Jeonju facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeonju 전주시
Specific city
Korean transcription(s)
• Hangul	전주시
• Hanja	全州市
• Revised Romanization	Jeonju-si
• McCune-Reischauer	Chŏnju-si
Jeonju Hanok Village Jeonju National Museum Pungnammun Gyeonggijeon Jeondong Cathedral
Flag Logo
Location in South Korea
Country	South Korea
Region	Honam
Administrative divisions	2 Gu, 40 dong
Government
• Type	City government
Area
• Total	206.22 km2 (79.62 sq mi)
Population  (November, 2022)
• Total	652,392
• Density	3,164/km2 (8,190/sq mi)
• Dialect	Jeolla
Time zone	UTC+9
ZIP codes	560011-561870
Area Code	+82-63-2xx

Jeonju (Korean: 전주, Korean pronunciation: [t͡ɕʌɲ.d͡ʑu]) is a big city in South Korea. It is the capital of North Jeolla Province. The name Jeonju means "Perfect Region" in Korean.

Jeonju is a mix of city life and nature. This is because Wanju County, which is mostly countryside, surrounds it. Many people from Wanju County work in Jeonju.

This city is a popular place for tourists. It is famous for its delicious Korean food, old buildings, fun sports, and exciting festivals.

In 2012, Jeonju became a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy. This means it's recognized for its amazing traditional cooking. People have passed down these recipes for thousands of years! The city also has food research and trains talented chefs. It hosts special food festivals too.

Jeonju has a long history, over 1,300 years old. Many smart scholars have come from here. It also has a well-developed publishing industry.

City Views

Jeonju has many interesting sights. You can see traditional houses and modern streets.

• Gallery
• 

  Jeonju Hanok Village

• 

  Gyeonggijeon

• 

  Street of Baekje-Daero (2014)

Geography and Climate

Jeonju City Hall

City Divisions

Jeonju is split into two main areas called wards: Deokjin-gu and Wansan-gu. These wards are then divided into about 40 smaller neighborhoods.

Jeonju's Weather

Jeonju has four clear seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

• Winter can be cool or very cold. Sometimes, cold air comes from Siberia.
• Summer is humid, with moisture coming from Southeast Asia. This happens from June to September.
• Spring (late April to May) and Fall (late September to October) are usually pleasant. Temperatures are often around 20-25°C, and it's not too humid.

Jeonju's Long History

Jeonju has a very old history, going back over 1,300 years.

Ancient Times

Jeonju was part of the Baekje kingdom, which was in southwestern Korea. It is thought that Jeonju started as a market town around 57 BC.

In 660 AD, the kingdom of Silla took over Baekje, including Jeonju. Jeonju then became an important provincial capital for Silla.

Later, around 889 AD, people started to revolt because of high taxes. A powerful rebel leader named Gyeon Hwon made Jeonju his main base. In 892 (or 900), he renamed the city Wansan and made it the capital of his new kingdom, Later Baekje.

Gyeon Hwon fought against Silla. In 927, he attacked Silla's capital and its king. But then, Wang Geon from the Goryeo kingdom fought Gyeon Hwon. Wang Geon won, and Jeonju surrendered to him in 935.

Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties

Under the Goryeo rule, Jeonju became a provincial capital again. It grew steadily and became richer. In 1182, there was a short rebellion by peasants and soldiers, but it was quickly stopped.

In 1392, the Joseon dynasty took over from Goryeo. The Joseon family considered Jeonju their ancestral home. During this time, Jeonju became the capital of the Jeolla province. In 1413, Jeonju was one of four cities chosen to keep copies of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which are still around today.

Modern Jeonju

In 1894, the city was taken over during the Donghak Peasant Revolution. From 1910 to 1945, Jeonju was under Japanese rule. The Japanese destroyed the old city walls, and only the Pungnammum Gate is left.

Jeonju grew a lot between 1925 and 1949, reaching 100,000 people. It became a metropolitan city in 1935 and a formal city in 1949. During the Korean War, Jeonju was not on the main battle lines, but it still suffered from bombings. Many men from the city fought in the war.

In 1963, Jeonju got its current borders and government. It has grown quickly since then. Unlike some other big Korean cities, Jeonju doesn't have a lot of heavy industries. Today, traditional tourism and sightseeing are very important for the city.

