Mokpo Modern History Museum (2026): Delving into History & Drama

I had a meeting in Mokpo (목포),

so I ended up staying for two days and one night.

Coincidentally, the Mokpo Night Tour (목포야행) event was also happening,

and the restaurant where I had dinner reservations

was nearby, so I headed to Mokpo Modern History Street (목포 근대역사거리)

and explored the Modern History Museum.

Honestly, at first, I just thought I'd casually look around

the old buildings and exhibits.

But it turned out to be much more.

Once I went inside, I learned how Mokpo

grew into an open port city,

and the painful history it endured

through that process. It was truly insightful.

What struck me most was that Modern History Museum Hall 1 and Hall 2

are historically significant places in themselves.

Mokpo Modern History Museum (목포 근대역사관) Hall 1 and Hall 2,

What's the Difference?

Mokpo Modern History Museum is divided into Hall 1 and

Hall 2.

Both buildings bear traces of the Japanese colonial period,

but there are differences in their past uses and

the content of their exhibits.

Hall 1, originally the former Japanese Consulate (일본영사관) building,

offers a broad look at Mokpo's opening as a port, its urban development, and modern culture.

Meanwhile, Hall 2, which was the former Mokpo branch of the Oriental Development Company (동양척식주식회사),

focuses on Japan's economic exploitation and

the Korean people's independence movement.

The two halls are within walking distance,

making it convenient to visit both together.

Mokpo Modern History Museum Hall 1

When you arrive at Mokpo Modern History Museum Hall 1,

the first thing that catches your eye is the Western-style building

built with red bricks.

Perched on a hill, the building has a commanding presence even from afar.

This building was constructed in 1900 as the Japanese Consulate.

It was later used as the Mokpo Immigration Office (목포이사청) and Mokpo City Hall (목포부청사) during the colonial era, and after liberation, it served as Mokpo City Hall (목포시청)

and the Mokpo Cultural Center (목포문화원) before becoming the Modern History Museum we see today.

Even though it's a building well over 100 years old,

its exterior is quite impressive.

The combination of red bricks and white window frames, in particular, is beautiful,

attracting many people who come to take photos.

It's also famous as a filming location for the drama 'Hotel Del Luna',

making it one of Mokpo's most representative

photo spots.

However, once you learn that this place isn't just a pretty building,

you'll start to see it in a different light.

That's because it was used as a Japanese administrative institution

during the Japanese colonial period.

From Mokpo's Opening as a Port to the Japanese Colonial Period

Inside Hall 1, various photos and materials showcasing Mokpo's modern history

are on display.

Mokpo is a port city that opened in 1897.

After its opening, many people gathered here, leading to the development of commerce and trade,

and various modern architectural buildings began to appear.

In the exhibition hall, you can explore the appearance of Mokpo's streets, buildings, and daily life from that era

through photos and models.

Particularly interesting are the models recreating old buildings around Mokpo Station (목포역) and Ogori (오거리).

While it's a familiar city landscape today,

it's fun to compare it with how it looked over 100 years ago.

At that time, Mokpo was a major port where rice, cotton, and salt

converged.

This city was once so bustling with logistics and commerce that it was known as the "City of Three Whites" (referring to rice, cotton, and salt).

However, behind that prosperity lay a painful history of economic exploitation during the Japanese colonial period.

As I explored the exhibitions, it wasn't just about the history of an old city, but also a chance to truly understand what makes Mokpo (목포) what it is today.

Don't miss the air-raid shelter behind the building!

After touring Mokpo Modern History Museum Building 1 (근대역사관 1관), I headed to the air-raid shelter located behind the building.

At first, I thought it was just an old underground tunnel, but I soon discovered that it too held a painful history from the Japanese colonial period.

The air-raid shelter was built by Japan during the Pacific War to prepare for Allied air raids.

It's an artificial tunnel, approximately 82 meters long, where Koreans were forcibly mobilized for excavation work.

Stepping inside, I felt an atmosphere completely different from the outside.

In the narrow, dark passageway, scenes of people working on the excavation at that time were recreated, along with siren sounds and experiential facilities that evoked the urgency of an air raid.

Unlike simply reading descriptions, actually being inside the air-raid shelter allowed me to grasp the situation of that era, even if only a little.

Understanding the background of how this air-raid shelter was created truly weighed heavily on my heart.

It was also striking that such traces of history remained hidden behind the beautiful red-brick building.

If you visit Mokpo Modern History Museum Building 1, I highly recommend not just seeing the indoor exhibits but also exploring the air-raid shelter out back.

It's a short visit, but it was a space that will stay in my memory for a long time.

