Located just 22km (14 miles) north of Gwangju is the center of the country's bamboo cultivation. Filled with stunning bamboo forests, Damyang-gun (Damyang County) will be one of the most scenic stops on your South Korea journey. Although plastics have replaced the everyday use of many bamboo products, the area still attracts visitors who are drawn to the quiet, simple beauty of the bamboo groves. Other than its famous bamboo products, there are many pavilions and historical places where literary works have been created in centuries past. Once you visit the area, you'll see why scholars and poets were inspired by the beauty of the surrounding mountains and the fields to write. If you're here during the spring, don't miss the Bamboo Festival.