Bukchon’s 31 Gahoe-dong on a rain day. Photo by Robert Koehler.

Seoul’s flashy south and historic north are two fun sides to the same coin

Written by Violet Kim
Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

Every city has its competing districts, whether it’s East and West London, Brooklyn and Manhattan, or Left Bank and Right Bank. Seoul is divided along the Hangang River, which splits the city into Gangnam, south of the river, and Gangbuk, north of the river.

Gangnam literally means south of the river, but the word usually refers to the district of Gangnam-gu and the adjacent districts of Seocho-gu and Songpa-gu. Gangnam trades in business, beauty, and education. It’s home to the city’s wealthiest. It’s the established plastic surgery mecca of the peninsula. And it’s where hagwons, or cram schools, prevail.

Gangbuk is a bit harder to encapsulate, referring less to the actual district of Gangbuk-gu than a broad swathe north of the Hangang, comprised of multiple districts with distinct characteristics. Seoul’s political heart Jongno-gu is worlds away from the music and art scenes in Mapo-gu, home to Hongik University.

And each side has its own winners for the the best views, best shopping, best tourist destinations, and best nightlife. All of which convince us that competition can only be a healthy thing if it gives us not one, but two “bests” for each category.

Best Views: GANGNAM
Banpo Bridge’s Moonlight Rainbow Fountain | 반포대교 달빛무지개 분수

One of the most famous views of the Hangang River is south of it at the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain. Jets of water cascade down the side of Banpo Bridge accompanied by music and lights. Like Gangnam itself, the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain is glittery, showy, and unapologetically excessive. Fans of the Korean soap opera might also recognize the site as the backdrop to many a teary confession.

FYI>
The fountain plays from April to October, with 15-minute shows starting at noon and ending at 9:30pm.
GO>
Express Bus Terminal 고속터미널역 (Line 3, 7, 9), Exit 8-1

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The iconic N Seoul Tower (formerly Namsan Tower) on Namsan may be the go-to landmark for good Gangbuk views, but the problem with the view from a landmark is that the view doesn’t include the landmark itself. An alternative to that—and to the touristy hordes at the tower—is the Grand Hyatt in central Seoul, just above the river. Its convenient location atop Namsan means you don’t have to climb a tower for a view. You can relax with a cocktail at the Paris Bar or go for coffee at the Lobby Lounge. Or just remain in the lobby.

FYI>
T. 02-797-1234
www.seoul.grand.hyatt.com
(747-7 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul | 서울시 용산구 한남동 747-7)
GO>
Hangangjin Station 한강진역 (Line 6), Exit 1

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Gangnam’s tourist treasure is the entire area around Dosan Park, an enclave of greenery in the trendy Sinsa-dong neighborhood. Dosan Park makes up for its lack of traditional architecture with fetching cafes and well-dressed locals. You’re more likely to find brunch restaurants than bibimbap joints here, but that kind of love affair with cute Western-inspired dining and shopping is just as Seoul as anything else, and very much Gangnam.

FYI>
T. 02-543-2558
(649-9 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 신사동 649-9)
GO>
Apgujeong Rodeo Station 압구정로데오역 (Bundang Line), Exit 5

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Gangbuk has a wealth of historically significant palaces, gardens, and gates. The best-known palace is the imposing Gyeongbokgung Palace. But the smaller Changdeokgung Palace, with its beautiful garden noted for its elegant and quintessentially “Eastern” topography. To the rear of the palace within walking distance is Bukchon Hanok Village, a hilly neighborhood of traditional Korean-style residences with distinctive scalloped roofs and wooden beams.

