A Beautiful Rebirth of abandoned mine, Gwangmyeong Mine Cave in Gahak mountain(광명가학광산동굴) South Korea

What a wonderful experience it is to see such a beautiful performance !!

How dare to guess these arts are able to being shown in the cave?
To boot, at the site of abandoned mine 40 years ago.

This mine cave has become a new landmark of culture and arts in Gwangmyeong-city(광명시) where is located in the neighboring of Seoul. Gwangmyeong mine(광명동굴), operated in 1912-1972 and closed due to bankrupt caused by decreasing of the output, 7.8 Km in the length of total, workers up to 500 persons in the old days, average 250 tons per days in their output of a mine. Mining metals were gold, silver, copper and zinc. Especially in the period under the Japan control, they brought the huge amounts of output from this place to the Japan.

At once,people took a refuge during Korean war(1950-1953) and thus there was a few babies born at that time to its amazement. This was the only one mine in metropolitan area. After closing this one, at a time the rice that was grown up in this area was prohibited to sell because the rice was leachate-contaminated with heavy metal (especially cadmium). After listening these sad histories from the commentator, I felt a sense of intimacy with this cave and compassion to the peoples who lived through life's ordeal.  When I got into the entrance of it, the chill air pumped  into to me, I got a some heart flutter at coming new unusual experience.  

Recently brilliant attempts were taken to give the other centuries to the citizens as highly upgraded tourist attractions. Gwangmyeong city took this mine and,repaired several times for its safety maintenance ,installed the related facilities, opened to the people in 2011. It did not to take a long time that over 700,000 tourists visited here, till the Aug 2014 ( within just three years only). Average temperature in this mine is 13 centigrade. In summer, here is so suitable to keep off the heat that it is crowded with many people together with their family for good summer vacation site.

 What’s more, this one got to rebirth into the finest attractive tourist place with emotional approaches and fresh attempts like as 3D Cinema screening, various performances, art exhibitions, small botanical garden, aquarium filled with first-grade of water.

This concert hall has the excellent role being equal to natural opera house because the sound can be stay double times more as usual hall. With this reason it is possible to make more echo effect that spread out plentiful sounds. Rocks of Mountain Gahak(가학산), this mine, is so hard that it is not able to find out pillar anywhere inside. This cave contains huge amount of underground water and supplies this cooling water to next incinerator the amount of 100 tons a day and is able to cut the cost 100 million money(Korean won) a year at least.

It really paid off !! 
Specialized commentators are ready for you and you just put the safety helmet on your head provided in front of the mine for the 30-40 minutes exploration.
*******Addition on Jun 2015...
Astonishing renovation some zone into Vintage Wine bar !!! This is another attractive spot as for its uniqueness and excellent natural storage facilities. People are able to take a sip various good tasty wines with free of charge, buy wines and cheeses in this particular bar equipped by over 1000 bottles of wine from around the world.

Tips ; Opening from 9 AM to 9:30PM (till Aug31, last entry will be accepted by 8:30PM). 

          Opening from 9 AM to 6PM (from September, last entry will be accepted by 5PM).
          Prepare long sleeve weas in summer (cool inside,average 13 centigrade). 
How to get there;
Take bus No 17 between Gaebong st(개봉역Seoul subway line 1, exit #1) and last stop of this bus bound for this mine. This bus goes via Cheolsan st(철산역subway line 7, exit 2. it's opposite point of  shopping mall 2001 Outlet) and  via  Gwangmyeong KTX station( point 7) also.