of collapse, is becoming popular as a memory trail and a destination for taking great photographs. With an exterior that remains unchanged from the 1970s and 1980s, Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is now a representative travel destination of Gunsan. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
A Railroad Village Where Time Stands Still
The Gyeongam-dong railroad was built in 1944 to transport newsprint materials by freight train back and forth between Gunsan Station and the factory of Paper Korea. One after another, people started settling down near the railroad, and the village that grew up along a 2.5-kilometer stretch of railway got the name Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village in the 1970s.
The train passed through the village twice a day. When it came, a horn blared, and station employees blew whistles and shouted to block foot traffic. Even though the train was moving at a slow pace of about 10 kilometers per hour, all the houses shook because they were situated less than 1 meter away from the railroad. In July 2008, train services ended after 64 years, but time stood still in the railroad village.
A Retro Trip Back to the 70s and 80s
As the buildings of the railroad village remain just as they were when built in the 1970s and 1980s, the whole village feels like the set for an old movie. It is this atmosphere that made the protagonists of the drama Thank You and the movie Man in Love walk along the tracks and that got the village introduced on the TV program 2 Days & 1 Night.
On both sides of the tracks, there is a row of stores selling toys and snacks that used to be sold in the stationary stores and mom and pop shops in the old days.
On offer are snacks such as jjondeugi (corn-flavored chewy snack), Apollo candy sticks and ramen snacks, which everyone has tried at least once when young, and toys that bring out memories of old days such as yoyos, Tamagotchis and small fireworks. Buildings that seem to recreate the past, such as small grocery stores and photo studios, make the area a memory lane for older generations and a novelty for younger generations.
Wear Old-fashion School Uniforms and Capture Memories in Various Photo Zones
Every corner of Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is filled with murals and photo zones. Starting at the entrance, there are many photogenic spots, such as a mural containing the words Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village and an illustration of a railroad, paintings of the landscape with trains that are now long gone and the railroad village, and a sculpture depicting children playing leapfrog.
The former Gunsan Station building at the end of the railroad and the train replica are also great places for photo opportunities. Photographs taken in the days before the station was closed are displayed inside of the train.
On offer are snacks such as jjondeugi (corn-flavored chewy snack), Apollo candy sticks and ramen snacks, which everyone has tried at least once when young, and toys that bring out memories of old days such as yoyos, Tamagotchis and small fireworks. Buildings that seem to recreate the past, such as small grocery stores and photo studios, make the area a memory lane for older generations and a novelty for younger generations.
Address│14 Gyeongchon 4-gil, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do
Way to go│Gunsan Terminal – 5 minutes by taxi
NEARBY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Sagol Ttukbaegi
The best way to refuel after a day of exploring Gyeongam-dong, is with a hearty bowl of hanu gomtang (Korean beef bone soup) at Sagol Ttukbaegi. The clear broth and beef slices are very filling and delicious. Their naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles ) is also popular.
Kyungam Station Coffee
This café is best known for the mural of BTS’s Jungkook, and a train symbolizing the Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village. Their menu includes various brunch dishes and desserts.
Miz Coffee
This café sits in a Japanese-style building constructed in the 1930s, and visitors can tour the Japanese colonial house. The 1st floor has tables with chairs while the 2nd floor features a traditional Japanese-style tatami room.
Hanirok
This is a very popular restaurant in Gunsan best known for their sogogimutguk (beef and radish soup) and yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare bibimbap).
Jirinseong
Among the many jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) restaurants in Gunsan, Jirinseong is well-known for its version made with chili peppers. They use Cheongyang chili peppers for an extra spicy and fiery taste.
Leesungdan
This is a must-visit representative bakery of Gunsan. Their signature buns are the Danpatppang (bun filled with sweet red bean paste), and Yachaeppang (vegetable bun). They also have many other pastries and breads, such as ciabattas and croquettes.
TIP
Architecture & Culture
Not far from the Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is another street that takes visitors on a journey through time. Colonial Japanese houses were preserved to create a modern culture alley. The Gunsan Urban Regeneration Promotional Alley serves as a museum detailing the architecture and culture of the 1960s.
©Korea Tourism Organization
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