Reading the 360-Meter Underground Shopping Route at Gwangju Geumnam Underground Shopping Center

Why shops appeared beneath Geumnam-ro on September 1, 1989

Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade is located at 56, underground Seoseok-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, and was established in 1989. When the shopping arcade opened on September 1, 1989, Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade, Chunggeum Underground Shopping Arcade, and subway passengers were able to move and shop through the underground space.

Section 1 is a 360-meter underground space extending from the former Bank of Korea intersection in Geumnam-ro 3-ga to Meeting Plaza and the former Gwangju YMCA. Rather than viewing it as a simple indoor shopping mall, it is easier to understand its location as a pedestrian and commercial passage built beneath a major road in Gwangju’s old downtown area.

Section 2 and Meeting Plaza, connected on November 29, 1991

Section 2 of Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade extends from Meeting Plaza to the former Jeonnam Provincial Office, now the Asia Culture Center, and was created on November 29, 1991. Visitors should therefore view the arcade not as a single independent shopping building, but as a two-section underground network linking downtown Geumnam-ro with the cultural center.

Sections 1 and 2 were initially managed by Geumgwang Enterprise for 20 years before being transferred to Gwangju Metropolitan City. They are currently described as being operated under contract by the Gwangju Metropolitan City Urban Corporation. LED lighting has been installed in the common areas, and a project to install windbreak entrance doors has also been carried out at the entrances.

Finding the entrances between Geumnam-ro 4-ga Station and Asia Culture Center Station

Foreign travelers can first travel from Gwangju Songjeong Station or Gwangju Bus Terminal to a subway station in central Gwangju, then enter Geumnam-ro 4-ga Station or Asia Culture Center Station as their destination. Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade is connected to the subway sections of both stations, and the available guidance does not provide bus route numbers or station exit numbers.

The entire connected section of Section 1 is 360 meters, while the underground pedestrian passage is listed as 751 meters in 2017 data. The key point is that visitors can use the underground connecting passage instead of crossing the road above ground. When it is necessary to go above ground, connecting elevators are available.

• Geumnam-ro 4-ga Station: Station connected to Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade
• Asia Culture Center Station: Station connected to Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade
• Above-ground movement: Above-ground connecting elevators are indicated

How to explore 204 clothing, shoe, and accessory shops

Clothing, shoes, and accessories are listed as the main product categories at Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade, with 204 shops specializing in these items clustered together. Rather than a place to seek out one or two representative tourist shops, it is more like an urban shopping arcade where visitors walk among many small stores and compare products.

Admission is free. The shopping arcade is listed as operating from 10:00 to 19:00, but individual shop hours may vary. If you plan to shop late, you should take each shop’s operating status into account.

Individual shops vary considerably on the first Sunday and during holidays

It is listed as closed on the first Sunday of every month and during national holidays, but this may vary by shop. Operating hours are listed as 10:00 to 19:00. Since individual shop hours may differ, it is practical to plan a visit after 10:00 and, if you have a specific shop in mind, confirm in advance by calling the main number, 062-227-1535, or the inquiry number, 062-224-0591.

Shopping arcade use is free, and the arcade is described as accepting Onnuri Gift Certificates and Zero Pay. However, publicly available information does not confirm whether individual shops accept cash only, whether all shops accept the same payment methods, or whether English assistance or an audio guide is available.

• Main phone: 062-227-1535
• Inquiry phone: 062-224-0591
• Official website: https://www.gmcc.co.kr

Vehicles enter beside the Arts Theater at the Asia Culture Center

There is a parking lot beneath Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade, and the access road is beside the Arts Theater at the Asia Culture Center. Drivers may find it easier to locate the parking entrance by setting the access road beside the Arts Theater as an additional destination rather than entering only the shopping arcade address.

According to guidance from 2022, visitors could use the parking lot free of charge if they had a same-day receipt from an underground shopping arcade purchase. The latest parking fees, conditions for free parking, and number of available spaces have not been confirmed, so using the connection to Geumnam-ro 4-ga Station or Asia Culture Center Station is a simpler option than driving.

Geumnam Culture Day held at Meeting Plaza

Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade is introduced not only as a shopping passage but also as a space where cultural events such as exhibitions and campaigns are held. In 2022, Geumnam Culture Day took place at Meeting Plaza on the last Friday of each month from July through December. The listed hours were 13:00 to 20:00, although operating times varied by program.

Geumnam Culture Day was a monthly cultural project consisting of shopping, flea markets, hands-on activities, performances, and events. In addition, the Geumnam Underground Shopping Arcade festival held in connection with the Chungjang Festival from October 2 to October 6, 2024, took place from 12:00 to 18:00 around Meeting Plaza and the circular wall area. Event visits should therefore be planned by checking specific announcements rather than treating them as regularly available programs.

The location becomes clearer when combined with the Asia Culture Center

Since Section 2 extends from Meeting Plaza to the former Jeonnam Provincial Office, now the Asia Culture Center, it is easy to include both places in the same downtown itinerary. There are nearby exhibition and retail spaces for Gwangju handicrafts and souvenirs inside the arcade, and above-ground connecting elevators are also indicated, making it possible to travel toward the cultural center after shopping.

The recommended visiting time has not been published, and information about foreign-language assistance, audio guides, photography restrictions, or the complete route for wheelchair and stroller users has not been confirmed. This is therefore less a tourist attraction for visiting a specific exhibition than a place suited to travelers who want to browse 204 shops and the 360-meter connecting section at their own pace while traveling between Geumnam-ro and the cultural center.