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[Seoul] Walking with Poets and Novelists

Published Date : Jul 27, 2017 / Edited Date : Feb 13, 2019
Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

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Walking with Poets and Novelists

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote, “Literature transmits incontrovertible condensed experience... from generation to generation. In this way literature becomes the living memory of a nation.” Indeed, there’s no better way to grasp an understanding of a nation, its people and their culture that to read its literature, both classical and contemporary. In an interview, Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) president Kim Seong-kon said, “K-pop or Hallyu cannot represent Korean culture comprehensively. Literature is a good medium of letting the world know about Korea - what we think, how we live - because literature incorporates history, politics, economy, all sorts of things.”

In these walks, we visit the former homes and memorials of some of Korea’s literary giants of the 20 th century, novelists and poets who spiritually sustained the country during its darkest hours. Thanks to the work of individual translators and organizations such as LTIorea, much of their work is now accessible to nonKorean audiences. Even if we cannot read their words, however, the houses, photographs, personal affects and other articles they left behind teach us much about the artists, the times in which they lived and their creative visions. These walks also let us explore some of Seoul’s most charming neighborhoods, places where art, leisure and nature come together.

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Poet’s Hill

Poet Yun Dong-ju (1917-1945) is one of Korea’s most beloved literary figures. Practically unknown when he died in a Japanese prison at the young age of 27, Yun is today a cultural icon. Last year, his life was the subject of a feature film, “DongJu: The Portrait of a Poet.” This year, the Seoul Performing Arts Company staged “Yun Dong-ju Shoots the Moon,” a musical the troupe first produced in 2011. Kwanghee of boy band ZE:A, rapper ko and Oh Hyuk from Hyukoh performed “Your Night,” a song about the poet, on the popular variety program “Infinite Challenge”; the number subsequently topped seven major music charts.

The beautiful Yun Dong-ju Literature House, perched on a windy hill at the foot of Mt. Inwangsan, is a museum that pays tribute to the poet and his work. The space, a former water pumping station brilliantly re-purposed by architect Lee So-jin, holds old photos, a well from Yun’s hometown, letters, books and other memorabilia. One of the pumping station’s old water tanks has been turned into a beautiful garden, while another is now used as a theater. The later, pitch black except for a narrow ray of light that penetrates the room through a small hole in the roof, recreates the dark, dreadful prison cell where Yun’s life came to an end.

Near the Yun Dong-ju Literature House is Poet’s Hill, a park with a commanding view of downtown Seoul. When Yun, then a student at what is now Yonsei University, lived in a boarding house in the Seochon neighborhood, he often hiked the hill with his friend, refining his poetry over views of the city. His poem “Prologue” is inscribed in a stone monument. A section of Seoul’s historic city wall runs through the park, too. Also on the hill is Cheongun Literature Library. While the library’s first floor is a typical library space, with shelves full of books, the second floor is a Korean traditional hanok. The curved tile roof of the hanok, which is a reading room, strikes a beautiful harmony with Mt. Inwangsan.

The Yun Dong-ju Literature House is located at the entrance Buam-dong, a quaint, quiet neighborhood hidden in the pass between Mt. Inwangsan and Mt. Bugaksan. The district is home to several museums and galleries, some very cozy cafes and several good restaurants, including a superb dumpling house and two shops serving excellent fried chicken. Buam-dong is also a good starting point for hikes of Mt. Inwangsan or Mt.
Bugaksan.

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Village of Poets

Seo Jeong-ju (1915-2000) was another giant of Korean modern poetry. A five-time nominee for the Nobel Prize in literature, Seo’s combination of traditionalism and creativity became a model for future generations of Korean poets. Critics praise his poetry, with its beautiful command of language, for perfectly capturing the sentiment of the Korean people.

On the road that runs along the west side of Gyeongbokgung, there is a simple, two-story box with a tiled facade. This building is the former Boan Yeogwan, an old-school Korean inn that was also a home to many 20 th century writers and artists. Seo was himself a resident here in the 1930s. In fact, it was at the inn that Seo launched his literary career when, in 1936, he, Kim Gwang-gyun, Kim Dong-ni, Oh Jang-hwan and fellow inn resident Ham Hyeong-su published the literary coterie journal Village of Poets.

The inn, which is over 80 years old, was converted into an art space in 2007. Artspace Boan 1942, as it is now called, hosts regular exhibits of art, including sections of the annual Seochon Performing Arts Festival. Most of the gallery has been left in its original, almost dilapidated condition, allowing the space’s history to show through. The Boan Yeogwan is also a good starting point for exploring the artistic – and trendy - Seochon neighborhood. The quiet, low-rise maze of alleyways to the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace has long held a special place in the Korean arts scene. In th 20 th century, many writers and artists lived and worked in the neighborhood. Today, its streets, lined by picturesque hanok homes, are home to galleries, workshops and more than a few cafes, restaurants and boutiques. On a weekend, it can seem as if every young couple in Seoul is strolling about.

