Jinju sits on the Namgang River in western South Gyeongsang, far enough from Seoul and Busan that many travellers miss it. That is a pity if you care about Korean history. The city is remembered above all for the sieges of Jinju during the Imjin War, when Korean defenders held off a much larger Japanese force in 1592 before the fortress fell the following year.
The old fortress is still the heart of the visit. Jinju Fortress contains the riverside walls, Chokseongnu Pavilion, shrines, gates, and the Jinju National Museum, whose collection focuses on the war and Korea-Japan contact. The river below gives the whole site a strong setting, especially after dark.
If you can time the trip for October, Jinju becomes much more than a historical stop. The Namgang Yudeung Festival fills the river and fortress area with lanterns, a modern festival tied to wartime signal lanterns and one of the city's best reasons to detour.