FYI>
Gyeongbokgung Palace: www.royalpalace.go.kr
(1-1 Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 세종로 1-1)
Changdeokgung Palace: www.cdg.go.kr
(2-71 Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 와룡동 2-71)
Bukchon Hanok Village: http://bukchon.seoul.go.kr

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Photographed by Crystal Yun

Gangnam’s best nightlife can be found in the cluster of swanky EDM clubs in the Cheongdam and Nonhyun areas. Cheongdamdong’s clubs change names as frequently as strip dancers change aliases, so it can be difficult to keep up with the trendiest spots. But the rule of thumb is that newer is better, and the reigning venues of the moment are the massive Ellui and luxurious Octagon, the newest additions to the lineup. Both clubs have top-notch sound systems and would be packed to the rafters each weekend if not for their high ceilings.

FYI>
Club Octagon
T. 02-516-8847
http://cluboctagon.co.kr
(175-2 Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 논현동 175-2)
GO>
Hakdong Station 학동역 (Line 7), Exit 4

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FYI>
Ellui
T. 02-549-2073
http://ellui.net
(129 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 청담동 129)
GO>
Cheongdam Station 청담역 (Line 7), Exit 13

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Best Nightlife: GANGBUK
Hongdae Area | 홍대 지역

Despite the rise of lounge bars like Itaewon’s District, the cradle of Gangbuk nightlife is still in Hongdae, the area near Hongik University. For some, the increasing gentrification in the district means that it’s no longer the fountainhead of underground culture that it supposedly was before. But that doesn’t matter for the nightlife, which is as variegated and vibrant as ever. Compared to Gangnam, it’s also grimier and closer to the ground—many Hongdae clubs are literally located below ground level. There are hip-hop clubs like NB2 (Noise Basement) packed nightly, nostalgic bars that play retro music from the 70s and 80s, live music venues for every possible genre of alternative music, and veteran club M2 for your techno fix, just to name a few. What Hongdae venues lack in size they make up for in their number and diversity. The crowds are collegiate, meaning prices are also lower.

FYI>
NB2
T. 02-333-2769
(361-10 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul | 서울시 마포구 서교동 361-10)
GO>
Hongik Univ. Station 홍대입구역 (Line 2, A’REX Line), Exit 9
Sangsu Station 상수역 (Line 6), Exit 1

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FYI>
M2
T. 02-3143-7573
http://ohoo.net/m2
(367-11 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul | 서울시 마포구 서교동 367-11)
GO>
Hongik Univ. Station 홍대입구역 (Line 2, A’REX Line), Exit 9
Sangsu Station 상수역 (Line 6), Exit 1

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Photograph courtesy of Galleria Department Store

The Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong has traditionally been the archetype of the Gangnam department store—luxury brands galore and patrons who can afford them. With the rise of strip malls, outlet malls, and showrooming, you might expect the Galleria to face some stiff competition,
but the Galleria keeps itself relevant by keeping things compact and convenient within its five floors. Rather than going for sheer volume, it stocks brands that you can’t find anywhere else in Seoul, and true to its name it eschews the plain grays of many department store exteriors for its easily recognizable, tiled, iridescent, love-it-or-hate-it facade.

FYI>
T. 02-3449-4114
http://dept.galleria.co.kr
(494 Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 압구정동 494)
GO>
Apgujeong Rodeo Station 압구정로데오역 (Bundang Line), Exit 7

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Best Shopping: GANGNAM
Dongdaemun Area | 동대문 지역

In Gangbuk you can hit the latest megamall or take a deep breath and dive into the crowds at Myeongdong, the unofficial center of shopping in central Seoul. But the best Gangbuk shopping is in the area around Dongdaemun, a sprawling complex of malls and markets. Malls such as Doota (Doosan Tower) stock brands you’ve probably never heard of and clothes you might never want to try along with trendy, low-priced items that you can haggle for. Other nearby specialized markets sell everything from food to fabrics.

FYI>
www.dongdaemun.com
GO>
Dongdaemun Station 동대문역 (Line 1, 4) or Dongdaemun History & Culture Park 동대문역사문화공원역 (Line 2, 4, 5)

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‘MAPPING’ SEOUL IN THE 1930s

Colonial cartography offers fascinating insights into a dark period in the capital’s history

Written by Robert J. Fouser 
Images courtesy of author

Historians know the power of maps as research tools. They know that maps, like other types of historical documentation, are accurate not in the absolute, but as reflections of society at a given point in time. Maps tell how space was organized in the past and how people defined it, giving information that helps develop, along with many other sources, the “story of the past.”