One of Seochon’s more significant spaces, literaturewise, is the lovely Yi Sang House, a remodeled hanok home that is now a memorial hall for avant-garde writer Yi Sang (1910-1937). Yi’s most famous work, “The Wings” (available in English), is a collection of three stories which display the writer’s “inventive manipulation of autobiographical elements, a method which expands his intensely private narratives into broader meditations on love, life, and death.” Like Yun, Yi died way before his time at the age of 27 in Japan, following a brief stint in a Japanese prison and years of hard living. Said his friend and fellow writer Park Tae-won, “He loved [women], he loved booze, he loved his friends and he loved literature, but he didn’t love his own body even half as much.”

The Yi Sang House is located on the land where the writer lived, although the hanok that now stands on the spot was built after the writer’s death. It hosts regular exhibits and performances, and also serves as a neighborhood lounge, complete with free instant coffee and tea. In the back of the house, behind a cast iron door, is a small theater and a flight of stairs that leads to a small balcony overlooking the courtyard.

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Valley of Art

Nestled in a valley just north of Seoul’s old city wall, Seongbuk-dong is leafy neighborhood so quietly pleasant that it is the preferred place of abode for much of Seoul’s diplomatic community. Its cafes, restaurants and relaxed ambiance make it a popular weekend destination for families and couples, too, especially when the weather is nice. If you’re looking for place to escape the hustle and bustle of Seoul without physically leaving the city limits, this is it.

Over the years, writers and other artists have found the valley, with its tranquility and proximity to nature, the perfect environment in which to engage in creative endeavors. High on a hillside overlooking the valley is a rustically handsome hanok home with some beautiful old trees in the garden. This is the Simujang, the former home of the Buddhist monk, independence activist and poet Han Yong-un (1879-1944), who is better known by his pen name, Manhae. The house’s name means “looking for a lost cow,” a Buddhist metaphor for seeking enlightenment. The poet monk lived here from 1933 to his death in 1944.

Manhae’s poetry addresses social issues, Korea’s struggle for independence from Japanese colonial rule, romantic love and, of course, Buddhist themes. His best known work, “Silence of the Beloved” (an English translation is also available, titled, “Everything Yearned For: Manhae’s Poems of Love and Longing”), a collection of highly symbolic love poems that are expressions of longing for, depending on who you ask, a lover, Korean independence or Buddhist enlightenment.

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A short walk above the Simujang is Bukjeong Village, an old, but picturesque hilltop community in the shadow of Seoul’s old city wall. A few of the village’s homes have been turned into art spaces. The old wall makes for a scenic hike, too, especially in spring, when the blossoms erupt into a riot of color.

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In the valley below is Suyeon Sanbang, an exquisite tea house and the former home of pioneering novelist Yi Tae-jun (1904-1970?). Sometimes called “Korea’s Guy de Maupassant,” Yi was a master of the short story and one of the nation’s most respected writers of the 1930s.
He was also the one who encouraged Yi Sang to write poetry, recognizing the young genius’s talent.

Yi lived in Suyeon Sanbang from 1933 to 1946, when he defected to North Korea. His old home is a beautifully preserved hanok that incorporates modern, 20 th century elements such as glass windows. Yi’s granddaughter runs the tea house, which serves delightful Korean traditional teas and rice cakes. If you can, sit in the raised pavilion space overlooking the garden.


More Information


​Yun Dong-ju Literature Hall
Take bus 1020, 7022 or 7212 from Gyeongbokgung Station (subway line 3), exit 3.

Seochon (Art Space Boan, Yi Sang House)
Art Space Boan is a 500 meter walk from Gyeongbokgung Station (subway line 3), exit 2. The Yi Sang House, meanwhile, is a short walk from Woori Bank.

Seongbuk-dong (Simujang, Suyeon Sanbang)
Hansung University Station (subway line 4), exit 6
Tags

#Arts #Yun Dong-ju Literature Hall #Korean Literature #Seongbuk-dong #Writer #Novelist #Culture #Seochon

