E2024-G047

Characters of Gwangju: Communicating the City’s Charm

Narrative

The characters of Gwangju have played active roles in festivals, sports, and public promotion, helping to shape the city’s image. The city’s SNS mascot is Bitdori, designed as a promotional figure who delivers the “light of Gwangju” to the world. Gwangju FC is represented by its mascots Voni and Hwani, twin siblings inspired by the club’s symbol, the red phoenix. The Seo-gu District is represented by Haeoni, a character modeled after the black-crowned night heron, the district’s symbolic bird, embodying warmth and kindness. Omaena, named after the Jeolla-do dialect exclamation omae, serves as the mascot of the cultural tourism website Omae Gwangju, used to promote tourism with a touch of regional sentiment. The Chungjang Friends, representing the “Chungjang Festival of Memories” held in the Dong-gu District, include the baby tiger Sodeogi, the baby marten Gogo, the baby flying squirrel Lora, the baby rabbit Chyu, and the little fire spirit Buri. These characters engage with visitors at festival sites, making Gwangju’s history and culture approachable. More than simple mascots, they function as cultural mediators that broadly communicate the identity and charm of Gwangju.