Maps of Seoul in the 20th century document the tremendous changes the city experienced in those 100 years. Amid the torrid climate of change, two periods stand out: the 1930s and the 1970s. These two decades brought rapid changes in maps, as city planners responded to surging population growth that began in the previous decades. From 1920 to 1940, the population jumped from 253,000 to 1,110,000; from 1960 to 1980, it jumped from 2,445,000 to 8,364,000. This explosive growth overwhelmed the city infrastructure at both times.

Colonial administration

Of the two periods, the 1930s are particularly interesting because it brought great change to the historic heart of Seoul, producing the urban paradigm that lasted until the 1970s when the Gangnam area was developed based on apartments and wide roads. Decisions about planning in the 1930s, of course, were in the hands of Japanese colonial rulers who looked to administrative centers in Japan for ideas. By 1940, Seoul, or Gyeongseong (Keijo in Japanese), as they called it, was the fifth largest city in Imperial Japan, ranking between Kyoto and Yokohama.

A map printed from the early 1930s says much about Seoul after a decade of growth in the 1920s. Areas of grey dots and the largely intact Seoul Wall are most noticeable. The grey dots indicate urban areas and fill most of the area inside the wall, but also expand to the south and west, areas that developed after the Japanese destroyed the city wall. Itaewon was the center of the Japanese military and was secluded from the rest of the city by Mt. Namsan and the hills in what are now Hannam-dong and Yaksu-dong.

Dissolving social classes

Of particular interest are the white spaces in the Bukchon area. Anguk-dong and areas closer to Gyeongbokgung Palace were dense, but Gahoe-dong and Gye-dong, popular tourist spots today, were largely white space. By contrast, Seochon, the area on the other side of the palace, was more densely developed. The streetcar line running along the west side of the palace and larger areas of flat land help explain the difference at this time.

A map printed in the late 1930s shows many of the changes that took place in that decade. Rapid development of Gahoe-dong and Gye-dong occurred in the mid-1930s and this map show more streets and alleys. The collapse of Joseon society after Japanese colonial rule began in 1910 gradually impoverished the aristocratic families that had lived in Bukchon. By the 1930s, they were forced to sell their large estates, which were divided into smaller lots for the densely packed rows of Koreanstyle city houses, or “city hanok.”

Increasing urban spread and Japanization

By the late 1930s, the city had filled in the area inside the walls and had spread well beyond them. In the earlier map, Daehak-ro and Hyehwa-dong were white space, except for Gyeongseong Imperial University, the forerunner of Seoul National University. By the end of the decade, the area was full of roads and alleys. Part of the city wall near Dongdaemun had been destroyed, and two street car lines expanded east. Earlier growth in Yongsan had spread to Mapo, and the map showed Noryangjin, one of the first areas on the south side of the Han River to be urbanized. Noryangjin and Yeongdeungpo, the first primary industrial areas of Seoul, were incorporated into the city in 1936 (Yeouido was a swamp and not shown on most maps).

The growth of Seoul in the 1930s also reflects the weight of efforts to “Japanize” Ko r e a . The earlier map gave local neighborhood names for areas in northern half of the city in Korean (“dong”) and in Japanese (“cho”) for areas in the southern half. This reflects the pattern of settlement that emerged during the colonial period in which Japanese dominated the southern half of the city and Koreans the northern half. In the map from the late 1930s, all of the neighborhoods are given in Japanese, which reflects the “Japanization” of the city both as policy and as demographics.

Reading maps of Seoul in the 1930s shows a city changing from a compact administrative center to a large metropolis with a diverse economy. These maps also show the extent of colonial oppression and stand as reminders of the struggle for ownership of history that continues in Korea to this day.

Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

ⓒ Seoul Selection

It’s lunchtime, and Jo Chang-yeon is waiting at the top of an alley as a group of film students shoots some footage of scenery. A photographer, he comes here at least once a month. “It’s easy to get lost in here and discover new things,” he says.

That’s probably the best way to sum up Bukchon. There are few other older neighborhoods in Seoul that have managed to survive more or less intact through Korea’s turbulent 20th century history, but Bukchon is by far the largest, and the most picturesque. Its winding alleys lined by stately Korean homes are best explored slowly, and with only the most rudimentary of plans. The goal here is to get lost, discovering what Bukchon has to offer each corner at a time.

[box_light]Between two palaces[/box_light]

Bukchon, or “North Village,” takes its name from its location north of two of old Seoul’s landmarks: Jongno Street and Cheonggyecheon Stream. Its position on the hills between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces is much more defining, however. In the Joseon Dynasty, high officials kept large estates in the area, where they enjoyed easy access to the throne and fine views of the royal capital.

In the early 20th century, however, Seoul began to modernize; as it did, its population skyrocketed. To relieve the pressures, the large estates here were divided into smaller plots. On the plots were built hanok, or “Korean homes,” easily recognized by their graceful, curved roofs. Unlike their country cousins, however, these hanok were densely packed, townhouse-style, into the alleys that spread along the hills like the veins of a leaf. The result, when seen from above, resembles a cascading sea of black roof tiles.

For much of the 20th century, Bukchon was the wealthiest neighborhood in Seoul. In the 1970s, however, the development of the tony Gangnam district sparked a demographic shift as many of the wealthy moved south of the Hangang River. In the 1990s, many of the hanok were torn down to make way for unsightly multifamily homes. This caused concern, and in 2001, Seoul City and local residents got together to launch a program to allow residents to update their homes while preserving the hanok’s unique beauty and the singular charm of the neighborhood.

ⓒ Seoul Selection

[box_light]31 Gahoe-dong[/box_light]

The Bukchon area is home to about 900 hanok homes, but the two biggest clusters are along two alleys, 31 Gahoe-dong in the west and 11 Gahoe-dong in the east.

Of these, 31 Gahoe-dong is by far the most visited. It’s easy to see why: set on a hill, the inclined street climbs steeply to the top, not unlike San Francisco’s Lombard Street (minus the hairpin turns), and is lined bottom to top by handsome old hanok homes with their rustically decorated stone and brick walls. From the bottom, it’s a picture-perfect vision of old Korean charm. From the top, it’s a postcard clash of old and new, the tile roofs striking a dramatic contrast with the skyscrapers in the backdrop. In the distance, Mt. Namsan looms like a folding screen. Of Bukchon’s eight most scenic spots—the so-called Bukchon Palgyeong—three can be found on this road (or just overlooking it) alone.

Come here any day of the week, and you’ll find groups of people gathered at the bottom and top of the street, posing for group photos or just pausing to admire the view. At the top of the hill, American Peter Goughnour is touring the area with some Korean friends of his. Asked what he thinks of the area, he says, “It’s one of the few neighborhoods still around in the old Korean traditional style.” Oh Junho, a film student shooting some practice film in the area, puts it succinctly, “This is Korean beauty.”

Simsimheon
ⓒ Seoul Selection

Most of the homes here are, well, homes and therefore off-limits to the public. One home, however, is open and well-worth the visit. Simsimheon (admission: 10,000 won. simsimheon. com), or “House Where the Heart is Found,” is a private residence currently operated by the National

Trust of Korea, an NGO working to protect Korea’s environmental and historical heritage. Built in 2002 by master craftsman Jung Yeong-soo, it’s a perfect blend of Korean traditional charm and modern convenience. The National Trust of Korea’s Chung Young-jin, who shows Japanese and Englishspeaking guests around the home, explains, “None of the homes in Bukchon are open to the public. Here, visitors can experience the hanok, the hanok lifestyle, the furniture and the layout.” Typical of Korean traditional architecture, the hanok strikes a harmony with nature. Wood is left unpainted and unprocessed, architectural elements like the ceiling rafters are exposed. Simsimheon’s courtyard, a grass garden with a couple of crooked red pines, a rough-hewn stone basin and some stone steps, connects the home with nature and provides a relaxing visual element. Each window presents its own enchanting view. Even the furnishings are works by master artisans. Says Chung, “Everything here is a work of art.” It’s an experience best enjoyed over a cup of homemade plum tea, which is served to visitors.

