Travel To 1930s

[Anchor Lead]

On Close Up today, we’ll head to a street in the southern province of Jeollabuk-do, where you can do a little time traveling. Or at least that’s how you might feel if you visit.

[Pkg]

The port city of Gunsan is snugly surrounded by blue sea and sky. This charming place called "Takryu Street" gives the impression that it's been left in the 1930s.

[Soundbite] Kim Si-baek(Tourim Promotion Dept., Gunsan City Gov't) : "Chae Man-sik was a renowned writer who wrote the novel "Takryu" or "The Muddy Current," which is set in Gunsan. A street near this area is the background of the novel so we named it Takryu Street. Many people visit the street. In particular, it is a popular filming site for movies."

The first spot to see is a photo studio, a movie filming location no less.

[Soundbite] "Han Seok-kyu, Shim Eun-ha in movie "Christmas in August""

Staged props are kept intact. It'ss an unusual experience to take a picture in an old-fashioned school uniform.

[Soundbite] Choi Keon-wook(Visitor) : "The movie is unknown among my generation. After I came here, I learned that this was a filming location. When I get back home, I will watch the movie "Christmas in August" and learn more about here."

Next stop, after working up an appetite...This Chinese restaurant looks very old even at first glance.

[Soundbite] Choi Seung-hwa(Chinese Restaurant Chef) : "We began operation in Gunsan 65 years ago."

It's famous for being shot in a gambling movie scene. Another reason for its popularity is the unique jajangmyeon noodles it serves.

[Soundbite] "Mul jajang (watery jajang) Please."

The basic ingredients are various vegetables and seafood. Vegetables are cooked over fire and a variety of seafood is added. The next step is to make a sauce...The secret is that the sauce is made only with starch, instead of Chinese black bean paste. Then thickened with a collection of ingredients, the sauce is poured over properly cooked noodles. Here's a bowl of the local jajangmyeon delicacy!

[Soundbite] Kim Jae-kyu(Customer) : "I come to eat once every two weeks. It tastes like a combination of jajang and jjamppong noodles."

This is Gunsan Modern History Museum with an impressive green brick exterior. Gunsan streets in the 1930s were recreated at the museum. White or black rubber shoes, which are rarely found these days, are on display. Adult visitors feel nostalgic upon seeing a liquor bottle from the past era. The museum becomes even more special every Saturday afternoon. An independence movement reenactment starts suddenly. No separate stage is set up and visitors are encouraged to participate in the show.

[Soundbite] "Let's shout for the independence of Korea. Hurray for the independence of Korea! Hurray!"

[Soundbite] Kim Yong-sook(Visitor) : "At other museums, I can understand only when I have prior and background knowledge. But here, it was easier to understand with the help of guides. It was good."

Sometimes, in some places, we can travel back in time. Takryu Street in Gunsan is filled with nostalgic memories from the past.