The 1939 Governor’s Residence Turned into a Literary and Exhibition Space: Chungbuk Cultural Center
The Chungbuk Cultural Center is a free cultural and arts space built around the former residence of the Chungcheongbuk-do governor, constructed in 1939. Visitors can explore the House of Culture, Forest Gallery, tatami-room book café, garden, and outdoor performance venue all in one visit. It is accessible by bus and on foot from Cheongju Express Bus Terminal.
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How the Chungbuk Governor’s Residence Became the Chungbuk Culture Center in 1939
The old residence of the Chungbuk Culture Center was built nearby in 1939, after the Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Government Office was established, as the official residence of the governor of Chungcheongbuk-do. It was formerly used as the governor’s residence, and governors from the first governor, Yun Ha-yeong, through the 33rd governor, Lee Si-jong, lived and worked here.
The building was designated Registered Cultural Heritage No. 353 in 2007 and opened on September 6, 2012, after more than two years of remodeling. Therefore, the key point is that the current exhibition space is not a newly built art museum but a place converted into a cultural facility while preserving the living and reception spaces of an administrative leader.
A Western-Style Front and Japanese-Style Rear in the Former Residence
The former residence was arranged with a Western-style front and a Japanese-style rear, divided by a central corridor. Western-style windows are installed in the exterior reception rooms, while tatami and sliding windows remain in the living areas, allowing visitors to see how different functional zones were separated within one building.
Because of this structure, the character of the Chungbuk Culture Center becomes clear only after entering the interior exhibition rooms and book café rather than simply passing by after viewing the exterior. The book café, which retains the form of a tatami room, is connected to Exhibition Rooms 1 and 2. Visitors are advised to drink beverages around the outdoor performance area rather than inside the book café.
Meeting 12 Chungbuk Writers at the House of Culture
The former residence operates as the “House of Culture.” Exhibition Room 1 is a Chungbuk Literature Exhibition Room, while Exhibition Room 2 is a Chungbuk Governor’s Residence Exhibition Room. The literature exhibition introduces the lives and works of 12 writers from Chungbuk, including Jeong Ji-yong, Hong Myeong-hui, Shin Chae-ho, and Gwon Tae-eung.
Visitors can see a page from Joseon Jigwang, published in March 1927, related to Jeong Ji-yong’s poem “Nostalgia,” as well as materials related to Gwon Tae-eung’s children’s poem “Potato Flowers.” Foreign visitors who find Korean-language literary materials difficult to read may find it more practical to view the writers’ hometowns together with the living spaces of the former residence rather than attempting to decipher the complete works.
102 m² on the First Floor and 107 m² on the Second Floor of the Forest Gallery
The newer residence behind the former one is used as the Forest Gallery. The first-floor exhibition room covers 102 m², and the second-floor exhibition room covers 107 m²; the exhibition space also includes an outdoor exhibition area. Exhibition Hall 1 mainly presents paintings, while Exhibition Halls 2 and 3 primarily introduce calligraphy and photography.
Exhibitions at the Forest Gallery are not limited to viewing one permanent work; instead, rental exhibitions and special exhibitions featuring various genres change over time. For example, a rental exhibition was held from October 21 to October 26, 2025, operating from 10:00 to 18:00, closing every Monday, and offering free admission.
A Twice-Bending Path at the Entrance and a Garden Walk
A short path leads from the entrance to the House of Culture, bending sharply twice along the way. The garden contains Japanese cornelian cherry trees, Buddhist pines, cherry trees, larches, and pine trees. When moving between the buildings, visitors can see that this is not a place intended merely for viewing a succession of exhibition rooms.
The outdoor garden includes an outdoor performance venue and a resting park. It is introduced as a space with a stage where small concerts may be held, and the outdoor performance venue has reportedly been available for two hours longer than the indoor viewing areas. However, current programs and performance schedules are not fixed information, so it is safer not to plan a visit on the assumption that a performance will take place that day.
Free Admission and Seasonal Opening at 10:00
According to Cheongju tourism information, admission to the Chungbuk Culture Center is free, and the main inquiry telephone number is 043-223-4100. Hours are 10:00–19:00 in summer and 10:00–18:00 in winter. The official website is the Chungbuk Culture Center page of the Chungbuk Cultural Foundation: https://www.cbfc.or.kr/cc/.