[box_light]Coffee and tea[/box_light]

Cha Masineun Tteul
ⓒ Seoul Selection

While mostly residential, Bukchon does have a couple of spots where the weak and weary can stop for a bit of refreshment. Cha Masineun Tteul (T. 02-722-7006), or “The Garden Where Tea Is Drunk,” is a gorgeous old hanok perched on a hill near 31 Gahoe-dong; true to its name, it surrounds a lovely garden. Plate-glass walls allows guests to appreciate the surroundings as they enjoy their hot beverage of choice. The hobak sirutteok, or pumpkin rice cake, is especially delightful.

Coffee Bangatgan
ⓒ Seoul Selection

Coffee Bangatgan (T. 02-732-7656), or “Coffee Mill,” is a cozy, atmospheric coffee shop hidden in an alley near Jeongdok Public Library. The roguishly good-looking guy manning the expresso machine is Lee Gyeong-hwan, who moved to the renovated hanok from a nearby location in 2011. Complaining about the overcommercialization elsewhere in the city, he says, “I feel at peace here.” He filled the renovated hanok with a miscellany of antiques and other vintage items, giving it a lived-in feel reminiscent of your Korean grandmother’s home. “Some of the younger customers find it a bit unfamiliar,” says Lee, “But to older customers, it’s like the home they used to live in when they were young.” Along the walls are portraits sketched by Lee himself; for customers, he’ll draw you up a quick portrait for just 5,000 won. The waffles are a real treat, but the draw is the coffee, brewed from fair-trade beans.

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Tip: Experience the hanok

If you’d like to spend a night in a Bukchon hanok (highly recommended!), a number of homes have been renovated as guest houses. The nicest—and priciest—of the bunch is Rak-Ko-Jae (see “Places to Stay, p16”). The friendly Sophia Guest House (T. 02-720-5467), in an alley near Jeongdok Public Library, has single rooms beginning at 35,000 won a night (breakfast included). Bukchon Guest House (T. 010-6711-6717),
on the road in front of Jungang High School, has single rooms beginning at 40,000 won a night; cultural classes and programs offered, too.

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Tip: Be quiet!

Bukchon is a residential neighborhood. As you explore, respect the neighbors and keep your voice down.

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Tip: Bukchon tours

SEOUL’s executive editor Robert Koehler conducts walking tours of Bukchon every Saturday at 2:30pm. Tours depart from Seoul Selection Bookshop next to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Cost: 30,000 won. Call the bookshop at 02-734-9565 for more information.

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GO>
Exit 2, Anguk Station, Line 3. Head up the stonewalled alley to Jeongdok Public Library, in front of which you’ll find a tourism information booth. Pick up a map there—they’re very helpful.

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Ayasophia Wedding Dress | 아야소피아 웨딩드레스

This cozy hanok shop hidden away in an alley near Bukchon’s Jeongdok Library deals almost exclusively in wedding dresses. You can try on dresses before making up your mind, and the friendly owner even provides refreshments as you shop. Prices are quite reasonable, just $200 to $600. Reception dresses, wedding shoes, and wedding accessories can be purchased at reasonable prices, too. For the time being, when you buy a dress, they’ll throw in an accessory for free.

