CreatripTeam

Namwon in Jeollabuk-do is celebrated as a moonlit city centered on Gwanghallu Pavilion, a site where history, literature and landscape blend. The pavilion and its garden were designed as a terrestrial mirror of the moon palace (월궁), with features like a lotus pond symbolizing the Milky Way, a stone bridge as the Weaver-and-Herdsman (오작교) constellation, and three small islands representing the three sacred isles (삼신도). The article traces how Gwanghallu’s name and layout reflect lunar imagery and how the site evokes the Chunhyang love story from pansori. It also highlights scenic moon-viewing spots nearby: Jeongryeongchi ridge on Jirisan for half-moon views, the remote Dal-gung (달궁) valley with its mountain-surrounded stream, and cultural venues like the Namwon Kim Byung-jong Museum with contemplative viewing rooms. Namwon’s autumn festivals—night heritage walks at Gwanghallu, the Heungbu Festival, and the 2025 Namwon International Drone and Robot Expo—offer nighttime experiences; the drone festival is framed as a modern way to “reach the moon.” The piece connects traditional moon rituals and literary references with contemporary tourism and cultural programming in Namwon.