Jaman Mural Village sits on a hillside above the Hanok Village, a maze of narrow alleyways where every surface — walls, steps, water tanks, electrical boxes — is covered in paintings. Some are technically accomplished, others charmingly naive, but together they create an open-air gallery unlike anything else in Jeonju.
The themes range from traditional Korean mythology to pop art references to whimsical scenes of daily life. There is a famous cat-and-dog staircase, a moon-gazing boy silhouette that appears in every Jeonju Instagram feed, and several works by established Korean artists who donated pieces to the project. The neighbourhood still has residents — this is not a gallery zone but a living place — and part of the charm is navigating the domestic texture of the alleys alongside the art.
Walk up in the afternoon when the light falls best on the south-facing walls. The view back over the Hanok Village and the city is itself worth the climb.