FYI>
T. 070-7518-1088, www.aya-sophia.com
(32-18 Jae-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 재동 32-18)

GO>
Anguk Station 안국역 (Line 3), Exit 1

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© Seoul Selection

SUNG HEE KIM | 김성희

Breaking barriers, one runway at a time

Written by Michael Hurt

Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

Being a down-to-earth, great conversationalist is the the last thing one might expect of the top Korean fashion model walking down international runways for world-class brands such as Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu. Korean model Sung Hee Kim has become quite prominent in Korea since becoming the first Asian ad campaign model for Miu Miu, and she recently walked shows and did ads for Marc Jacobs in New York City.

One might assume this to be the kind of thing that would go to the head of any young 20-something making their way in the New York City and American fashion world, even if patriotic boosterism hadn’t thrust her to the very forefront of national attention back home in the Land of the Morning Calm.

The one thing to know about models in the Korean fashion world is the fact that the field is heavily populated by students and other civilians who sign with large agencies that manage and farm out their talent. There are few real freelancers signing their own contracts to model as individual free agents. One peculiarity of the Korean modeling world is the large numbers of young female models who are actually fashion model majors and graduates of universities that act as feeders for many of the large agencies. It almost makes perfect sense, given Korea’s emphasis on formal education and certification for nearly all pursuits and occupations. Going the unstructured route, the archetypal American story of being discovered on the street and then shooting one’s way to the top as a force unto oneself is so rare as to be practically socially unfeasible. Korea’s fashion industry still exists within a Confucian culture that places great importance on background in terms of concrete, traceable connections and formal preparation for performing the tasks within the realm of one’s appointed role and station.

“I never really intended to be a model,” Kim admits. She found herself, somewhat accidentally and partially with the cajoling of friends, thrust into the spotlight of the fashion reality show I Am a Model. Much to her surprise, Kim found herself entering the fashion world and signing with ESteem Models. In the end, Kim’s experience is emblematic of the modeling industry here in Korea, as she entered renowned modeling agency ESteem Models and cut her teeth doing extensive modeling work, especially in Seoul Fashion Week, where she modeled for prominent Korean designers such as KANG KIOK and Cho Sung Kyong.

© Seoul Selection

Kim is full of good humor and hearty belly laughs as she describes her experience in New York as a Korean adjusting to life in the proverbial Big Apple and muses about being asked for her autograph back in Korea by a fashion devotee while in a fast food restaurant. Even more funny to this writer is the amount of time a tall, lithe runway model spends in fast food establishments. Of particular note is the amount of time she spends talking glowingly of Mr. Pizza.

Appropriately, our interview took place in fashionable coffee shop 4M, in the heart of Seoul’s artistic and retro-trendy neighborhood of Samcheong- dong, which Kim noted is one of her favorite neighborhoods to do shopping for unique and trendy items. Also prominent was her preference for frequenting the center of what some people have described as the epicenter of “Gangnam Style,” including the fashionable neighborhoods of Garosu- gil and other areas below the Hangang River. “But I’m more of a north-of-the-river kind of girl,” Kim says, highlighting clothing markets in Bukchon and Dongdaemun and speaking highly of the Doota and Migliore department stores as places to truly do Korean fashion shopping.

Even in her own style, Kim keeps it simple and down-to-earth, as many fashion models seem to do. Her life philosophy is equally simple and direct. When asked about her advice for other Koreans wanting to go out into the world and compete in international territory or markets, her advice was simply, “Don’t think too much, and don’t allow yourself too much fear, it’ll happen!” In her case, she went to New York with the blessing and backing of her modeling agency and just “jumped right in.” Her message seems to be one of not overplanning or overthinking things, but just giving them the good, old-fashioned collegiate try. Of course the question of raw talent is an important one, and it seems that those who are most in possession of it are the first to downplay it and attribute everything to good luck or chance. In that she is so possessed of that special “it” factor that the true levels of her raw skill and talent may not be readily apparent to even her, Korean model Sung Hee Kim stands a very good chance of continuing to break through barriers of firsts and foremosts to enjoy remarkable success as one of the world’s top runway and fashion models. One who just happens to be Korean.