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    ※예약 당일 기상특보를 상시 확인 바랍니다.
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  • 예약은 관광일 기준 최소 1주일 전까지 가능합니다.
  • 덕수궁의 경우 복지카드를 지참한 관광객에 한하여 무료입장이 가능합니다.
    ※ 중증(1~3급) 동반인 포함 2명 무료
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  • 희망하시는 날짜 및 코스에 활동가능한 해설사가 없는 경우 예약은 취소될 수 있습니다.
  • 예약확인을 위해 도보관광 사무국(02-6925-0777)에서 확인 연락이 진행됩니다.
    (최소 5일~한달 전)3회 이상 전화통화가 이뤄지지 않을 시 예약이 취소될 수 있습니다.
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    ※예약 당일 기상특보를 상시 확인 바랍니다.
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      ※電動補助具(電動車椅子、電動スクーターなど)使用者の場合、補助人1当たり歩行弱者最大4人まで同伴可能
  • ご希望の日付及びコースに活動可能な解説士がいない場合、予約はキャンセルされることがあります。
  • 予約を確認するため、徒歩観光事務局(02-6925-0777)で確認のための連絡が行われます。
    (少なくとも5日~1ヶ月前)3回以上電話が通じない場合、予約が取り消されることがあります。
  • 解説を進行する時に発生する安全事故に対し、徒歩観光事務局とソウル文化観光解説士は
    責任を負いません。
  • 気象特報(猛暑、台風、豪雨、PM2.5)によりウォーキングツアーの運営が難しいと判断された場合、全ての予約は中止とさせて頂きます。(発効後直ちにキャンセルを行う)
    ※ 下記のリンクにてご予約当日の気象特報をご確認ください。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/ja/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
预约前说明事项
  • 观光日基准最少3日前方可进行预约。
  • 最多可申请10人。
    (※ 景福宫, 昌德宫, 昌庆宫是例外 最多可申请20人)
  • 在已登记的预约团体中,只接待不超过预约人数的团体,可在前一天17时前追加预约。
  • 下个月的预约可从前一月15日开始。
  • 如有发热或呼吸道症状(发烧、咳嗽、痰液、肌肉痛、鼻塞、咽喉痛等),请避免参与解说活动。
  • 无保护者随同的未满14岁儿童游客,会在现场取消解说活动。
  • 气象特报(酷暑、台风、暴雨 、雾霾 等)导致徒步观光项目暂停时,所有预约将一律被取消。(发布紧急措施时立即取消)
    ※ 请在以下网站上随时确认预约当天的气象特报。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
  • 对于解说活动中发生的安全事故,首尔徒步解说旅游事务局和首尔文化观光解说社不予负责。
预约前说明事项
  • 观光日基准最少1日前方可进行预约。
  • 本线路是为了行动不便者(行动不便的高龄者、残疾人、婴儿车利用者等)的路线。
  • 无辅助人员(或同行人)伴随时,不可利用。
    ※ 步行不便者1名至少需要1名以上的辅助人员陪同。
    ※ 电动辅助器具(电动轮椅、电动独轮车等)使用者时,每一位辅助人员最多可陪同 4名步行不便者。
  • 希望观光的日期及线路上无解说员时,预约有可能被取消。
  • 为了确认预约,徒步观光事务局(02-6925-0777)会致电进行确认。
    (最少5日~一个月前) 3次以上无法连接时,预约将被取消。
  • 进行解说时,对于有可能发生的安全事故,徒步观光事务局和首尔文化观光解说员概不负责。
  • 气象特报(酷暑、台风、暴雨 、雾霾 等)导致徒步观光项目暂停时,所有预约将一律被取消。(发布紧急措施时立即取消)
    ※ 请在以下网站上随时确认预约当天的气象特报。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
預約前說明事項
  • 最晚請於預約日期3天前完成預約。
  • 最多可申請10人。
    (※ 景福宮, 昌德宮, 昌慶宮是例外 最多可申請20人)
  • 已完成預約的團體若人數超過限制,可於前一天下午5點前追加預約。
  • 每月15日將開放下個月的預約。
  • 若有發燒或呼吸道症狀(發燒、咳嗽、咳痰、肌肉酸痛、鼻塞、喉嚨痛),請避免參與本活動。
  • 未有保護者同行的未滿14歲兒童遊客,會在現場取消參與資格。
  • 氣象特報(酷暑、颱風、暴雨 、霧霾 等)而導致徒步觀光無法進行時,將一律取消所有預約。(發布限令時將立即取消)
    ※ 請在以下網站上隨時確認預約當天的氣象特報。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)
  • 進行解說時,對於有可能發生的安全事故,首爾徒步解說觀光事務局和首爾文化觀光解說員概不負責。
預約前說明事項
  • 觀光日基準最少1日前方可進行預約。
  • 本線路是為了行動不便者(行動不便的高齡者、殘疾人、嬰兒車利用者等)的路線。
  • 無輔助人員(或同行人)伴隨時,不可利用。
    ※ 步行不便者1名至少需要1名以上的輔助人員陪同。
    ※ 電動輔助器具(電動輪椅、電動獨輪車等)使用者時,每壹位輔助人員最多可陪同 4名步行不便者。
  • 希望觀光的日期及線路上無解說員時,預約有可能被取消。
  • 為了確認預約,徒步觀光事務局(02-6925-0777)會致電進行確認。
    (最少5日~壹個月前) 3次以上無法連接時,預約將被取消。
  • 進行解說時,對於有可能發生的安全事故,徒步觀光事務局和首爾文化觀光 解說員概不負責。
  • 氣象特報(酷暑、颱風、暴雨 、霧霾 等)而導致徒步觀光無法進行時,將一律取消所有預約。(發布限令時將立即取消)
    ※ 請在以下網站上隨時確認預約當天的氣象特報。
    (https://www.accuweather.com/zh/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)