Mokpo Modern History Museum Building 2 (목포 근대역사관 2관)

A Building Holding the History of Japanese Exploitation

If you've explored Building 1, make sure to visit Building 2 as well.

Mokpo Modern History Museum Building 2 utilizes the former Oriental Development Company Mokpo Branch (동양척식주식회사 목포지점) building, which was constructed in 1921.

While Building 1 is a Western-style building with red bricks, Building 2 is a light-colored stone building, revealing a difference from the very exterior.

However, the history contained within this building is by no means light.

The Oriental Development Company was an institution established by Imperial Japan to seize control of Korea's land and economy.

As Mokpo was a major port where agricultural products from the Honam region (호남 지역) gathered, it became one of the central hubs for economic exploitation.

Although it now operates as a history museum, the fact that this building once housed an institution that made life difficult for our people weighs heavily on the heart.

Inside Building 2, you'll find exhibits on the streets and daily life of Mokpo during the Japanese colonial period, as well as materials related to the independence movement.

In the exhibition hall on the first floor, you can explore what Mokpo looked like in the late 1920s.

Through materials showcasing the streets, buildings, and daily lives of people at that time, you can get a sense of what modern Mokpo was like as a city.

The exhibition also delves into the background of the Oriental Development Company's establishment and the process of Japanese encroachment.

It's particularly noteworthy that a large safe used at that time still remains.

Encountering actual facilities used in the past within the space of a history museum provided a completely different feeling than just seeing them in photographs.

On the second floor, you'll find an exhibition dedicated to Korea's independence movement.

You can learn about the stories of those who fought against Japanese colonial rule, including the 4·8 Independence Movement (4·8 만세운동) that took place in Mokpo (목포).

It's a space that allows you to reflect on the fact that Mokpo also saw significant resistance from many independence activists and citizens.

I believe this place holds more meaning for remembering and learning history than for offering flashy sights.

Mokpo National Heritage Night Walk (목포 국가유산 야행)

What made this visit even more delightful was that it coincided with the Mokpo National Heritage Night Walk!

The 2026 Mokpo National Heritage Night Walk is an event held from October 30th to November 1st in the area around Mokpo Modern History and Culture Street (목포 근대역사문화공간).

This year, with the theme 'Modern Times, Mokpo's Port Opening Story 129,' it introduces Mokpo's port opening and modern culture through a variety of performances and immersive experiences.

During the event, various programs like historical walking tours, stamp rallies, and street theater are held around the Modern History Museum (근대역사관).

Especially around Modern History Museum Building 2, there are performances and media art installations, creating a unique atmosphere on the modern history street that's different from usual.

As evening approached, the streets became even more festive! What was a little sad, though, was that the lovely cafe in front of Modern History Museum Building 2, which used to serve delicious coffee and waffles, was gone...

It was a cafe I really wanted to visit again...

The Yudaldong Photo Studio (유달동 사진관), where you can take black-and-white photos, was still there!

While I was exploring Modern History Museum Building 2, two of my companions had already taken pictures there! ^^ I wish I had, too...

Wrapping Up

Our reserved restaurant was a Korean restaurant called Hanmiru (한미르), and we had to climb up behind Modern History Museum Building 1 to get there.

As we ascended and looked down, another side of Mokpo revealed itself.

The houses we saw on the way up were absolutely magnificent mansions.

Hanmiru itself was a remodeled mansion transformed into a restaurant, perfectly situated with Yudalsan (유달산) behind it and the beautiful Mokpo sea in front!

After dinner, we also stopped by Geonmaek Pub (건맥펍), which champions Mokpo's famous Geonmaek Festival (건맥축제)! You'll find it along Dried Seafood Street (건해산물 거리).

If you're looking to enjoy a beer during your Mokpo trip, definitely check it out!

My visit to Mokpo (목포) this time wasn't primarily for travel,

but to attend a conference. However,

since it was a 1-night, 2-day trip, I had enough time

to leisurely explore Mokpo Modern History Street (목포 근대거리).

I found myself wishing that Mokpo's spaces,

which narrate a painful history that must be remembered,

would become places many people seek out.

#MokpoModernHistoryMuseum #MokpoModernHistoryMuseumBuilding1 #MokpoModernHistoryMuseumBuilding2 #PlacesToVisitInMokpo #MokpoTravel #MokpoTravelCourse #MokpoCulturalHeritageNight #MokpoNationalHeritageNightWalk #MokpoModernHistoryStreet #MokpoModernHistoryMuseumAdmissionFee #MokpoModernHistoryMuseumParking #MokpoModernHistoryMuseumAirRaidShelter #HotelDelLunaFilmingLocation #IndoorPlacesToVisitInMokpo #PlacesToVisitInJeonnam