FYI> http://www.esteemmodels.co.kr/581

© Seoul Selection

Experiencing the Past

Seoul City’s walking tours offer insight into capital’s heritage

Written by Jennifer Flinn

Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

As part of its efforts to improve the infrastructure and resources available to visitors, the city of Seoul has created a unique program where people can reserve a personal volunteer tour guide for more than a dozen sites around the metropolitan area. This free service matches experienced guides with tourists for a one- on-one or small group tour, resulting in an intimate, personalized introduction to the history and culture of some of the most vibrant and interesting parts of the city.

© Seoul Selection

Exploring Bukchon

One of the most popular tours takes visitors on a relaxed and meandering walk through the streets and alleys of Bukchon, the “north village.” This picturesque area between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces was once home to the vast estates of important officials and courtiers, making it one of Korea’s most historically important neighborhoods. A colonial period change in zoning laws meant the loss of most of these traditional buildings, as the estates were carved up into smaller plots of land, but it also led to the rise of the area’s characteristic and charming city hanok— small, inward-facing homes that utilize most of the architectural style and features of traditional Korean houses. The area has become a major model for Korea’s historic preservation programs, and the guided tour helps visitors gain a deeper appreciation for the beauty and value of this unique neighborhood. The guides also know the best places for taking in this beauty, helpfully pointing out the best spots for photography that will highlight the local landscape, including dramatic shots of the sea of tiled roofs from up high, crooked granite staircases carved straight out of the hillside, and delicate decorative elements on the high gates and walls of local homes.

The narrow streets and back alleys of the area form a confusing warren of pathways for many visitors, but the experienced guides can help navigate the complex geography to reveal a wealth of tiny workshops, galleries, and museums hidden away from the main roads, including the work and display spaces of some of Korea’s national treasures and living heritage holders. From embroidery and folk painting to bookmaking, Bukchon is home to some of Korea’s most treasured craft workers, who have converted the hanok into places where their arts can thrive and be introduced to the public in a setting that helps people connect to an older, more traditional way of life.

One of the great pleasures of the tours, though, is to learn about the areas through the guide’s own experiences. For tourists it can be especially difficult to form human connections that can help the area’s history and culture come alive, but on a recent tour, the guide was able to bring the Bukchon area and Korea’s past to life by sharing her childhood memories of visiting traditional houses and wearing traditional clothing. “We didn’t have ice cream back then, but we used to snap off icicles in the winter and enjoy those,” she recalled, snapping off a small one from a low-hanging branch. As the tour rambled on, she pointed out a tree that was a gathering spot for the neighbors in the summertime, narrated who owned which homes and what had been done to restore them, and told stories about how the neighborhood had changed over the decades.

© Seoul Selection

History remains at Changgyeonggung Palace

The personal touch was also the highlight of a tour of Changgyeonggung Palace, where the guide told stories of his youth that helped illuminate more than the palace’s historical importance: how the changes wrought during the colonial and postwar periods tied in with people’s lives, including his own. The palace was originally built to house an overflow of dowager queens and important female royals, but the Japanese colonial authorities walled it off from neighboring Changdeokgung Palace and converted it into a public park, including a zoo. Through the guide’s memories of visiting “Changgyeong Park,” visitors gain a more visceral, real sense of both the palace’s history and the scars of colonialism. “We used to ride a cable car up that hill, there, when I was in university. I have a picture of me and my friends on it,” he recalled as he showed the way through the palace’s extensive gardens, pointing out which structures were original, which were rebuilt, and which had been brought in during the palace’s park days, such as a Chinese pagoda, a memorial stone for royal placentas, and a large greenhouse.

Personalizing the tour can also help people explore their own interests, be it architecture, culture, politics, or history. On request, the guide was able to lead a lively discussion both of the different architectural features and its sometimes violent and scandalous political background. By uniting curious visitors and residents with free, personalized guides, the city of Seoul has created a special program that brings people together from across cultures while also expanding people’s knowledge of Seoul’s most important and beautiful assets.

FYI> Seoul Tourism Organization’s walking tours of Seoul

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