Nestled at the foot of Namsan Mountain on Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, the National Theater of Korea, built in the 1970s, is the first cultural space built solely with Korean technology, at a time when Korea’s economic development was at its peak. Asia’s first national theater opened on April 29, 1950; however, the Korean War broke out...   Read more

Baehwa Girls’ High School is nestled at the slanted foot of Inwangsan Mountain in Pilun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It was the site of the house of Lee Hang-Bok, a civil official who served in the early Joseon period (1392-1910), and was commonly referred to as Pilundae and frequented by academics. To this day, Baehwa Girls’ High...   Read more

The Seoul Olympic Stadium, commonly referred to as Jamsil Olympic Stadium, is located by the Hangang River in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, some 13km from central Seoul in the southeastern part of the city, where many high-rise apartment buildings are concentrated. In 1971, President Park Chung-Hee announced the Comprehensive Jamsil Development Plan, which included the creation of...   Read more

Designated as Folk Cultural Asset No. 22 by Seoul City in 1977, Baek In-Je House, in Gahoe-dong, is one of the few remaining large-scale traditional Korean houses in Seoul. It is a modernized traditional Korean house built by Han Sang-Ryong. Han was a nephew of Lee Wan-Yong and the executive director of Korea’s first bank,...   Read more

In 1884, King Gojong decided to launch a modern postal service system. To achieve this, Ujeong Chongguk (Historical Site No. 213) was established, with the agreement of the Vice Minister of War, Hong Yeong-Sik, who had long desired such a postal system. Ujeong Chongguk is the world’s oldest post office and the first post office...   Read more

In early spring of 1975, the Dongsung-dong Campus of Seoul National University held its last graduation ceremony. Standing at the corner of Daehang-ro, a street packed with youthful energy and many parks, the building was turned into the Artist’s House in 2010. It is a modern architectural structure that has been designated as a historical...   Read more

Changgyeonggung Palace is one of the four palaces in Seoul, along with Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Deoksugung. Built in 1483 during the reign of King Seongjong, Changgyeonggung Palace is also referred to as “Donggwol (East Palace)”. After the forced abdication of King Gojong, the Japanese launched a project to violate the Korean royal palaces under the...   Read more

<p></p>   The Ahyeon Overpass is the oldest elevated highway in Korea. Following its opening on September 19, 1968, the Ahyeon Overpass attracted many visitors, as one of Seoul’s leading landmarks. Until early 1982, when Korea was under curfew from midnight every night, the Ahyeon Overpass was blocked off with barricades. Since the early 2000s,...   Read more

In Sports Park in Malli-dong, Jung-ju, a pin oak stands as it did 78 years ago. It was the sapling that hid the Japanese flag on the chest of Son Kee-Chung when he stood on the podium as a gold medalist. In 2012, the Son Kee-Chung Memorial Hall was opened in celebration of Son’s 100th...   Read more

Take a walk along Jibong-ro, Jongno-gu, or Changsin-dong, and you will encounter a group of apartment buildings much older than those usually found in downtown Seoul. This is the Dongdaemun Apartment Complex, the second oldest apartment complex in Seoul, after Chungjeong Apartment. This apartment complex has appeared frequently in various TV programs and films, and...   Read more

On May 9, 2014, the official residence of the mayor of Seoul in Hyehwa-dong was temporarily opened to the public. Due its controversial location—it is said to have interfered with the restoration of the Seoul Fortress Wall that Seoul City is now striving to have designated as a World Heritage site—the building was finally shut...   Read more

In 1931, the Japanese Kwantung army invaded Manchuria, and in 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, starting the Pacific War. The Japanese colonial government in Korea focused on producing weapons and developing herbal medicines in order to secure victory in World War II. To that end, the Japanese government established two schools in Korea: the Gyeongseong...   Read more