4 Arts and Nature Places To See In Wanju, Korea
Last Updated on May 29, 2025
Headed to Jeonju, Korea soon and want to get off the beaten path a bit? You should go to Wanju. This quiet county in Jeollabuk-do is rich in history and culture and has some really cool regenerated arts and culture spaces. Get ready for an adventure to see the Sansok Lighthouse, Samrye Culture and Arts Village, Daea Arboretum and more! It’s off the beaten path and worth adding a day in Jeonju to see.
Get ready for an trip to Wanju:
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What To Know
Wanju is a county in Jeollabuk-do that is a nice quiet retreat from the busier cities in the country. Rich in history dating back to Silla Dynasty, Wanju has many historical and cultural sites to visit. Just outside of Jeonju, Wanju there are some interesting arts and culture spots as well as plenty of natural landscape beauty to take in.
Want to do something different this weekend in Korea? Check out Wanju. There are some great things to do in Wanju including arts and culture spaces that have been regenerated and a national park. Wanju is a great destination in Korea to explore.
What To See
Sansok Lighthouse (산속등대)
There are more and more culture and arts spaces that are being opened after older factories and industrial spaces that were once abandoned are renovated. Sansok Lighthouse (산속등대) was a paper manufacturing site but had been neglected for 40 years until it was recreated into a culture and arts complex that was opened in may of 2019.
There’s a small outdoor amphitheater that had a piano set up in it when we were there so we gave ourselves a little show. And of course, there is a striking red lighthouse to see among the numerous other installations on the grounds. There’s even an entire experiential learning area for kids, a sort of culture playground with creative, imaginative experience opportunities.
- Address: 82 Wonam-ro, Soyang-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do (전북 완주군 소양면 원암로 82)
- Directions: Take a KTX train from Yongsan train station to Jeonju Train Station. Outside of the station, hop on to bus 806 which will take about 20 minutes, and travel 17 stops. Other buses that drop off here include 806, 807, 814, 817, 834, 839, 866, 871, and 872. Just get off at the top of the same name as the complex.
- Days: Monday – Sunday
- Admission: Free
- Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 9:00pm.
- Website: https://www.sansoklighthouse.co.kr/
Samrye Culture & Arts Village (삼례문화예술촌)
Once used as a granary, today Samrye is a culture and arts village. I love visiting these old places and spaces once used for completely different things and as I said, Wanju has quite a few of them.
There is a design museum, visual media art gallery, carpentry shop, and book museum in the village and they offer various programs and host exhibitions and events and art festivals throughout the year.
Their goal was to harmonize history and modernity so they took warehouses that were built to export grain to Japan during the occupation and recreated the spaces for cultural regeneration. This art village is definitely a lesser-known area but there are a lot of interactive programs for visitors.
- Address: 81-13 Samnyeyeok-ro, Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-do (전라북도 완주군 삼례읍 삼례역로 81-13)
- Days: Closed on New Year’s Day and Mondays
- Special Note: They recommend making reservations
- Admission: Free
- Hours : Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm
- Website: http://www.samnyecav.kr/
Daea Arboretum (대아수목원)
Taking a break from the artistic highlights of the area, now it’s time for the natural beauty. Much of Korea is covered in forests and mountains, so it’s no wonder that there is a beautiful forested area here to enjoy.
The Daea Arboretum has a forest with 300,000 ornamental trees, as they call them. There is an observatory and a museum to learn about the preservation system and ecosystem of the area that has more than 2500 species of diverse plants.
I say the specific numbers because I know some people are really into and know the differences in the trees and plants. I know a select few but tend to just enjoy nature in general without knowing all of the species. But, this arboretum is completely free and it’s set up as an educational opportunity. So, if you’re like me, it’s a great place to enjoy nature while learning.
- Address: 94-34 Daeasumok-ro, Dongsang-myeon, Wanju-Gun, Jeollabuk-do (전라북도 완주군 동상면 대아수목로 94-34 (동상면)).
- Directions: From Yongsan Station, take KTX-Sancheon No.515 To Mokpo for around an hour (2 stops). Once you reach Iksan, transfer to Mugunghwa No.1505 To Yeosu Expo for one-stop. After reaching Samnye, it’s a 3-minute walk from there.
- Days: Closed January 1st, Seollal (Lunar New Year) & Chuseok
- Admission: Free
- Hours : March – October: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm/ November – February: 9:00am ~ 5:00pm
Daedunsan Provincial Park (대둔산도립공원)
This park is quite famous among photography enthusiasts and adventurers because there is a bright red suspension bridge that everyone wants to get a picture on. The name of the bridge is the Geumgang Bridge and it’s 50 meters across and 81 meters high.
From there the next really picturesque part is the Sky Stairway, which is really steep and more like a ladder. It can be pretty terrifying especially if you’re afraid of heights. I’m not, but have seen plenty of people squeal and scream and not in delight.
Hiking in the park is really popular in the fall and winter. Again, the hiking paths are quite steep here so be prepared for that. If you’re not an avid hiker but still want the views, this mountain is one that features a cable car that takes visitors up the halfway point, where the Cloud Bridge and Sky Stairway are located.
Be aware that the ladders and metal bridge can be slippery when it’s rainy or foggy. Watch your step. To splice this into your day, you can take the cable car, spend 2 to 3 hours and walk up and down the bridge. If you want to hike, plan to spend at least 4 to 5 hours there.
- Address: 15-24san, Sanbuk-ri, Unju-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do (전북 완주군 운주면 산북리 산15-24)
- Directions: Take a train to Daejeon Station, make your way to Seobu Bus Terminal. From Seobu Bus Terminal, you will want to take bus #34 which will take you to Daedunsan Rest Stop. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour to get there. From the rest stop, it’s a 15-20 minute walk downhill to where the cable car area is located and the main section of the park.
- Days: Monday – Sunday
- Admission: Free
- Hours: Open all day. The cable car runs from 9:00am ~ 6:00pm for summer and 9:00am ~ 5:00pm for winter.
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