– Final winner of ‘NEXT Gyeonggi Creative Audition, Season 2’

– Mine that produced ‘rich gold ore’ attracts one million visitors since opening to public in 2011

◇ ‘Light Space’, a course available for visitors at Gwangmyeong Cave, is well received thanks to some fantastic colors. ⓒ Reporter Choi Hyeon-min

“This place, located in Gwangmyeong City of Gyeonggi Province, is the only tourist cave in the metropolitan region. It’s an all-weather tourist attraction because it maintains a steady 12℃ inside the cave throughout the year. It also offers a unique wine-tasting experience inside a cave. What is the name of this place?” The answer is ‘Gwangmyeong Cave’.

How could there be a tourist cave in Gwangmyeong City of Gyeonggi Province that doesn’t feature limestone like Yeongwol in Gangwon Province or Danyang in Chuncheongbuk Province? First of all, Gwangmyeong Cave is not a limestone cave. It was a mine developed in 1912 that produced various minerals including gold, silver, copper, and iron until 1972 when it was closed down. A 7.8km-long mining tunnel remained that subsequently became a cave for tourists. After the mine was shut down, it was all but forgotten even by Gwangmyeong citizens. However, people gradually learned about it when the cave was opened to the public in 2011. 

Despite the rain, I headed over to Gwangmyeong Cave on November 7. As soon as I stepped inside the cave, I found the ‘Wind Road’, which is the first course to greet visitors to the cave. Wind Road isn’t particularly windy in autumn because the temperatures inside and outside the cave are similar, but when the temperatures are different in summer or winter, wind blows in and out of the cave through this ‘Wind Road’. 

◇ ‘Wind Road’ is the first course that appears in Gwangmyeong Cave. I feel my head clearing up just looking at the gaping Wind Road. ⓒ Reporter Choi Hyeon-min

After passing the Wind Road and Light Space, I came face to face with a fish. As you would expect from a place that was formerly a ‘gold mine’, even this aquarium fish glows in a golden hue. Called ‘Guem-ryong (Golden Dragon)’ because of its beautiful golden scales, it is said that this fish brings fortune and luck. The glitzy fish can cost up to KRW 100 million. Cultural Tourism Commentator Lee Seung-ah light-heartedly said, “Thanks to this Geum-ryong, which is a bringer fortune and luck, Gwangmyeong Cave was able to win such a major award (Grand Prize in the NEXT Gyeonggi Creative Audition) and receive a large prize purse of KRW 10 billion.”

◇ ‘You want this? It’ll cost you KRW 100 million’. A photo of Geum-ryong that lives inside Gwangmyeong Cave. It lives in the underground water inside the cave. The water doesn’t receive any additional treatment. Only the temperature is regulated. ⓒ Reporter Choi Hyeon-min

Going deeper into the cave using stairs, I arrive at the ‘Palace of Gold’. A stone incarnation of ‘Cave Elf Ayesha’ who protects the Palace of Gold awaits us with a mysterious hammer in one hand that turns stone into gold and a golden stone in the other hand. Quite a few people pose for photos while hugging the golden stone Ayesha carries and wishing for prosperity. 

◇ ‘Cave Elf Ayesha’. Ayesha protects the Palace of Gold with a golden hammer and stone in her hands. The glittering gold looks very tempting ⓒ Choi Hyeon-min

As my visit was about to end, ‘Wine Cave’ – something that’s available only at Gwangmyeong Cave – captured my attention. If you visit the cave, things might feel a little weird because you wouldn’t have seen wine in a cave before. However, because wine can be very sensitive to the temperatures and humidity of its storage environment, and because caves maintain constant low temperatures and high humidity throughout the year, they’re perfect wine cellars. Opened this year, the Wine Cave exhibits wines produced in Korea and overseas, and it also offers wine-tasting events for visitors. If you purchase a lot inside the ‘Wine Cellar’, you can enjoy a romantic wine experience at the Wine Restaurant inside the cave. 

◇ ‘What will it taste like?’ Reporters with the Gyeonggi-do Youth Press Corps on a group reporting assignment line up in front of the tasting booth for wine. ‘Non-alcoholic Wine’ is available at the Wine Cave so children and adolescents can enjoy the wine experience as well. ⓒ Choi Hyeon-min

Once you’ve finished visiting the Wine Cave, your tour of Gwangmyeong Cave comes to an end. Just because your trip through the cave is complete, however, don’t assume your day out is over. The ‘Gwangmyeong Up-Cycle Art Center’ located near Gwangmyeong Cave has a wide range of exhibitions, design classes, and performances focusing on ‘Up-Cycle’. ‘Up-Cycle’ here is portmanteau that brings together two words: ‘Upgrade’ and ‘Recycle’. It takes conventional recycling a step further in that it adds artistic value to waste products and reproduces new artwork or products.  

Various works created by Up-Cycle artists are on display on the center’s first floor. Unbelievably neat art pieces made using recycled materials really catch the attention of visitors. Meanwhile, there’s a Cave Café on the center’s second floor where people can enjoy some refreshments (snacks and beverages) and take a break. 

◇ Gwangmyeong Up-Cycle Art Center’s front gate. ⓒ Reporter Choi Hyeon-min

◇ An Up-Cycle art piece on display inside the center. The artist seems to be immensely talented. ⓒ Reporter Choi Hyeon-min

The access road that connects Gwangmyeong Cave and Gwangmyeong Up-Cycle Art Center with the parking lot is a 1.7km-long road with only two lanes. This causes traffic jams on weekends because of the large number of visitors. So I recommend using public transport rather than driving. For subway users, you can use line no. 7 and get off at Cheolsan Station, or the Express Train Gwangmyeong Station then take inner city bus no. 17 and get off at the ‘Gwangmyeong Cave’ station. Gwangmyeong Cave admissions are KRW 4,000 for adults, KRW 3,000 for soldiers, KRW 2,500 for adolescents, and KRW 1,500 for children. Gwangmyeong citizens can benefit from discounts of up to 40%. Groups of 20 or more visitors, seniors who are 65 years old or over, national patriots, disabled people, and basic living care recipients also receive discounts. Gwangmyeong Cave is open from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Gwangmyeong Up-Cycle Art Center admissions are free, and the center is open from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Both venues are closed on Mondays, Lunar New Year’s Day, and Chuseok (Korean Moon Festival).

Let’s not stay at home, look out the window and feel depressed on rainy or snowy days any more. All-weather attraction Gwangmyeong Cave is nearby.

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Gyeonggi Province Youth Press Corps Reporter Choi Hyeon-min hmchoi0515@naver.com

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201511101555079422C083&s_code=C083