Songjeong District, Gwangsan-gu

By Umesh Mansukhani

In this new column, our correspondent, Umesh Mansukhani, visits areas around Gwangju to give our readers an overview of what makes each and every district great in its own way. — Ed.

Gwangju-Songjeong Station is located in Songjeong-dong, Gwangsan-gu. The station opened on November 1, 1914, and the building was moved to its current location on September 18, 1988. The station serves the KTX, SRT, Saemaeul, and Mugunghwa trains on the Honam Line. This station is also currently on Line 1 of Gwangju’s subway network. There are good amenities in the station such as a Korean restaurant, Issac Toast coffee shop, a convenience store, a clothing store, and a lovely flower shop.

One of the oldest traditional markets in Gwangju, located right across the street from Songjeong Station, is the 1913 Songjeong Station Market. It is a street with retro-looking shops occupying the original old buildings along with bright, modernstyle architecture and signboards detailing the history of the various shops. The street has a bit of a theme-park vibe and is cool to walk through. It is a good market where we can get in touch with local people and local food culture. Visitors can enjoy all the classic market foods here such as hotteok (hot griddle cakes), gyeran-bap (rice with egg), fried chicken, eomuk (fish cake), and sundae gukbap (pork rice soup). One can also buy fresh vegetables, fruits, bread, and traditional Korean sweets and cookies.

The most famous lane in Songjeong-dong is Gwangsan Street. This street has shopping, services, and entertainment. Here one can find stores selling branded clothing, furniture, jewelry, watches, leather goods, accessories, toys, and stationery at very reasonable prices. Freshly cooked bread and sandwiches can be tasted at the lovely bakeries. Talented hairdressers will give you the latest Korean hairstyle at the hair salons there. Services such as the post office, foreign exchange, and photography are available. You can play new video games at local internet cafés, too.

For the foodies, we have come up with popular restaurants in the Songjeong area, where one can experience the best flavors of Gwangju. Starting with Songjeong Tteok-galbi (specializing in grilled short-rib meat patties), Jongga-jip Seolleong-tang (whose speciality is beef bone soup), Yeongmyeong Gukbap (serving boiled pork with rice), Songhak

Hanjeongsik (offering a Korean set menu with 20 tasty varieties), and Songjeong-gol (where you can order stewed fish, crab, clams, and oysters).

A coffee lover could be called a coffee aficionado, coffeeholic, or coffee addict. In the Songjeong area, one can get traditionally brewed coffee at Café Deunadelda, Café 1913, and Jeongja Dabang. Right across from Songjeong Station, you will also find Starbucks, Ediya Coffee, Mega Coffee, Compose Coffee, and Bulk Coffee, where one can have a good time with friends.

As an international resident, after entering Korea, one will need to open a bank account. The banks around the Songjeong area are Kwangju Bank, NongHyup Bank, and MG Saemaeul Geumgo (Korean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives). Now the banks are offering 5.5 percent interest per annum on a one-year savings deposit.

Excellent medical care is also provided in the Songjeong area with many good clinics and hospitals. The Gwangsan-gu Health Center is a public facility which provides vaccination and Covid-19 testing. For medical reasons, one can visit the Sarang Hospital, Lee Internal Medicine Clinic, Kiyoung Dental Clinic, Haengpok Oriental

Medicine Clinic, Guchimga Oriental Medicine Clinic, Saehan Dermatology Clinic, Shinsehwa Gynecology Clinic, Choi Mental Health Clinic, and the Choego Eye Clinic. In addition to all these, the Gwangsan-gu Mental Health Center provides free consultation for depression and stress.

Gwangju also gives a very generous and friendly treatment to visitors and guests at their hotels. There is a good variety of lodging and boarding accommodations in the Songjeong district. One can get the best hospitality at Aura Hotel, Madrid Hotel, Songjeong Hotel, Gwangju Sepde, and the Dasomchae hostel.

And last but not least, the Gwangsan-gu District Office located in Songjeong-dong supports foreigners and international residents by providing various kinds of services. These include but are not limited to multicultural family support, provision of employment support for public jobs, issuance of civil affair documents, family relation certificates, certificates of registered seals, maternity help services, nutrient support for married immigrants, changes of address, certificates of domestic residence, national tax certificates, receipt for payment of utility charges, registration of births, marriage and death certificates, and free legal counsel.

All in all, the neighborhood of Songjeong is wonderful and provides a serene environment as well as a safe and secure atmosphere where the international residents can lead happy and joyful lives.

Map courtesy of Gwangsan-gu District Office.

The Author

Umesh Mansukhani is from India and is a freelance English tutor. He loves traveling, playing carrom, ping-pong, and watching Korean dramas.