Andrew Cheng

Community Theatre in Changwon

Calling all drama nerds! Did you know that there is a thriving expat community theatre presence in Changwon? Most recently, this past June saw the smash-hit performance of Ken Ludwig’s Leading Ladies, directed by Sunil Mahtani with technical direction by Nadia Ronan and featuring local actors Jeremy Bryan, Jordan Marett, Jake Clark, …

Read More »

International Churches in Changwon

For foreigners who want to get involved in a Christian religious community in Changwon, there are a few options. As of July 2014, Smyrna Church in Sapa-dong has closed its English worship service, but in its place, a branch of Redeemer Church (based in Busan) will open in Sangnam-dong. This …

Read More »

Cafe Street (Garosoo-gil/가로수길)

Garosoo-gil in Korean (가로수길) means a tree-lined street. The most famous avenue with this moniker is in the ritzy Sinsa-dong in Seoul, but Changwon has its own Garosoo-gil in Yongji-dong, near Yongji Lake. The official name of the street is 용지로239번길 (Yongji-ro 239 beon-gil), but it’s more commonly known to …

Read More »

Greenhouse Cafe

As promised, I went back to Greenhouse (그린하우스), Dogye-dong’s prized cafe and bakery, to see if their lunch options were as spectacular as their selection of bread and pastries. Unsurprisingly, lunch was delicious. Greenhouse did not disappoint. On a weekday around noon, the second floor cafe is spacious, quiet, and …

Read More »

Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival 2014

Some current updated links for information on the 2019 Festival: Official Tourism Website JinHae Cherry Blossom Festival on Twitter Changwon City Official Blog Korea’s largest and most famous cherry blossom festival is only one week away! From April 1-10, make your way down south to Jinhae not only to see …

Read More »

Eun-soon Gu’s (구은순) Coffee Shop, Roastery, and Barista Training Centre

Photos and text by Joanna Tambakis Looking for a good spot to have a coffee, hang out, and meet friendly locals? Interested in learning more about coffee, from the roasting process to how to make an espresso, latte, or cappuccino? Want a place to do art, write your next novel, …

Read More »

Palyong Dong in Pictures

Here are some pictures to accompany Better Know a  Dong: Palyong Dong courtesy of Andrew Cheng. By hovering over the picture you will see the name of what is pictured. Use these pictures to plan your next Palyong adventure but be warned; these pictures were taken in February, 2014. We …

Read More »

Better Know a Dong: Palyong Dong!

Palyong-dong (팔용동, sometimes spelled 팔룡동), is a large, boot-shaped neighborhood located at the northernmost end of Changwon. At its heel are the main bus terminal, Homeplus, and Changwon Stream, which is currently being developed into a beautiful park. Most of the boot’s shaft, running up Changwon-daero (창원대로), is comprised of …

Read More »

Seobu Sports Center

Excited about the upcoming Winter Olympics? Korean star Kim Yuna will probably dominate the figure skating competition, and if you fall in love with her like the rest of the country has, perhaps you will be inspired to try your hand (or foot) at ice skating. Changwon doesn’t get much …

Read More »

Greenhouse Bakery in Dogye

Do you miss bread? I’m not talking about 빵. I mean baguettes and ciabattas, whole wheat and rye? Stop settling for the overly-sweet, limp and insubstantial breads and pastries of [insert conglomerate-owned bakery franchise here] and check out Greenhouse (그린하우스) in Dogye-dong. Under the skilled hand of an award-winning member of …

Read More »