Wolhwa Street, very next to Joongang Market, is the street set on the old railway site around Gangneung Station. The railway moved newly underground.
‘Wolhwa’ is named after the couple, Muwolrang and Yeonhwa of the old tale.
The story is back to Silla Dynasty. Once upon a time, the boy, Muwolrang saw the girl, Yeonhwa feeding fish by the river, Namdaecheon, and fell in love at first sight with her. He gave her a love letter, but to get permission of her parents for the marriage she asked him to become a successful person. Muwolrang went back to his home and studied very hard. As time went by, Yeonhwa’s parents forced her to get married and she wrote a letter about this to Muwolrang and throw it into the river, wishing fish fed by her deliver the letter to him. One day Muwolrang bought a fish to give his mother and cut the fish, and then he spotted the letter inside the fish. He read it and told his parents the story, and left for Yeonhwa in Gangneung. Muwolrang told Yeonhwa’s parents about the promise. Yeonhwa’s parents were touched and finally Muwolrang and Yeonhwa got married. It is said Muwolrang and Yeonhwa were ancestors of the Kims of Gangneung. Their descendants built a pavilion and named it ‘Wolhwajeong’. Wolhwajeong is one of attractions in Wolhwa Street. The statue of ‘I Love Wolhwa Street’ welcomes visitors.
If the weather is good, you could see busking in the street. Another attraction of the street, Namdaecheon Railroad Bridge leads to Wolhwajeong.
Now the railroad bridge is covered with wooden deck, so people pass through the bridge over the river Namdaecheon instead of a train. Small modern styled commercial buildings, the old tale
and historic sites are harmonized well in Wolhwa Street. There is Wolhwa Folk Market in the street.
The market is inside an array of red big container boxes. Very unique. You can have traditional Gangwon food such as memiljeon and gamjageon at this red colored market. Most of food vendors of the market have English menus for foreign tourists.
When it starts getting dark, lights covering trees illuminate beautifully the street.
Many artistic statues are all over the street.
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