Jeonju 전주시 | |
|---|---|
| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Hangul | 전주시 |
| • Hanja | 全州市 |
| • Revised Romanization | Jeonju-si |
| • McCune–Reischauer | Chŏnju-si |
 Flag  Logo | |
 Location in South Korea | |
| Coordinates:35°49′N127°09′E / 35.817°N 127.150°E /35.817; 127.150 | |
| Country |  South Korea |
| State |  Jeonbuk |
| Administrative divisions | 2Gu, 40dong |
| Government | |
| • Type | City government |
| • Mayor | Woo Beom-ki (Democratic) |
| • Council | Jeonju City Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 206.22 km2 (79.62 sq mi) |
| Population (September 2025[1]) | |
• Total | 629,618 |
| • Density | 3,164/km2 (8,190/sq mi) |
| • Dialect | Jeolla |
| Time zone | UTC+9 |
| ZIP codes | 560011-561870 |
| Area Code | +82-63-2xx |
| Website | Official website |
Jeonju (Korean:전주,Korean pronunciation:[t͡ɕʌɲ.d͡ʑu],lit. 'Perfect region')[a] is the capital andlargest city ofNorth Jeolla Province,South Korea. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness ofWanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many residents who work in Jeonju). It is an important tourist center famous for South Korean cuisine, historic buildings, sports activities, and innovative festivals.
In May 2012, Jeonju was chosen as a Creative City forGastronomy as part ofUNESCO'sCreative Cities Network. This honor recognizes the city's traditional home cooking handed down over thousands of years, its active public and private food research, a system of nurturing talented chefs, and its hosting of distinctive food festivals.[2]
Jeonju is a city with over 1,300 years of history and culture. The city has produced many scholars and has a developed publishing industry.[3]
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Jeonju is divided into two wards,Deokjin District andWansan District that, in turn, are divided into approximately 40 neighborhoods.
Jeonju has a cooler version of ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCwa), with winter being warm enough to avoid being classified as anhumid continental (Dwa) if the 0 °C isotherm is used.
Jeonju, like all of Korea, has four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter). The winters can have a mix of days that are cool to days that are quite cold. The colder days are often influenced by a high pressure front that brings cold air from Siberia.
In the summer, the humidity of Southeast Asia comes over the Korean peninsula from June through September. Temperatures in spring (late April and through May) and fall (after September 25 and through October) are often in the mid-20s°C and with low humidity.
| Climate data for Jeonju (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1918–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) | 22.9 (73.2) | 29.6 (85.3) | 31.2 (88.2) | 35.1 (95.2) | 35.8 (96.4) | 38.6 (101.5) | 38.9 (102.0) | 35.5 (95.9) | 31.5 (88.7) | 28.0 (82.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 38.9 (102.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 7.5 (45.5) | 13.0 (55.4) | 19.7 (67.5) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.3 (88.3) | 27.4 (81.3) | 21.7 (71.1) | 14.4 (57.9) | 7.1 (44.8) | 19.2 (66.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) | 2.0 (35.6) | 6.8 (44.2) | 12.9 (55.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 22.8 (73.0) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.5 (79.7) | 21.9 (71.4) | 15.4 (59.7) | 8.8 (47.8) | 2.2 (36.0) | 13.7 (56.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.3 (24.3) | −2.8 (27.0) | 1.4 (34.5) | 6.9 (44.4) | 12.7 (54.9) | 18.2 (64.8) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.9 (73.2) | 17.4 (63.3) | 10.1 (50.2) | 3.9 (39.0) | −2.1 (28.2) | 8.9 (48.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −17.1 (1.2) | −16.6 (2.1) | −12.2 (10.0) | −3.9 (25.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | 8.2 (46.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 12.5 (54.5) | 4.0 (39.2) | −2.7 (27.1) | −8.4 (16.9) | −15.0 (5.0) | −17.1 (1.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 26.9 (1.06) | 36.8 (1.45) | 53.7 (2.11) | 78.4 (3.09) | 82.8 (3.26) | 159.0 (6.26) | 302.8 (11.92) | 289.6 (11.40) | 128.2 (5.05) | 57.3 (2.26) | 49.8 (1.96) | 34.0 (1.34) | 1,299.3 (51.15) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 8.3 | 6.9 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 10.3 | 16.0 | 15.0 | 9.3 | 6.6 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 117.3 |
| Average snowy days | 8.3 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 7.2 | 24.4 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 66.8 | 63.5 | 60.9 | 59.1 | 63.2 | 70.6 | 77.5 | 76.9 | 73.4 | 69.4 | 67.4 | 67.6 | 68.0 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 151.2 | 162.3 | 191.7 | 209.7 | 220.5 | 168.1 | 133.1 | 153.1 | 169.6 | 198.7 | 158.1 | 142.9 | 2,059 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 48.7 | 51.3 | 50.1 | 53.9 | 50.0 | 39.6 | 30.8 | 38.4 | 45.1 | 55.6 | 50.0 | 47.0 | 46.2 |
| Source:Korea Meteorological Administration (percent sunshine 1981–2010)[4][5][6] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 83,000 | — |
| 1955 | 123,000 | +48.2% |
| 1960 | 182,000 | +48.0% |
| 1965 | 213,000 | +17.0% |
| 1970 | 255,000 | +19.7% |
| 1975 | 308,000 | +20.8% |
| 1980 | 363,000 | +17.9% |
| 1985 | 431,000 | +18.7% |
