This city is known as the "City of Love" or the "Town of Fidelity," because it served as the setting for the traditional Chunhyang-jeon, a story about a beautiful girl born into a low-class family who falls in love with the son of the town's magistrate. There is even a Chunhyang Festival (www.chunhyang.org), named after the girl, every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month (usually late Apr or early May).

In addition to its romantic history, Namwon serves as the transportation hub for climbers visiting Jirisan (Mt. Jiri) National Park.