Kyung Hee Univ. © Meagan Mastriani

From Korea University to Kyung Hee University l 고려대학교—경희대학교
Where history and students meet

Written by Robert J. Fouser

In the 1930s, Seoul expanded rapidly beyond the Seoul City Wall into the fields and hills that surrounded the city. A walk from Korea University to Kyung Hee University, both located in a hilly area with lots of greenery, makes for a pleasant walk rich in history and culture.

To begin the walk, leave Korea University Station 고려대역 (Line 6), Exit 1. The exit takes you into the Korea University campus 고려대학교, with the Gothic and imposing Main Hall 본관 (1934) and Main Library 중앙도서관 (1937) in the background. After seeing the buildings and the campus grounds, stop by the Korea University Museum on the way back to the subway station (10am–5pm, closed Monday); it is one of the most extensive university museums in Korea. Until May 12, 2013, the museum is holding a special exhibition of Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) screens depicting Changdeokgung Palace in great detail. The museum also has an exhibition on university history, the first of its kind in Korea.

After seeing the museum, cross the street at the subway station and walk past Exit 3, turning right at the next major street. Go straight and cross the next major street, and you will see the entrance to the King Sejong the Great Memorial Hall 세종대왕기념관 on the right (9am–6pm, closed Monday). Opened in 1973 by the King Sejong Memorial Society, the museum has the largest exhibition in honor of King Sejong in Korea.

Behind the museum lie two royal tombs—Yeonghwiwon 영휘원 and Sunginwon 숭인원 (9am–6:30pm, closed Monday)—of Sunheon, the first concubine to King Gojong, and Ijin, the infant son of Yeongchin, the last crown prince of the Joseon Dynasty. The extensive grounds contain a number of lovely statues and offer a brief look at the architecture of royal tombs. Collectively, the two tombs are known as Hongneung because the tomb of Queen Myeongseong, who was murdered by the Japanese in 1895, took this name. Her tomb was moved to its current site in Namyangju when King Gojong, her husband, died in 1919.

From the tombs, return to the entrance of the museum, turn right, and keep going straight until the street makes a curve. Turning left here takes you past a lively commercial strip catering to students and into the campus of Kyung Hee University 경희대학교, a major private university with three museums and garden-like grounds. The most interesting museum is Hye- Jung Museum 혜정박물관, the only old map museum in Korea (10am–4pm, Monday–Friday). Located on the 4th floor of the university library, the museum has an outstanding collection of old maps on Korea. The Natural History Museum 자연사박물관 is the first of its kind in Asia (10am–4pm, Monday–Saturday). The Central Museum 중앙박물관 (10am–5pm, Monday– Friday), also located on the 4th floor of the library, contains mostly archaeological artifacts, but it also has an interesting exhibition on Korean shamanism.

After leaving the university and returning to the curve in the road, turn left and go straight until you come to a busy intersection. Cross the street and look for alleys lined with restaurants selling pajeon 파전, a wonderful pancake-like dish with onions and seafood that is usually served with makgeolli 막걸리 (rice wine). The area is known as Pajeon Alley 파전골목 and caters to the large number of students who live in the area. Hoegi Station 회기역 (Line 1) is very close and marks the end of the walk.

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FYI>

Korea University: www.korea.edu
King Sejong the Great Memorial Hall: www.sejongkorea.org (Korean only)
Kyung Hee University: www.khu.ac.kr/eng
Hye-Jung Museum: http://oldmaps.khu.ac.kr (Korean only)
The Natural History Museum: http://nhm.khu.ac.kr (Korean only)
The Central Museum: http://museum.khu.ac.kr (Korean only)

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Korea University Station 고려대역 (Line 6)
(1-2  Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul ㅣ서울시 성북구 안암동5가 1-2)

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Hoegi Station 회기역 (Line 1)
(1  Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul ㅣ서울시 동대문구 회기동 1)

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© Seoul Selection

© Seoul Selection

© Seoul Selection

Coping with Seoul’s winter, and visiting one of its lesser-known historical sites.

Treatment, Prevention

With the city now firmly nestled in the depths of winter, colds and flus lurk just a poorly aimed cough or sneeze away, leaving you with two options for coping: treatment and prevention. For the former, there’s Kyung Hee University and its attendant medical center, which is particularly well-known for its oriental medicine program and its research on Eastern medicine’s application to Western techniques. Among other accomplishments, Kyung Hee doctors performed the world’s first drug-free anesthesia, using only acupuncture, in 1972.

As the saying goes, however, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and what better way to keep from getting sick than by just avoiding winter altogether? A perfect place to hibernate is in one of the many restaurants lining Pajeon Alley, where it would be all too easy to just skip January, February, and, why not, March completely. Pajeon, a savory, crispy pancake of green onion and octopus, is one of Korea’s best winter comfort foods. You can find it just about anywhere in Seoul, but rarely is it as cheap, delicious, or generous as it is in Hoegi. With a boisterous atmosphere, hot floors, satisfying food, and the kindling of warm friends and warm conversation, these restaurants—some open 24 hours—will keep winter at bay, whether for three minutes or three months.

Final Resting Places

Hoegi is also home to an obscure but captivating historical site: the tombs Yeonghwiwon and Sunginwon, the burialsites of Lady Eom and her grandson Yi Jin, respectively. Lady Eom was a favored concubine of Emperor Gojong, and after the murder of Empress Myeongseong by Japanese assassins, she helped him escape to the Russian legation. Interested in Western education, she went on to found several schools.

Sadly, there’s far less to say about Yi Jin. His father, Uimin, the last Joseon imperial crown prince, was taken hostage and sent to Japan at the age of 11 under the pretext of “studying abroad,” a wicked bit of political spin. Only nine months after being born to Uimin and his wife, Japanese Princess Masako Nashimoto, however, Yi Jin died during a visit to Korea under what are often referred to as suspicious circumstances.

Both burial sites feature graceful, austere memorial halls that front hills, atop which are burial mounds surrounded by stone guardians and lanterns. Befitting the nature of the site, the grounds are peaceful and filled with trees, including a red hawthorn that’s Natural  Monument No. 506 and estimated to be 150 years old.

Kyung Hee University 경희대학교
and Kyung Hee Medical Center 경희의료원
Exit 1
Left onto Hoegi-ro 회기로, Right on Kyung Hee-dae-ro 경희대로

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© Seoul Selection

Pajeon Alley 파전골목
Exit 1
Left on Hoegi-ro 회기로, Left on Hoegi-ro-28-gil 회기로28길

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Yeonghwiwon and Sunginwon 영휘원과 숭인원
Exit 1
Left onto Hoegi-ro 회기로, Left on Hongneung-ro 홍릉로

FYI>

Feb–May 9am–6pm, Jun–Aug 9am–6:30pm,
Sep–Oct 9am–6pm, Nov–Jan 9am–5:30pm; Closed Mondays
Admission: Adults 1,000 won, Children aged 7–18, 500 won
T. 02-962-0556
eureung.cha.go.kr

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Written by Charles Usher
Photographed by Meagan Mastriani