City near Seoul, Suwon is a city with a lot of historical monuments. Less than one hour south of the capital, it is the largest city in Gyeonggi-do province. Famous for its World Heritage-listed fortifications build during the Joseon dynasty, by its ruler King jeongjo who moved the capital Seoul to Suwon in 1794. However, the king died soon after the construction of the fortress wall, and therefore Seoul regains its place as the Capital. Lovely Place and well developed, this is an excellent area to learn some of Korea’s long history, see beautiful natural surroundings, and get a lot of exercise all at the same time.
2016 is a special year since the Suwon cultural foundation has recruited cultural ambassadors for this year to promote Suwon’s culture, art but also tourism. Indeed, the Hwaseong Fortress might be the biggest attraction of the city, but Suwon is also a city where you can experience traditional games and traditional etiquette.
Not to mention the art. When visiting Suwon, one thing that’s not to be missed is a walk around Haenggung-dong Mural village. These past few years, artists have been targeting old and damaged neighborhoods, letting their inspiration talk by “beautifying” suwon’s streets with colorful and creative murals on fences and more. We called these areas daldongnae (“moon village”). These artists have chosen to arrange these “moon village” in order to preserve the historic district from being replaced by the fast high-rising development. Therefore it became the most developed urban art neighborhoods of Suwon. It is a labyrinth of alleyways makeover by international and local muralists.
It is also a place where few traditional Korean markets are being hold. You can also bypass several galleries like Alternative Art Space noon, a small gallery exhibiting local artists and fronted by a giant melted ice-cream cone sculpture. Right next to the gallery, you will find Space Bom, a café who is specializing in traditional teas and sells handmade crafts.
Also, be sure not to miss the main Highlight of this mural village project which include a 10m-long octopus with tentacles stretching the length of the alley among many others work. 2016 seems to be a promising year for Suwon as numerous activity will be planned to discover and experience local traditions of the city. If you want to discover this attractive town only 40 minutes away from the capital, you can check out our Suwon tours:
Korean Folk Village and Suwon Fortress Castle Tour
Half Day Suwon Fortress Castle Tour
5D4N Korea Cultural Heritage immersion Tour
10D9N Highlights of Korea Group Tour
Read more about Suwon City: Historic places to see during your trip in Korea
The Hwaseong fortress : An historical unprecedented project
Korea UNESCO world heritage sites : An impressive record
Korean folk village: Experience Korean customs
