Gangjin-eup is an administrative division of Gangjin county, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. As with much of Gangjin county, Gangjin-eup is largely agricultural and known for its rice, tomato, and persimmon harvests. It is the county seat, with a population of roughly 16,600 people, comprising roughly 6,000 families. There are 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and several high schools.
Gangjin county is known as a center for the production of celadon (청자), traditional Korean pottery. Gangjin county is also home to several temples, and Gangjin-eup itself holds the birthplace of "Yeongrang" Kim Yun-sik, a well-known Korean poet of the 1930s and 1940s. There is a monument in Gangjin to 17th-century Dutch explorer Hendrick Hamel, the first westerner to experience and write about the Joseon Dynasty era. Hamel and his men were shipwrecked on Jeju island, and they remained captives in Korea for 13 years, spending significant time in Byeongyeong-myeon.
Gangjin has a sister city relationship with Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
[edit] Recreation
Small mountains surround Gangjin-eup on three sides. To the west is Boeunsan, a popular spot for morning and weekend hikes. It has a number of trails, a 약수터, and two large temples Goseongsa and Geumgoksa. Goseongsa is notable for, among other things, briefly being the home of the writer Dasan during his exile in Gangjin in the early-19th century. Geumgoksa is noted for the large three-story stone pagoda on site, and for the massive rock formations that obscure the temple's entrance. A third notable temple in Gangjin-eup---though somewhat removed from the "downtown" area---is Muwisa, which houses national treasure no. 13.
The poet Kim Yun-sik and the artist Kim Young-ryeol were both born in Gangjin, and their birthplaces are tourist attractions. Kim Young-ryeol's birthplace, 금서당, is on a hill overlooking 영랑생가, the birthplace of Kim Yun-sik (who went by the penname Yeongrang). On the outskirts of town is the Gangjin Confucian Academy, located at the base of Boeunsan.
[edit] Living in Gangjin-eup
Gangjin, like most of the province, is primarily agricultural, and is surrounded on three sides by fields and mountains (the fourth looks out onto Gangjin Bay). There is a very small foreign population in Gangjin, although it increases periodically as Asian and European tour groups visit local sites. The community is expected to grow in 2007 as an "English Town," English immersion center, opens. There is one notable foreigner-friendly hof, 너랑나랑, and several small grocery stores. There are a few "kimbap restaurant" chains, and a variety of restaurants that serve local specialties. Residents can easily move about the province and to other cities via the Gangjin Bus Terminal in the center of Gangjin-eup.
There is a rather large market held in Gangjin-eup every five days (on each date ending in 4 or 9). Spanning several blocks on the east side of town, products offered include fresh fish and poultry, fruits and vegetables, dry goods, plants, clothes, and a small selection of dogs and cats. See this page for more details.
Officetel are unheard-of in Gangjin, and foreign teachers will generally be placed in an older apartment or high-rise. There are several love hotels throughout the center of town, and clustered around tourist areas.
[edit] Shopping
There are a few well-known chain stores in Gangjin-eup, although nothing approaching the scale of an E-Mart or 2001 Outlet.
- Family Mart - convenience store
- Ministop - convenience store
- Indian (인디안) - men's clothing
- Parkland - men's suits and clothing
- Brenntano - clothing for teens and young adults
- Little Bang Bang - clothing store, Bang Bang for ages 3 to 17
- Underwood - clothing store
- Pro-Specs - shoes, active wear, and exercise gear
- MBM - stationary and gifts
- Digital LG - appliances and electronics
- LGTelecom - cellphones and accessories
- SKTelecom - cellphones and accessories
Nonghyup Bank and Gwangju Bank are the two choices in Gangjin-eup, although there are a few other ATMs located in convenience stores and government buildings.
[edit] Restaurants
[edit] Chicken
There are a few pizza places in Gangjin-eup. For phone numbers, see Directory of pizza restaurants in Gangjin.
There are two gyms in Gangjin-eup. The biggest one is located at 강진 종합운동장, the large exercise facility on the outskirts of town. There is a swimming pool, outdoor track, small weight room, and other facilities.
[edit] External Links
