Gwanghwamun Gate, the historic entryway to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The silhouette of Mt. Inwangsan on the horizon makes the gate all the more beautiful. Photo by Robert Koehler.

National Museum of Korean Contemporary History | 대한민국역사박물관

This latest addition to Korea’s national museum system pays tribute to the country’s modern history, spanning from the opening of Korea in 1876 to the present day. To be sure, it’s a dramatic history that includes the country’s colonization and independence struggle, the foundation of the Republic of Korea, the Korean War, and the country’s amazing post-war economic and political development. The museum itself is housed in the greatly remodeled old headquarters of the Ministry of Culture in Gwanghwamun, just a stone’s throw away from historic Gyeongbokgung Palace.

EAT>
The Korean eateries of Insa-dong are just a short walk away. One of this writer’s favorite restaurants, however, is Gwanghwamunjip 광화문집 (T. 02-739-7737), located across the street behind the Sejong Center of the Performing Arts. It might not look like much, but it’s got some of the best kimchijjigae (kimchi stew, 김치찌개) in the city.

BUY>
Lots of Korean gift stores and antique shops are in nearby Insa-dong. You can also pick up some smartphones and tablets just down the street at KT’s Olleh Square.

SEE>
The old changing of the guard ceremony is reenacted in front of nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace six times a day on the hour, 10am to 3pm.

FYI>
T. 02-3703-9200, www.much.go.kr
Cost: Free
(82-1 Jejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 세종로 82-1)

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Gwanghwamun Station 광화문역 (Line 5), Exit 2

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© Seoul Selection

Museums in Gwanghwamun

A crash course in Korean history

Written by Robert J. Fouser

Photographed by Robert Koehler

The Gwanghwamun area in the heart of Seoul has been in the news lately. Recently, a committee of scholars stirred a controversy by recommending that the name on the Gwanghwamun Gate be written in Chinese characters instead of hangeul, the indigenous writing system that Koreans are passionately proud of.

The debate highlights the symbolic importance of Gwanghwamun Gate to the Gyeongbokgung Palace that overlooks the plaza in front of it. The gate was fi rst built in 1395, but has been rebuilt and moved a number of times since. The current structure dates from 2010 and is a faithful reconstruction of the original 1395 gate. The view of the gate and Mt. Bugaksan behind it is one of the most picture-perfect in Korea.

But the Gwanghwamun area is more than just a prelude to Gyeongbokgung Palace. In recent years, the area has grown into the densest collection of museums in Korea. A thorough visit of all the museums and galleries in the area would take several days. A one-day tour of the museums and galleries along Gwanghwamun Plaza alone offers a fascinating look at the rise and fall of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) and the spectacular rise of the Republic of Korea after the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945) and the Korean War (1950–1953).

© Seoul Selection

A good place to begin exploring Gwanghwamun is the Ilmin Museum of Art (Tue–Sun, 11am–7pm, www.ilmin.org) in the original Dong-A Ilbo Building near the entrance to Cheonggyecheon Stream. Founded in 1920, the Dong-A Ilbo is one of Korea’s largest and oldest newspapers. The current exhibition entitled Galapagos shows works by six noted contemporary artists and runs until February 17th.

After visiting the museum, walk toward Gwanghwamun Plaza, stopping by the Memorial Monument to Emperor Gojong on the way. King Gojong, who later declared himself emperor in 1897 in a belated attempt to strengthen the Joseon state, came to the throne in 1863, and the monument commemorates the 40th anniversary of his ascension. The plaza offers an interesting look at the varied forms of architecture from the 1960s to the present, which together tell the story of Korea’s stunning economic growth during that period.

© Seoul Selection

Underneath the middle section of the plaza are exhibitions on the life and work of two of the most important historical figures in Korean history: King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sunsin. The exhibition on King Sejong, the revered king who invented hangeul, offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the writing system and the life of this amazing king. The exhibitions are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:30am–10:30pm (final admission at 10pm, http://m.sejongstory.or.kr/eng).

© Seoul Selection

Back on the surface, walk across the street and visit Hangeul Maruji Park, a small city park dedicated to hangeul next to the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. The Sejong Center itself is architecturally interesting and, apart from its wide range of music and theater events, has several galleries and restaurants.

At this point, the cold of winter makes two important museums look inviting. The new National Museum of Korean Contemporary History (Tue– Sun, 9am–6pm, final admission at 5pm, www.much.go.kr/en/mainen.do) is located in one of two buildings built in the early 1960s (the other is the US Embassy), when Korea’s economic growth was just beginning. The museum focuses on the modern history of the Republic of Korea, from the formation of the provisional government in the dark years of Japanese colonial rule to the present.

After seeing the museum, walk to the north end of the plaza and take a closer look at Gwanghwamun Gate. To the left of the gate is the National Palace Museum of Korea (Tue–Fri, 9am–6pm; Sat–Sun, 9am–7pm [final admission one hour before closing], www.gogung.go.kr/fgn/jsp/en/html/ index.jsp), which focuses on the history of court life during the Joseon period and offers insight into the history that preceded the tumultuous 20th century.

All the museums have cafés that offer a nice place for lunch or a break and shops for gifts. Gogungddurak café in the National Palace Museum is noted for its innovative fusion offerings and traditional Korean tea, and its gift shop contains high quality Korean crafts.

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© Seoul Selection

Theaters

Despite multiplex theaters dominating virtually every corner of the metropolis, a number of independent art cinemas are celebrating the New Year in style. Located in the basement floor of the Heunkuk Life Insurance Building near Gwanghwamun, CineCube has two celebrated films on offer—Danish film A Royal Affair and French film Amour, both of which were released in 2012. The Danish period drama deals with a young queen who is married to an insane king and secretly falls in love with her physician and starts a revolution with him. The French film dramatizes the love and tribulations of a couple in their eighties. Meanwhile, Seoul Art Cinema is going western from Jan 11 to 13 with a special program devoted to famed director Sergio Leone, the “father of Spaghetti westerns.” The downtown theater will screen four of his works—Duck, You Sucker; The Good, the Bad, the Ugly; Once Upon a Time in the West; and Once Upon a Time in America.

CineCube | 씨네큐브

FYI>
T. 02-2002-7770, www.icinecube.com
(226 Sinmun-ro 1-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 신문로1가 226)

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Seodaemun Station 서대문역 (Line 5), Exit 5

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Seoul Art Cinema | 서울아트시네마

FYI>
T. 02-741-9782, www.cinematheque.seoul.kr
(4F, 284-6 Nagwon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 낙원동 284-6 4층)

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Jongno 3-ga Station 종로3가역 (Lines 1, 3, 5), Exit 5

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