A Citizen of Gongju's Daily Life — A Day in the Life of Old Town Resident Kim Kiseok
A day in the life of a local creator who moved to Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, capturing the rhythms of old town living, running communities, and neighborhood cafés and restaurants.
A Citizen of Gongju's Daily Life — Daily Documentary 'Gongju 24 Hours': A Day in the Life of Old Town Resident Kim Kiseok
Five years ago, Kim Kiseok moved to Gongju in search of a more relaxed daily life. He now lives there with his wife and their pets—cat Kun and dogs Duru and Mari—while running Equal Company, a business that develops health-focused exercise programs.
Words Parc Jinmyoung
Photos Shin Gyucheol
08:00 Geumgang Iron Bridge
I've been running for two years now. Once I figured out how to run well, I fell completely in love with it. Since then, I've started Jeminrunners, a running community club based in Gongju's old town. I like running alone across the Geumgang Iron Bridge or through Gongsanseong Fortress—both places make me feel like I'm truly present in Gongju. At the Geumgang Iron Bridge, I can encounter Gongju's past and present at once, while at Gongsanseong, I feel like I've stepped into a scene from history. There's even a ‘hidden spot’ inside Gongsanseong that only I know about. If you're curious, come join Jeminrunners!
10:00 Danggan Jiju Park and Jemincheon Stream
I walk my dogs Duru and Mari twice a day. With a stream and a park right in front of the house, it's easy to exercise or take a stroll whenever I feel like it. Jemincheon Stream runs through the heart of the old town, and Gongju's history and culture developed along its banks. The stream flows across the downtown area and joins the Geumgang River near Geumseong-dong, beside Gongsanseong Fortress.1 Danggan Jiju Park is a small neighborhood park right next to Jemincheon. This is where I found Duru and Mari, who had been abandoned. The park is home to the danggan jiju, stone pillars once used at Daetongsa Temple, built during the reign of King Seong of Baekje, and you can still find old stones scattered throughout the park believed to be foundation stones from that era. Around Jemincheon and the park, you'll often spot stray cats. The reason cats are especially common in this neighborhood is that residents take good care of them—setting up portable cat shelters and more. The park carries the warmth and affection of people trying to coexist with animals.
1 A stone pillar used to support the danggan, a pole for hoisting a temple's ceremonial flag or hanging large Buddhist paintings during outdoor rites.
12:00 Front
In truth, you don't really need transportation in the old town—everything is a five-minute walk away. Still, for those occasional busy days, I got an electric scooter through Gongju City's electric two-wheeler distribution program. When I need to take care of work or just want a short break, I head to Front, a café run by the local company Village Hotel. Jemincheon Stream flows just outside, and the outdoor tables and chairs give the place a warm, unassuming old-town atmosphere. It's such a local favorite that on weekends, it's hard to find an empty seat—popular with travelers too. The café uses fresh, locally grown ingredients, including beans from Gongju's own Banjukdong247 roastery, native Korean wheat flour, and organic sugar.
1F, 55 Jemincheon-gil 1, Gongju-si, Handmade Korean wheat waffle 4,300 won, Flat oat 5,800 won, Americano 4,000 won
14:00 Gilgal
Gilgal, which opened this past April, specializes in sushi rolls. Whenever I miss a meal or crave something delicious, this is the place that comes to mind—largely because I happened to be its very first customer. A few months ago, I heard from a friend's acquaintance that they had opened a restaurant in Bonghwang-dong, so I went straight over, and unintentionally became their first guest. Set inside a quiet, renovated house, Gilgal was created by an owner who used to run a sushi restaurant in the United States, together with his family. A kind elderly couple always greets guests warmly, while their son prepares each dish with care in the kitchen. My favorite menu item is the tuna tataki roll. Every time I eat here, the flavor, care, and hospitality never fail to put me in a good mood.
7-2 Dangdae 1-gil, Gongju-si, Orange roll 10pcs 16,000 won, Dragon roll 10pcs 15,000 won, Tuna tataki roll 10pcs 17,000 won, Gilgal sushi 10pcs 15,000 won
16:00 Equal Company
This is a space for functional training, aimed at building physical capability. On a busy day, we run as many as six or more classes. Drawing on my background as a special education physical education teacher, I founded Equal Company to help people build sustainable, healthy lifestyles. We offer a range of customized training programs, from those for people with developmental disabilities to programs that help people of all ages exercise effectively with proper posture. On the second floor, we also run a class where you can make soap tailored to your own taste.
7 Daetong 1-gil, Gongju-si
19:30 Gongju National University Main Stadium
Last spring, a running track appeared at Gongju National University's main stadium—wonderful news for me, both as a runner and as the leader of the running crew Jeminrunners. Jeminrunners is a running community that gathers every Thursday for professional running training, where each member runs at their own pace. We meet at a different one of Gongju's landmarks each time—the Geumgang River, Gongsanseong Fortress, the Geumgang Iron Bridge, or the university stadium—and run a 5-kilometer course together, learning the joy of running along the way. On average, about ten people run together, ending the day on a healthy note. You don't have to be a Gongju resident to join—if you're a runner who wants to experience the true charm of Gongju, just apply through the KakaoTalk open chat room ‘Jeminrunners.’
