Lee Man-gi and Yoon Taek visit Gwangmyeong, starting from a 45-year-old traditional market

Cheonhajangsa Lee Man-gi travels through every corner of Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do, to find the hidden lights of the city. The 380th episode of 'A Round in the Neighborhood,' broadcasting on KBS1 at 7:10 PM on July 25, captures the yesterday and today of Gwangmyeong, which has undergone rapid changes while bordering Seoul, through the episode 'So Bright – Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do.'

The journey begins at Gwangmyeong Cave, which served as a mine for extracting gold, silver, copper, and zinc during the Japanese colonial period in 1912. After being closed in 1972 and submerged in darkness, this place gained new life when Gwangmyeong City purchased it in 2011. Reborn as a cave theme park that combines industrial heritage with cultural value, Gwangmyeong Cave has established itself as a representative summer retreat thanks to its pleasant environment, maintaining an average temperature of 12 degrees Celsius throughout the year. The cumulative number of visitors to this site has exceeded 9 million.

Old memories and generosity met at the 45-year-old Gwangmyeong Traditional Market

Gwangmyeong Traditional Market, the old downtown area of Gwangmyeong, started as a small five-day market in the early 1970s and has grown into a representative market in the Gyeonggi region with about 400 concentrated shops. To check the vitality of this place, which is considered one of the top three markets in Gyeonggi-do and one of the top seven markets nationwide, comedian Yoon Taek joins Lee Man-gi. Having spent his youth in Gwangmyeong, Yoon Taek wanders through familiar market alleys and visits a bindae-tteok (mung bean pancake) shop that has carried on a 45-year history to enjoy the flavors of the market.

At 'Gwangmyeong Vegetable Club,' a scene unfolds where people trim vegetables that are difficult to prepare, such as garlic, shepherd's purse, and green onions, at a low price. This place, where elders directly trim vegetables and convey the generous hospitality unique to the market, well demonstrates the market's image, which was selected as the 2nd attraction among the 9 Scenic Views of Gwangmyeong.

The spirit of the incorruptible Yi Won-ik and the urban farmer protecting native seeds

The historical depth held by Gwangmyeong leads to the Chunghyeon Museum. This is the only head family museum in the country honoring the life of the great statesman Ori Yi Won-ik, who served as the Chief State Councillor five times during the Joseon Dynasty. Yi Won-ik, who contributed to overcoming national crises from the reigns of Seonjo, Gwanghaegun, and Injo, practiced an incorruptible life, living in a two-room thatched house with a leaking roof despite holding high government positions. The museum preserves the scholar's artifacts and the head house.

Amidst the forest of apartments in the middle of the city, the activities of urban farmer Yang In-ja, who collects native seeds, continue. She has traveled across the country, from the southern tip of Haenam to the mountain villages of Jeongseon, to collect native seeds. Yang In-ja continues her work of recording the native seeds and cultivation methods preserved by elders in each region to pass them on to future generations.

A chef on a 33-year single-minded path of iron plate cooking and the Kachibap Social Cooperative practicing sharing

The story of chef Kim Seung-gi, who has guarded the iron plate for 33 years, is also included in this broadcast. After being discharged from the military, he was fascinated by the performance of iron plate cooking and communication with customers, and has walked a single path. Even during moments of crisis when he had to undergo rehabilitation procedures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not turn his eyes to other types of cooking. Currently, he shows the determination of someone who bet his life on a single iron plate by passing down his skills to his juniors.

'Kachibap Social Cooperative' makes lunch boxes using leftover prepared food from school meals. The prepared lunch boxes are delivered to neighbors in the community who need help, such as elderly people living alone, families with disabilities, single-parent families, and youth. It is a model that simultaneously performs the practice of carbon neutrality by reducing food waste and sharing within the local community. Meanwhile, at Dodeoksan Urban Natural Park, a 20m high suspension bridge offers a landscape where old quarry cliffs, artificial waterfalls, and forests harmonize.