Published Date : Nov 05, 2021 / Edited Date : Apr 08, 2024
Time Travel via Euljiro 3(sam)-ga
When you walk east from Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station, you might feel as if you are traveling back in time. While Euljiro 2(i)-ga has a modern feel surrounded by office buildings, Euljiro 3(sam)-ga preserves the original look of Seoul with buildings of old plastered with signboards. Euljiro truly is both a historic time capsule and a future metropolis.
Recently with the rise of the “newtro” trend, Euljiro has been branded as “Hipjiro.” When were the buildings on the streets of Euljiro built, and what are their characteristics? Let’s walk together along Euljiro 3(sam)-ga, where unique vintage vibes remain in the heart of downtown Seoul.
Euljiro, A Handyman’s Paradise
#Euljiro_3(sam)-ga
Seoul was met with catastrophe over the course of the Korean War, with Euljiro, a popular district at the time since the Japanese occupation of Korea, had been nearly razed to the ground. Since then, the Korean government funneled effort into rebuilding Seoul, resulting in industrial shops popping up along the Cheonggyecheon Stream and hardware retailers clustering in Euljiro. This attracted more retailers to set up shop for home improvement retail in Euljiro. Euljiro has grown along with the reconstruction of downtown Seoul and the economic development of Korea to the extent that it is referred to as a “handyman’s paradise.”
The streets of Euljiro are constantly changing with the passage of time. Euljiro has been designated by Jung-gu Office as a special industrial street to ensure that the various industries remain and continuously develop in downtown Seoul. Here at Euljiro 3(sam)-ga, there are various streets that specialize in various trade from tiles and hardware to even printing.
When you come out of exits 2 or 3 of Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station, the first thing you’ll see is Euljiro’s tile and pottery street. It is lined with about 80 tile and pottery shops. Three-story buildings stand adjacent to each other, creating an illusion that they are all of the same building.
Hardware retailers are lined up for about 350 meters from the Supyogyo Bridge over the Cheonggyecheon Stream to the southern end of the Gwansugyo Bridge. In 1961, this street began to bustle following the covering of the Cheonggyecheon Stream. This was when the street started becoming known for its one-stop shops that can magically create things just from a blueprint. Although the street has lost much of its vitality compared to the past with the passing of time, there are still active shops that conduct businesses, both domestically and internationally.
This place, called Euljiro Printing Alley, is located in Inhyeon-dong. Since the end of the 1960s, printing shops have established themselves in Euljiro-dong, Inhyeon-dong, and Pil-dong. Since the 1970s, the Korean economy grew rapidly and saw great urban development, starting with general trading companies nearby in Gwanghwamun. The growth of the film industry around the nearby Chungmuro area also to growing momentum of the printing industry.
An ordinary alley by day, and a pub-filled alley by night. This place is called Nogari Alley, famous in Euljiro for its pubs. The origins of this alley date back to 1980 with the opening of a pub called Eulji OB Bear that served nogari (dried young pollack) rather than other regular snacks. In 2015, the alley was designated as a Seoul Future Heritage site for its value in being preserved. As laborers from the neighborhood started to gather here after their long and hard day’s work, more pubs started to open one by one to eventually form the Nogari Alley that we know of today.
Aside from Nogari Alley, there has been an increasing number of places that feature such a unique and vintage ambiance. From the outside, buildings may just look old and ordinary, but when you step inside, you’ll see cafes, restaurants, and vintage accessory shops that welcome visitors to a whole new world.
Looking around the hip streets of Euljiro 3(sam)-ga and walking towards Euljiro 4(sa)-ga Station, you’ll see more cafes full of Euljiro’s newtro vibes. Susanna Apron is a bakery and cafe that also serves as a complex cultural space (Space Do). In the building, the 2nd and 3rd floors are preserved with the old exterior walls of the building while the 1st floor showcases gray walls that stand out with some changes from the above floors. The red bricks all over the building harmonize with the surroundings, adding to its vintage vibe.
In fact, the owner of Susanna Apron said a lot of thought went into the renovation process to maintain the distinctive features of Euljiro. Following the construction of a one-room apartment building adjacent to the cafe, the building began to bend and require structural reinforcement. Construction was extended considerably with the addition of an H-beam. However, after overcoming such difficulties, the cafe finally opened its doors while fully retaining the feeling of the original architecture.
The interior space was completed in collaboration with the famous kinetic artist, Wonseok Jung. The wooden ceiling structure and iron columns are exposed, adding to the stylishness. The light that falls on the vintage furniture and accessories gives visitors a much cozier vibe. There is also a terrace to help you better appreciate the vintage atmosphere of the newtro trend in the Euljiro area.
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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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.
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