Jeolla 전라

Jeolla is the south-western corner of the Korean peninsula, a region of broad rice plains, low mountains and a ragged coastline that breaks up into thousands of islands. It covers two provinces and one metropolitan city. The northern province, long known as North Jeolla, was relaunched in January 2024 as Jeonbuk State (전북특별자치도), a special self-governing province; South Jeolla (Jeollanam-do) takes in the southern coast and islands; and Gwangju, the largest city, is a separate metropolitan city in the middle of the region.

Food is the reason many Koreans travel here. Jeolla’s cooking is famous for generous spreads of side dishes, fermented seafood and regional dishes such as Jeonju bibimbap, and a meal in an ordinary local restaurant can be a highlight of a trip. Jeonju, the Jeonbuk capital, pairs this with its hanok village, a large district of traditional houses that has become one of the country’s most visited old quarters.

The south coast offers a different side of the region. Suncheon Bay is a vast tidal wetland of reed beds that turn gold in autumn and attract migratory birds in winter; its mudflats form part of the Getbol tidal flats listed by UNESCO in 2021. Nearby Yeosu has a scenic harbour and island viewpoints, while Mokpo is the gateway to the islands of the south-west. Inland, Damyang’s bamboo groves, the tea terraces of Boseong and the temples of the region’s mountains, including two of the UNESCO-listed Sansa monasteries, Seonamsa and Daeheungsa, reward slower travel. The temples guide has more on these.

Gwangju has a modern history of national importance as the site of the May 1980 democratic uprising, and today hosts a major contemporary art biennale.

Spring brings cherry and plum blossoms and the greenest tea fields, while autumn is peak season for Naejangsan’s maples and the Suncheon reeds. Summers are hot and humid. The KTX makes the region reachable from Seoul in under two hours to Jeonju and Gwangju and around three hours to the coast; see the Korail Pass guide for rail options.