JIRO Local, Now

Hello from JIRO! Today, we’re excited to share the March issue of the JIRO Letter, featuring Gurye County in Jeollanam-do. In an earlier post, we introduced spring in Gurye, when the cornelian cherry blossoms come into bloom. This new issue explores the story in greater detail, so we hope you’ll take a look. JIRO Letter March Issue: Discover Spring in Gurye, Jeollanam-do Spring in Korea? Make it Gurye. Gurye County is one of the first places in Korea where you can  truly feel the arrival of spring. This is because Gurye has the largest number of cornelian cherry trees in the country. Their yellow blossoms bloom earlier than cherry blossoms, quietly announcing the beginning of spring. By mid-March, the entire village is painted yellow with blooming cornelian cherry flowers. It is also the time when the Cornelian Cherry Blossom Festival takes place. As you immerse yourself in the festival and feel spring with your whole body, you may find yourself filled with yellow excitement. And p...

​ Hello, this is Jiro. Have you ever heard of Hendrick Hamel? He was a Dutch sailor who, during the Joseon Dynasty, was shipwrecked while sailing in East Asia and eventually arrived in Korea. Through the record he later wrote—known today as Hamel’s Journal—Joseon Korea was introduced to the Western world for the first time. Today, I’d like to explore the story of Gangjin County in Jeollanam-do, where Hamel spent nearly seven years of his life.

​Hello, this is Jiro. Today, I’d like to introduce the story of Gangjin, a county in Jeollanam-do, South Korea, once known as a place of exile during the Joseon Dynasty. One of Korea’s most influential scholars, Jeong Yak-yong—better known by his pen name Dasan—was sent into exile here. Yet rather than fading into silence, his years in Gangjin became a period of profound intellectual growth. Let’s take a closer look.

Hello, this is Jiro. We’ve been continuing our series introducing different regions of South Korea. Today, we’d like to share the story of a forest that once protected Damyang, a county in Jeollanam-do. This place is also closely connected to one of Korea’s most famous classical novels, Chunhyangjeon. Let’s take a closer look. Gwanbangjerim, Damyang, Jeollanam-do, South Korea