Public Services

Fire Stations

Jeonju Wansan Police Station

Jeonju has several fire stations to keep everyone safe:

• Seobu 119 Safety Center
• Jeonju Wansan Fire Station
• Kyodong Fire Station
• Jeonju Deokjin Fire Station

Libraries

Jeonju has many libraries where you can read and learn:

Education

Jeonju is home to two public universities:

• Jeonbuk National University
• Jeonju National University of Education

Transportation

Jeonju Station

You can get around Jeonju using city buses and taxis. Many tourist spots are close to each other, so walking is also a great way to explore!

Railways

• Jeonju Station

Buses

• Jeonbuk Shuttle Bus

Culture and Fun Things to Do

Delicious Food

Jeonju is famous for its amazing food!

• Jeonju bibimbap (전주비빔밥) is a very popular traditional dish. It's a mix of rice, vegetables, meat, and a spicy sauce. There are also great vegetarian restaurants serving Jeonju-style food.
• Kongnamul gukbap (콩나물국밥) is a warm rice soup with bean sprouts. It's perfect for winter!
• Yukjeon (육전) is a type of pancake made with baked meat and dough.
• Memil naengmyeon (메밀냉면) is a refreshing cold noodle dish.

Top Attractions

Jeonju has many cool places to visit and exciting events:

• Jeonju International Film Festival happens every year from late April to May. It's a week-long celebration of movies!
• National Jeonju Museum shows off ancient items from the Baekje kingdom.
• You can explore royal museums, temples, and a castle fortress on a hillside. There's also a famous paper museum that even has an annual paper fashion show!
• Jeonju Hanok Village (Hanok Maeul) is a special village in the city center. It has over 800 traditional "hanok" style buildings. You can find traditional tea shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants there.
• Jeongdong Catholic Church is a beautiful old church built between 1908 and 1914. It's on a spot where Korean Catholic martyrs were honored. This church is a recognized national treasure.
• Jeonju International Sori Festival is a music festival that has been named one of the best international festivals!
• Gyeonggijeon is a special place that keeps a portrait of Lee Sunggye, who was the first king of the Joseon dynasty.
• The local mountains and parks are great for outdoor fun. The city also has a zoo, a park, and the Hanguk Sound and Culture Hall, which is a big concert hall.

• Attractions in Jeonju
• 

  Jeondong Cathedral

• 

  Jeonju National Museum

• 

  Jeonju Hanok Village

• 

  Gyeonggijeon Shrine

Sports in Jeonju

Jeonju World Cup Stadium

Jeonju is home to a professional football (soccer) team called Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. They play in the K League 1, which is the top league in South Korea. Their home stadium is the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

There's also a semi-professional football team, Jeonju Citizen, that plays in the K4 League. Their home ground is the Jeonju Sports Complex Stadium.

Jeonju used to have a professional basketball team, the Jeonju KCC Egis, but they moved to Busan in 2023.

Famous People from Jeonju

Many talented people come from Jeonju!

Politicians

• Han Duck-soo, a former prime minister of South Korea.

Celebrities

• Defconn (born Yoo Dae-joon 1976), a rapper and TV personality.
• Lee Min-woo (born 1979), a singer and member of the group Shinhwa.
• Kim Kyu-jong (born 1987), a singer and member of the group SS501.
• Yoon Kyun-sang (born 1987), an actor.
• Taeyeon (born Kim Tae-yeon 1989), a singer and member of the famous group Girls' Generation.
• Kim Sung-kyu (born 1989), a singer and member of the group Infinite.
• Hwasa (born 1995), a singer and member of the group Mamamoo.
• Wheein (born 1995), a singer and member of Mamamoo.
• Choi Yu-jin (born 1996), a singer and member of the groups CLC and Kep1er.
• Choi Byung-chan (born 1997), a singer and member of the group Victon.
• Bae In-hyuk, (born 1998), an actor.
• Na Jae-min (born 2000), a singer and member of the group NCT.
• So Yi-hyun (born 1984), an actress.
• Lee Yoo-mi (born 1994), an actress.

Athletes

• Lee Chang-ho (born 1975), a professional Go player (Go is a strategy board game).
• Yang Hong-seok, (born 1997), a basketball player.

Sister Cities

Jeonju has special partnerships with other cities around the world. These are called sister cities:

• San Diego, California, United States
• Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
• Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
• Antalya, Turkey
• Mokpo, South Jeolla, South Korea

See also

In Spanish: Jeonju para niños