| 1990 | 511,000 | +18.6% |
| 1995 | 561,000 | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 612,000 | +9.1% |
| 2005 | 623,000 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 648,000 | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 658,000 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 663,000 | +0.8% |
TheBaekje kingdom was located in southwestern Korea which included the area Jeonju is now located. It is believed that Jeonju was founded as a market town within Baekje around 57 BC.[7]
Jeonju (along with Baekje in general) was conquered by the kingdom ofSilla in 660 AD. It soon became part of the Silla kingdom and in 685, Jeonju became one of the ninechu (a provincial capital of the kingdom). From 889 and onward, peasant revolts (caused from over taxation) became widespread throughout the kingdom and it also spread to Jeonju where it became the headquarters of one of the most powerful rebel leaders of the time, Gyeon Hwon. In 892 (or 900), Gyeon Hwon renamed the city Wansan and established it as the capital of theLater Baekje kingdom. From Wansan, Gyeon Hwon campaigned against Silla which climaxed with the destruction ofGeumseong (the capital of the Silla kingdom) and the assassination of KingGyeongae in 927. With the decline of Silla, Gyeon Hwon andWang Geon (of theGoryeo kingdom) waged battle for control of the peninsula. However, Wang Geon and his forces invaded Later Baekje in 934 and Jeonju surrendered to him in 935.[7]
UnderGoryeo rule, Jeonju reverted to being a provincial capital and enjoyed relative stability and economic growth. However, in 1182, the city was taken by peasant rebels with the aid of governmental troops stationed there who resented being forced to do heavy labor along slaves. The rebellion was soon suppressed forty days after it began.[7]
TheJoseon defeated Goryeo and founded a new dynasty in 1392 and took all their possessions including Jeonju. The Joseon considered Jeonju their ancestral home (an ancestor ofYi Seonggye of Joseon may have fled Jeonju after the 1182 peasant revolt). During the Joseon period, Jeonju became the capital of a reorganized Jeolla (one of the eight provinces of the Joseon). In 1413, Jeonju (along with three other cities) was given the honor of safekeeping copies of theAnnals of the Joseon Dynasty which still survives extant in the former Confucian academy in Jeonju.[7]
The town was occupied by theDonghak Peasant Revolution in 1894.[8] Jeonju wasoccupied by the Japanese beginning from 1910 to 1945, and was renamed to Zenshū during the period. The ancient walls of the old city were destroyed by the Japanese authorities with the gate Pungnammun (풍남문) being the only remnant left today. Jeonju's population grew between 1925 and 1949 when it reached 100,000 inhabitants.[7] Jeonju was given metropolitan status in 1935, and the city was founded in 1949. During theDivision of Korea, Jeonju was not in the immediate frontline of the war but by the armistice signing in July 1953, Jeonju (along with many other cities) suffered bombardment and the loss of many male residents who fought during the war.[7]
Jeonju was given its modern boundaries and government system in 1963. It has since then industrialized rapidly.[7] Since the Joseon dynasty period, it was a metropolis, but it did not experience industrialization in the 20th century compared to other parts of Korea. It does not have the industrial infrastructure, manufacturing, or heavy industries found in other major Korean cities. Today, traditional tourism and sightseeing is a major industry in the city.
Jeonbuk National University andJeonju National University of Education are the public universities in Jeonju.
Libraries in Jeonju:[9]
Many city buses and taxis are available in Jeonju. However, tourists are often advised to walk between points of interest, as many attractions are near each other.[10]
The local mountains and parks are popular for outdoor recreation due to its rural location. There are historical sites in the area. The city has a zoo, a park, and the Hanguk Sound and Culture Hall, a large, modern concert complex on theJeonbuk National University campus.
In recent years, Jeonju has become an attractive destination for filmmakers. The Jeonju Film Studio Complex was built in 2009, providing post-production, color grading and sound mastering services, but the city's hanok village is also a popular filming location. Some of the productions partially filmed in Jeonju includeBong Joon-ho'sParasite and the hitNetflix seriesWhen Life Gives You Tangerines.[16]
Jeonju hostsK League 1 teamJeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The team's home ground is theJeonju World Cup Stadium.[17] Jeonju also hosts a semi-professional football team,Jeonju Citizen, which plays in theK4 League. Their home ground is theJeonju Sports Complex Stadium.
In addition, Jeonju was the home city of theJeonju KCC Egis, a professional basketball team of theKorean Basketball League, between 2001 and 2023, when they relocated toBusan after the city of Jeonju postponed the construction of a new gymnasium.[18]
San Diego, California, United States
Suzhou,Jiangsu, China
Kanazawa,Ishikawa, Japan
Antalya, TurkeyMokpo, South Korea
Zugló, Hungary
North Jeolla Province | ||||
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Jeonju(capital) | ||||
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