It’s cool in the morning and evening and hot during the day, typical spring weather for May. Even if you don't go far, the weather is perfect for enjoying a picnic in a nearby park. To enjoy Family Month, I went on a night picnic to Gimpo Art Village with my kids. In Gimpo Art Village you can experience hanok, enjoy a cup of tea in the hanok cafe, and stay a night in a hanok room.

When I first visited Gimpo Art Village last fall, I thought that I would come again to take some photos of the night view here. It’s been half a year since my last visit.
This place is alleged to be the site of a temple of ancient Baekje. You can see Modamsan Mountain to the rear of Gimpo Art Village. Iron swords, crystal beads, and the oldest gold earrings were excavated from Modamsan Mountain. A culture complex was built in this area with such a historical background. The culture complex consisting of a Culture & Art Experience Zone, Art Center Exhibition Hall, Outdoor Stage, and Traditional Game Playground provides a wide range of cultural and art experiences, exhibitions, and performances for citizens.

Some cute characters came into view as soon as I entered the Gimpo Art Village after parking. I didn't see them last year. I think they were brought in new. They are the characters of the Gimpo Cultural Foundation. The adorable characters named Munsusanseongi, Biho, Myeongjungi, Captain Deokpo, and Jeokjung were catching kids’ attention.

I could hear some noises behind the characters, and went over to find that a huge janggi board. The pieces were also huge that it seemed hard to move them. Piece flicking seems like it would be more fun than janggi :) You can also enjoy other traditional games such as jegichagi and pitch-pot. Kids and their parents were enjoying a variety of traditional games in the late afternoon in the Gimpo Art Village.

I could also see a prison and neck rack chairs. The visitors trying out the traditional prison looked excited. People were sitting on the rack and pretending to be a prisoner and prison guard like they had seen in historical dramas. It was so cute that they enjoyed it while laughing loudly. Why do people always play Chunhyang and Pyon when they try traditional prison facilities?

A handcart? A wagon? I’m not sure what it was. Parents were taking their kids around Gimpo Art Village on a handcart. It reminded me of my father pulling a sled on the rice field for me when I was a kid.

To mark its 1st anniversary, Gimpo Art Village is holding the Gimpo Art Village Review Festival until May 31. Write your review within 5 A4 pages including photos and e-mail it. 10 winners will receive Modam Hanjeongsik Vouchers for 2 persons. The selected reviews will be included in the PR brochure of Gimpo Art Village. Give it a shot. It should be fun.

The Gimpo Art Village Tourist Information Center provides a variety of information. You can also look around or buy some souvenirs as a gift here. It will be more meaningful if you buy an item that represents Gimpo.

I first saw Posu and Pomi among the Gimpo characters here, but I couldn’t see Pochi.
Posu, symbolizing a water drop. was named after the po of Gimpo and su meaning water in Chinese characters, which represents Gimpo, the city of water and canals. Pomi, symbolizing a grain of rice, was named after the po of Gimpo and mi meaning rice in Chinese characters. Pomi embodies Gimpo Geumssal Rice with its 5,000-year history and tradition. Pochi symbolizes the first ancestor magpie of Gimpo.
They are so cute :)

Darkness began to set in, and lights were turned on one by one to greet the night while I was looking around the Gimpo Art Village.
It’s been a long time since I last saw Soohorang and Bandabi in front of the pavilion. They were wearing new clothes :)

A colorful tree-shaped light lit up the hanok houses in the city. The light like cheongsachorong (a type of traditional Korean lanterns) harmonized well with the hanok village.

The lights changing colors displayed a beautiful phrase, which created a romantic mood. It made couples feel excited.

Not a man holding a flower, but a man looking at a flower :)
What would it smell like?

A humble three-dimensional artwork during the day was transformed into a splendid flower carriage at night.
It reminded me of Cinderella being transformed into a beautiful princess and running to the prince.

A moon and rabbits were sitting at the center of the pond, which kids really liked.
A song suddenly came to mind. "On a little white boat in the Milky Way in blue heaven, are one laurel tree and one rabbit."

A small fountain relieved the heat for citizens who were enjoying a summer stroll.

Food trucks attracted people with delicious smells as they were enjoying a walk. It will be a perfect night picnic if you have some snacks with a cold beer, especially on a summer night.

A Christmas tree shaped light made a good photo spot. The well-decorated park was a great place to look around even at night after all the performances and activities had ended.

Is it your first visit to Gimpo Art Village?
Yes, it’s my first time at night. It's beautiful :)

Subtle lighting gave the park more ambience and made it comfortable. It was a good place to listen to music and think about something while sitting on a bench.

The pretty heart-shaped lights would make couples even happier.

After enjoying a night walk in Gimpo Art Village for a while, I had a cup of hot tea at the beautiful hanok cafe decorated with subtle lighting.

I feel familiar in a house with a yard because of my childhood memories. Whenever I visit a hanok house, I feel nostalgic because it makes me feel like I’m at my grandmother’s house.

It was an even happier time while having a chat with my good friends.

On my way home,
the character zone was still full of children’s laughter even late at night.

A beautiful tree and a swing standing in the wide yard of the entrance made people want to stop, providing a great photo spot. The tree and swing harmonized well with the hanok, which seemed to be from a scene in a movie.
The past and present coexisted in Gimpo Art Village.
It felt like I had traveled through time in a time machine. I really enjoyed a relaxing night walk.

Gimpo Art Village, as a culture complex, provides a wide range of performances and exhibitions. The traditional hanok houses in the park have a variety of attractions and activities. Gimpo Art Village, harmonized with the beautiful moonlight and colorful lights, was a great family picnic spot and a rest area for citizens especially at night.
This is Family Month.
Enjoy a picnic in Gimpo Art Village with a carefree heart :)