Hyehwamun Gate stands as a rebuilt stone arched structure topped by a wooden pavilion, marking the northeastern entrance of the old Seoul City Wall. Originally constructed in thirteen ninety-six during the early Joseon Dynasty, it served…
Seongbukdong Hillside Writers Walk
This walking tour winds up the peaceful, tree-lined slopes of Seongbuk-dong, tracing the preserved homes, literary retreats, and mountain shrines of Korea’s pioneering 20th-century artists and writers.
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1. Hyehwamun Gate (Dongsomun)
2. Old House of Choe Sunu in Seongbuk-dong
The Old House of Choe Sunu is an urban hanok, a traditional Korean residence, built in the nineteen thirties and distinguished by its open, square-like layout. The house features an L-shaped main building and a similarly shaped annex that…
3. Kansong Art Museum
The Kansong Art Museum is a pristine white, two-story building that stands in the quiet neighborhood of Seongbuk-dong. Originally named Bohwagak, or a house for the protection of treasures, it was built in nineteen thirty-eight by the…
4. Simujang House of 'Manhae' Han Yong-un
Simujang is a small, tiled-roof house set against the hillside in the Seongbuk-dong neighborhood. While traditional Korean homes were built to face south for warmth and sunlight, this house is oriented to face the north. It was the…
5. Suyeonsanbang
Suyeonsanbang is a traditional Korean house, or hanok, distinguished by its unique construction in the shape of the Chinese character for work, which separates the living quarters from the kitchen and bathroom. Tucked away on a slope in…
6. Gilsangsa Temple
Gilsangsa Temple is distinguished by its blend of traditional Korean temple architecture and the layout of a former high-end restaurant, set into the wooded slopes of Mount Bugak. Before becoming a temple in nineteen ninety-seven, this…