Closed days are listed as every Monday, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year, and Chuseok. As exhibition-specific hours may be announced separately, as with the 2025 Forest Gallery rental exhibition, the actual viewing hours for an exhibition room may vary according to the program notice even within the same building. No confirmed information is available regarding the admission cutoff time, photography restrictions, or whether payment is cash-only.
Traveling from Cheongju Express Bus Terminal to Sangdang Park
For foreign visitors coming from Seoul, a route using a bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Cheongju is introduced. According to that information, buses operate every 20 minutes between 06:50 and 21:00, and the journey to Cheongju takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.
After arriving at Cheongju Express Bus Terminal, take a bus bound for the Provincial Government Office, get off at Sangdang Park at the Provincial Government Office intersection, and then walk for about 10 minutes toward Cheongju Hyanggyo. Since the latest bus route numbers and intervals have not been confirmed, travelers unfamiliar with transportation in Korea may find it clearest to show the destinations “Sangdang Park at the Provincial Government Office intersection” and “Cheongju Hyanggyo” together at the terminal.
Who Should Consider the 20-Space Parking Lot and Reserving a Guided Tour in Advance
The parking lot at the Chungbuk Culture Center is described as accommodating approximately 20 vehicles, so it is difficult to assume that a large parking facility is available. For those traveling by car, the address is 67 Daeseong-ro 122beon-gil, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Chungcheongbuk-do Governor’s Residence. From the Gyeongbu Expressway, the recommended route passes through Cheongju IC, Cheongju Garosu-gil, Cheongju-daero, and Sangdang Park; from the Jungbu Expressway, the route passes through Seocheongju IC, Jikji-daero, the front of the Cheongju Early Printing Museum, and Sangdang Park.
Advance reservations allow visitors to receive guidance from a cultural tourism interpreter, but the confirmed information indicates that the service is in Korean. No stroller rental is available, and information about specific wheelchair routes, slopes and stairs, English guidance, and audio-guide availability has not been confirmed. Visitors wishing to see both the interior of the former residence and the Forest Gallery should consider the possibility of using stairs or outdoor paths and contact 043-223-4100 in advance to ask about guided tours and accessibility conditions.
Programs That Change Schedule, Such as the 2025 Forest Humanities Café
The Chungbuk Culture Center has hosted not only exhibitions but also performances and cultural arts education. Examples of programs include cultural arts performances, the Saturday Dream Attic Culture School, Open Yard outdoor performances, Friday movie screenings, art exhibitions, club festivals, and regional cultural arts education projects.
The 2025 Forest Humanities Café consisted of eight lectures combining literature with other artistic fields. Recruitment ran from April 9 to November 12, 2025, on the second Wednesday of each month from 19:00 to 21:00, with approximately 40 participants accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for each session. Unlike general admission, these events have limited seating, so visitors whose goal is to participate in a program should follow the recruitment notice for the relevant session on the official website rather than simply relying on free admission and arriving on site.
Before You Go
- Address
- 67 Daeseong-ro 122beon-gil, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Chungcheongbuk-do Governor’s Residence
- Hours
- Summer: 10:00–19:00 / Winter: 10:00–18:00
- Closed
- Every Monday, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year, Chuseok
- Admission
- Free
- Phone
- 043-223-4100
- Official site
- https://www.cbfc.or.kr/cc/
- Transport
- Take a bus bound for the Provincial Government Office from Cheongju Express Bus Terminal, get off at Sangdang Park at the Provincial Government Office intersection, and walk 10 minutes toward Cheongju Hyanggyo, according to the listed route.
- Parking
- Parking lot accommodates approximately 20 vehicles
The information above is based on the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
Places
Nearby Attractions 3
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1
Cheongju HyanggyoA place to explore the architecture of local educational institutions from the Joseon period and Confucian culture. -
2
Jungang ParkAn urban historical park featuring the remains of Cheongju-eupseong Fortress, Mangseollu Pavilion, and Apgak-su Spring. -
3
Cheongju Early Printing MuseumA museum showcasing and offering hands-on experiences of Jikji and the culture of metal movable-type printing.
Food & Dining 3
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4
SangjujipA Korean restaurant serving olgaengiguk, a soup made with freshwater snails and soybean paste. -
5
GongwondangA restaurant serving old-style Korean Western dishes such as pan soba, udon, and pork cutlets. -
6
Wonjo Gochu MandugukjipA dumpling restaurant serving spicy chili dumpling soup and chili dumplings.
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