The stone arch of Hyehwamun marks the northern boundary of the old city wall. This gate served as the primary departure point for travelers and scholars heading into the quiet valleys of Seongbuk-dong. While the original structure vanished…
Seongbukdong Hillside Writers Walk
This walking tour winds up the peaceful, tree-lined slopes of Seongbuk-dong, tracing the preserved homes, literary retreats, and mountain shrines of Korea’s pioneering 20th-century artists and writers.
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1. Hyehwamun Gate (Dongsomun)
2. Old House of Choe Sunu in Seongbuk-dong
The Old House of Choe Sunu features a traditional L-shaped wooden frame wrapped in a low, tiled stone wall that keeps the noise of Seoul at a distance. Choe, an art historian who spent his life cataloging Korean beauty, lived here from…
3. Kansong Art Museum
The Kansong Art Museum is a low, unassuming two-story brick building tucked into the hilly Seongbuk-dong neighborhood. It houses the private collection of Jeon Hyeong-pil, a man who spent his fortune during the Japanese colonial occupation…
4. Simujang House of 'Manhae' Han Yong-un
Simujang House features a North-facing gate, which was an act of defiance against the Japanese colonial government. Han Yong-un, a Buddhist monk and independence activist, refused to build his home facing South, the direction of the…
5. Suyeonsanbang
The low, tiled roof of Suyeonsanbang sits nestled against a steep slope, appearing as if the wooden frame grew directly from the hillside. This building served as the mountain home for the writer Lee Tae-jun during the Japanese colonial…
6. Gilsangsa Temple
Gilsangsa Temple centers on a complex of low, tiled-roof structures tucked into the slope of a mountain, surrounded by dense trees that muffle the city sounds. It began as Daewongak, one of the most exclusive high-end restaurants in Seoul.…