Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
center is a good place to touch base with the city's international clubs, which cover activ-
ities such as football, Frisbee, and martial arts. It also puts on language classes and events
such as movie screenings and lectures on Korean cultural topics.
Most of the foreign socializing takes place in Chungjangno, a neighborhood in the
old downtown that's largely pedestrianized and bursting with restaurants, pubs, and clubs.
Gwangju has several churches and an Islamic center that offer multilingual services, as well
as a few Buddhist temples that accept foreign nationals for short or long stays.
Health
Gwangju has over a dozen well-equipped hospitals and many more neighborhood clinics.
Chonnam University Hospital and Honam Medical Center are two of the major institutions
with designated international facilities in place for non-Korean speakers, but every sizable
hospital will have at least some English-speaking doctors on hand.
Schools
Beyond the local system, the only educational options in Gwangju are the Kwangju Foreign
School, which is U.S.-accredited and accepts students from elementary through high
school, and a Chinese school. Tuition rates at Kwangju Foreign School are around 13-15
million won per year depending on the age of the child.
Shopping
Gwangju has a few interesting shopping options beyond the standard big-box retailers and
department stores. Art Street, a 300-meter avenue in the Chungjangno area, is lined with
shops and galleries that are a treasure-trove of paintings, calligraphy, art supplies, and
ceramics new and old, and is also a common venue for outdoor exhibitions and perform-
ances. Chungjangno is also home to boutiques and an underground shopping complex with
a decent range of imported goods. The sprawling Kumho World complex in the west of the
city is a great place to browse for electronics.
Transport
Public transport is not one of Gwangju's strong points. The single east-west subway line is
clean and efficient enough but doesn't extend to vast swaths of the north and south. City
buses cover more ground but, apart from a few key routes, can be infrequent and crowded.
Fares for both the bus and subway are around 1,000 won per trip and can be paid in cash or
via a local “e-money” smart card known as “Bitgoeul.”
Many foreign residents find themselves purchasing a vehicle or relying on taxis, which
are readily available and fairly cheap, starting at 2,200 won and rarely exceeding 10,000
