Two days in Jeonju, with backpacks and umbrellas

My two daughters, my younger sibling and my niece or nephew joined me on a bus trip to Jeonju. With a backpack each, we spent two days following whatever caught our eye. The first day was hot; on the second, we kept opening and closing our umbrellas. Looking back, there were plenty of moments I would happily return for.

We made postcards, sheltered in a museum when it rained and changed our lunch plans when the queue was too long. This editor story brings the two original travel diaries together.

The courtyard at Ireuri, seen over coffee on our second morning.

The first day, without a strict plan

Waiting for the bus felt surprisingly long when we were carrying our backpacks. At Jeondong Cathedral, I stopped for photographs as I always do. We also paused outside the Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics. Rather than ticking landmarks off a list, we followed the scenery that caught our attention.

Jeondong Cathedral made us pause on our first walk.

We picked up choco pies at the Pungnyeon Bakery main store. Buying freshly made ones and eating them right away turned a familiar souvenir into a little break during the trip.

A postcard made by hand

At Wanpanbon Culture Center, we looked around the exhibition and made postcards. We also learned to fold an envelope shaped like a hanok gate. It left us with a souvenir we had made ourselves, rather than only photographs of the streets.

The exhibition space at Wanpanbon Culture Center.

Making postcards gave us a different kind of memory.

A hands-on activity can be a nice pause when travelling with children. Check which workshops are running before you visit. The fee in the original diary was what we paid then, so it is not presented here as a current price.

I was taking pictures with a Lumix S9, but the colours had a mind of their own. Add a heavy backpack and the heat, and by five in the afternoon I was falling asleep. Was this really the backpacking trip we had in mind? Still, snacks, busking and unplanned walks had their own pleasures.

Our plan for the next day was simply a breakfast spot and a lunch spot. Even that small plan did not survive unchanged.

A night in the village, then soup for breakfast

We stayed in a guesthouse inside the hanok village. Its name was not recorded in the original diary, but the location was what I remembered: we could come and go through the village as if it were our own front yard.

On the rainy second morning, we ate at the main building of Waengi Kongnamul Gukbap. I had previously visited its newer building, and this bowl tasted a little different to me. Comparing small differences between bean-sprout soups was part of the fun.

Breakfast at Waengi Kongnamul Gukbap.

Next came our caffeine stop, Ireuri, near the guesthouse. With few other customers around, we could choose a seat we liked and take photographs. Looking out at the wet courtyard and tiled roofs was a lovely way to rest.

From Gyeonggijeon to the portrait museum

I returned to Gyeonggijeon because an earlier visit had felt too short. Once again, I wanted to see the royal portrait. The rain came and went, so our umbrellas kept opening and closing.

We stepped into the Royal Portrait Museum to escape the rain. We looked at the portraits and listened to explanations about the colours of royal robes and the hats. It was another story to discover with the children.

We took our time looking around and taking photographs.

A shelter from the rain became a longer museum visit.

A rainy visit to the hanok village still includes walking outdoors. A museum or cafe between walks gave us somewhere to pause rather than trying to stay outside all day.

A long queue changed lunch

We had planned to eat at Jeonjuneun Jeonju, but the queue was already long before it opened. We gave up straight away. Apparently our lunch plan did not include a plan for waiting!

Instead, we went into Jongno Hoegwan near Gyeonggijeon and ate a mountain of bulgogi and tteokgalbi. By the time we were seated, more people were waiting outside. Finding a satisfying meal by chance made it feel even better.

Our last meal of the trip, at Jongno Hoegwan.

Before catching the bus home, we bought choco pies at Pungnyeon Bakery once more. Heat, rain and heavy backpacks had made it tiring, but we had enjoyed looking, making and eating our way through Jeonju. Next time, let us come by car!

Choose the parts that suit your trip

For a walk and photographs, consider Jeondong Cathedral and Gyeonggijeon. For something to make with children, look at Wanpanbon Culture Center. If you are curious about royal portraits and their stories, leave some time for the portrait museum.

You do not need to follow every stop we made. Pick the places you like and leave room for coffee or a meal. We already did our share of heavy backpacks and long queues.