Published Date : Jan 28, 2022 / Edited Date : Apr 08, 2024
Samcheong-ro, A Street Connecting the Traditional and Modern Worlds
Samcheong-ro is a street that cuts through Samcheong-dong from Dongsipjagak Tower, which used to guard the southeastern side of Gyeongbokgung Palace, all the way to Samcheong Tunnel. A range of stylish cafes, restaurants, and shops, as well as contemporary art galleries line the street that stretches for about 2 kilometers, forming a kind of "culture street" in Samcheong-dong. Rows of low-story buildings standing along the street create quite an impressive scene.
Samcheong-ro starts at Gallery Street by the wide road adjacent to the eastern side of Gyeongbokgung Stonewall Walkway, and connects to Samcheong-dong Cafe Street, an old alleyway filled with cute little stores and cafes. There are endless things to see and enjoy on this street clustered with small buildings.
Visit Samcheong-ro, a representative culture street in Seoul, and enjoy the unique, modern styles of art galleries, cafes, and shops found in every nook and cranny of Samcheong-ro.
Contemporary Art in a Creative and Original Space
#Gallery_Hyundai
Art galleries appear one by one walking down Samcheong-ro past the Dongsipjagak Tower, leading the way to a street filled with culture. Originally founded under the name “Hyundai Hwarang,” Gallery Hyundai is one of the most representative art galleries in Korea boasting over 50 years of history. It has been playing a big part in promoting the originality and excellence of Korean contemporary art. It has also introduced popular artists that now represent Korean art, including such names as Park Su-geun, Lee Jung-seop, and Kim Hwan-gi, to the world. The gallery continues to host many unique contemporary art exhibitions to this day.
The exhibition space also promotes the freewheeling spirit of contemporary art. From the entrance, visitors are naturally led to the lobby, and then to the open exhibition hall on the first floor, which is half a story lower than the entrance. Then the underground exhibition hall comes into sight over the guardrail. The staircase that connects to the exhibition hall also has a peculiar track. As such, Gallery Hyundai welcomes visitors with an open space, and then helps the visitors continue their gallery experience in a calmer atmosphere on the exhibition hall on the second floor.
A Contemporary Art Museum Mirroring Gyeongbokgung Stonewall Walkway
#Kumho_Museum_of_Art
Located right next to Gallery Hyundai, the Kumho Museum of Art has impressive granite facade similar to Gyeongbokgung Stonewall Walkway. From the external design that forms a harmony with the surrounding landscape, banded windows at the top of the building that resemble roof tiles placed on a stone wall show just much detail the architect put into the design.
The exhibition halls are designed with a focus on their original function as an art museum. In comparison to the exhibition halls designed to help the visitors focus on the viewing experience, the lobby and staircases are open and spacious. The building itself could also be interpreted as an artwork that is part of the exhibition.
The Kumho Museum of Art plans and hosts exhibitions with the purpose of delivering various aesthetic values to the visitors while reflecting the general trend in Korean art. Visit the Kumho Museum of Art to view artworks created by up-and-coming Korean contemporary artists.
Kumho Museum of Art
18, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Closed Mondays / Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00
#Kumho_Museum_of_Art #Samcheong-ro #Gallery
An Open Art Gallery Connecting Bukchon & Samcheong-dong
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) Seoul was established in 2013 across Geonchunmun Gate, the east gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, along with MMCA Gwacheon and MMCA Deoksugung Palace to exhibit and study modern and contemporary Korean art. The old building used by the Defense Security Command was remodeled into the lobby, staff room, and art shop. The red brick wall, which used to represent oppression, but now part of the history, has become the front gate to the museum that embodies art with freedom of expression.
When looking at the museum from Samcheong-ro, your gaze naturally moves to the brick building, then to a big lawn plaza in the middle, and then to the education building decorated with light yellow terra cotta tiles. The exhibition hall is pushed back a little. MMCA’s architect Min Hyun-jun said that he wanted to create an open art museum. MMCA Seoul, an art museum that is not centered around exhibition halls, has become like that of a city that is connected to the surrounding alleyways centered around the lawn plaza in the middle.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul
A Hanok Gallery Embodying Traditional Philosophy and Spirit
#Hakgojae_Gallery
On Samcheong-ro, there is a gallery with a hanok building with red brick walls and traditional roof tiles called Hakgojae Gallery, which connects the traditional and modern worlds as its name was inspired by The Analects of Confucius: “Learn the old, and create the new.” Hakgojae Gallery is well-known for its long history of hosting art exhibitions that express the age, including popular arts of the time. The traditional hanok style main building that represents the old with and the new building taking on a more modern architectural style symbolize its identity.
The outer red brick walls blend well with the surrounding modern style buildings, as well as the eaves of the hanok building. This theme continues inside the building as well. The exposed wooden structure and rafters of the hanok building help the ceiling and clean white walls highlight the artworks exhibited in the hall. It is a unique space where you can appreciate contemporary and future modern artworks inside a traditional space like a hanok.
Hakgojae Gallery
50, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Closed Mondays / Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00
#Hakgojae #Samcheong-ro #Gallery #Hanok
A Street Lined with Art Galleries, Specialty Shops, and Unique Cafes
#Samcheong-dong_Cafe_Street
As you walk along Samcheong-ro, you'll find yourself standing at a fork in the road. The road heading to the left connects to the Blue House, while the road veering to the right leads to Samcheong-dong Cafe Street. Cute little stores and murals throughout the street create an artistic vibe. Time flies by as you walk along discover quaint cafes, restaurants, and art galleries hidden away in narrow alleyways.
There are no high-rise buildings in Samcheong-dong Cafe Street, and the street offers an open view. You can enjoy a distant view of Bugaksan Mountain. Along the street, buildings decorated with roof tiles and stone walls continue up the hill all the way to Bukchon Hanok Village. The Korean architectural designs and modern buildings create a special street view of Samcheong-dong.
Buildings and architecture form a city, and cities come together to form a country. And that’s why architecture reflects the history and culture of a city as a component of the city. Seoul X Archibear’s A Tour of Seoul’s Streetside Architecture was designed to provide a fresh perspective on the city by sharing the anecdotes of architectural culture while traveling around South Korea’s capital.
Well-built and distinctive architecture can serve as a piece of art carved in our city. And in Seoul, which is rich with diverse history and characteristics, there are beautiful buildings that are worth paying a visit. We hope that this special series helps promote Seoul as an ideal travel destination and invite everyone to experience the hidden architectural beauty in Seoul’s everyday life.
A Tour of Seoul’s Streetside Architecture series was produced by Visit Seoul in collaboration with ArchiBear, a brand created by the architectural culture and travel content company, Haas Studio.
Curious to get more information on architectural tourism in Seoul?
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Seoul Guided Walking Tour Office and Seoul culture and tourism guide are not liable for the safety accidents during the Seoul Guided Walking Tour.
All reservations will be canceled in the event of a weather warning being issued. (e.g. heatwave, typhoon, heavy rain, fine dust, etc.) (Cancellation will be processed immediately upon implementation)
※ Please always check the weather warning on the day of the reservation on the site below.
(https://www.accuweather.com/en/kr/seoul/226081/weather-forecast/226081)