Gwangju (Korean: 광주; Korean pronunciation: [kwaŋ.dʑu]) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, a suburb southeast of Seoul. The city is not to be confused with the much larger Gwangju Metropolitan City, former capital of South Jeolla Province, or Guangzhou, the city of Guangdong, China in Hanja.
There is a Wa-Bar that is popular with ex-pats
While a subway line is being constructed, the only current way to easily get to and from Gwangju is bus. From Incheon International Airport there is an Airport Limousine that makes multiple trips day. Just make sure you are going to the Gwangju in the Gyeonggi province and not the South Jeolla province Gwangju.
From the Jamsil area of Seoul, the red 500-1 bus goes directly to Gwangju. From the Gangnam district, take the red 500-2. These two buses don't go through the city center until late at night, however.
From Gangbyeon station, take the red 1113-1. This bus DOES go through the city center multiple times a day.
There are dozens of local buses that run around Gwangju all day and taxis are also a very inexpensive option. The city is very pedestrian friendly and sidewalks abound!
Gwangju's history has been tied to that of Seoul's. Close to historic Icheon, the city was an important part of ceramic production in Korean history and many royal artifacts can be traced back to Gwangju. In a more modern sense, Seongnam has been a part of Gwangju for a long time, but now Seongnam is separated after the riot of the poor residents in 1971. Gwangju is very well connected to the rest of the Gyeonggi province and a stop over may be worth your time to explore some history and experience some nature.
