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Visit the Houses of Korea’s Cultural Lights

 The House of Modern Author Yi Sang

Yi Sang was one of Korea's first modern authors. His house is located in Seochon and it re-opened in 2014 following a year-long preservation project. The actual house that Yi lived in was torn down decades ago and replaced with an urban hanok, but Yilivedonthegroundswherethe Yi Sang House is located. He resided there from the age of 3 until he was 23 years old. Restoration efforts were spearheaded by fans of the late author and the neighborhood’s residents. Operations of the Yi Sang House arealsoorganizedbythesefans andlocal residents. Visitors to the house are offered complimentary drinks and can learn about the author's life and works.





Visitors to the house can see first editions and copies of Yi Sang’s works. One of Yi’s best known works is the novel, “The Wings.” It was first published in the magazine “Ore” in 1936 and the first page is on display at the house. Visitors to thehousecanseefirsteditionsand copies of Yi Sang’s works. Works by Yi that were published by one of his closest friends, Kim Girim are also exhibited iat the house. Visitors should make sure to visit Yi Sang's room, which was specially designed by the architectLeeJi-Eun.Theroomcanonly be reached by take a dark, narrow staircase. The heavy steel door leads to a dark and cramped room that was much like the one Yi lived and wrote in while he lived here. Past the room, visitors who continue up the staircasewillbe ableto seeviewsofbeautiful tiled foots, Seochon, and Inwangsan Mountain. 

  

 Citizens’ Cultural Treasure No. 1: The Choi Sunu House

The Seoul City Wall Trail circles the city and the trail is a popular walking and hiking path. The Seoul City Wall Trail runs past Seongbuk-dong, an area where traces of old Seoul remain. Seongbuk-dong is full of old school charm and visitors can hearthesoundsofthecityfrom dawn until dusk. There are old grain processing shops, hardware stores, and well-established restaurants that add to the melody of Seoul's urban orchestra. Seongbuk-dong was also home to Korea’s preeminent art historian, HyegokChoiSunuandhishomecan still be visited today. The Choi Sunu House is now open to the public and Choi resided there from 1976 until his death in 1984.




The Choi Sunu House is a hanok (a traditional Korean home) with elegant design features. The windows’ wood grilles have clean, simple lines and the wood floorboards shine with a luster that is pleasing to the eye. The house’s sarang-bang (a roomtypicalofhanok;it'sthestudy and reception room that was used by the home’s patriarch) has displays of Choi’s personal effects and books. Above the sarang-bang’s doorframe hangs a wooden plaque decorated with a phrase painted in Chinese characters.Choi paintedthecharactersbyhandand the phrase means, roughly translated, “When this door is closed, this place is deep in the mountains.” Choi's work has many fans and admirers in Korea. Their efforts eventually prompted the Korean National Trust’sCultural HeritageFundto takeoverthepreservation and maintenance of the Choi Sunu House. Entry to this cultural site is free and the house can be enjoyed by all. 

 

 Master of Modern Art : Kwon Jin Kyu’s Atelier

Artist Kwon Jin Kyu’s atelier is located in Dongsun-dong, Seongbuk-gu at the foot of a small mountain. The atelier is located amidst a cluster of houses and stairways; in their midst, the atelier’s large wooden door can be seen. The atelier doubled asKwon’shomeandhelivedthere with his mother. Kwon was born in 1922 in the city of Hamhung, in what is now North Korea. He is considered one of Korea’s foremost modern sculptors and his favored medium was terracotta. Terracotta, which means “baked earth”inLatin,isthemediummany of Kwon’s most famous works were created with. The Kwon Jin Kyu Atelier was designed by Kwon and built following his return from Japan in 1959. Though Kwon had had a thriving arts career in Japan, he returned to Korea in ordertocareforhissick mother.Kwon would live at his atelier from 1959 until his death in 1973. The interior of the atelier has been left untouched from its time as an active studio for Kwon and visitors are able to freely tour the space. On display attheatelierareKwon’spersonal effects,art tools, and his lecture timetable. Two sculptures created by Kwon are also on exhibition. Furthermore, the atelier’s living quarters and yard have been renovated and live music is sometimes performed in theyard.The smallcourtyardisshaped like the letter“L.”  

  

 Korea’s First Western-Style Artist: Go Hui-dong

The Go Hui-dong House is a small, well-presented one-story wooden house in Bukchon. The house is located near the end of the Changdeokgung Palace Doldam-gil. In 1908, Chungok Go Hui-dong became the first-ever Korean artists to study abroad. In Tokyo,Japan,GostudiedWesternartbefore returning to Korea in 1915. Upon his return, he initially stayed in his old Seoul neighborhood, Susong-dong before moving to the nearby neighborhood of Wonseo-dong, where the Go Hui-dong House can be found today.Go designedthehousehimself.From1918 onwards, for 41 years, Go called this building home.

Over the years, the house fell into disrepair and was slated for demolition in 2002. However, thanks in part to the efforts of citizens’ groups, the house escaped that fate and in 2003 the house was designated a modern cultural property. The followingyear,thepropertywasofficiallynamed the Go Hui-dong House and became Registered Cultural Property No. 84. Restoration work was completed in 2011 but the house sat empty for an entire year. As a result, the National Trust of Korea Cultural HeritageFoundationsteppedforwardtotake onoperations and maintenance of the property. Now, the Go Hui-dong House is open to the public and visitors can see his studio space as well as an exhibition about Go’s life and artwork.