Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Address: Seodaemun Prison History Hall 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

The first place that The Kyonggi Pharos visited was “Seodaemun Prison,” which contains the pain of our modern history and the sorrow of many independence fighters and pro-democracy activists. The official name was changed to “Seodaemun Prison History Hall” when it reopened in 1998 in the form of a historical museum. You can purchase tickets at the entrance and follow the signs to enter the historical exhibits. It is in the form of a museum, so everything is easily arranged to allow you to follow the footsteps of the independence movement. It is helpful for understanding history because the people who participated in the independence movement, how events were conducted, and what events took place and well displayed. Then walk down the stairs to the viewing area and you will see a reproduction of the actual underground prison at that time. There are tools, methods, etc. of torture delivered vividly to the public through wax figures. You can feel the sacrifices of many independence fighters. The last place is the prison where the actual inmates were

imprisoned. The panopticon structure, which made it easy for the prison guards to monitor prisoners, exudes the viciousness of Japan at that time. There is a detailed description of who was imprisoned in each room. It is interesting that there were not only independence activists but also democratic activists who fought against the dictatorship. In our busy daily lives, we sometimes forget the spirit of sacrifice of the countless independence fighters who sacrificed their lives while campaigning for independence and those who fought against dictatorships. However, the Pharos hopes you will have time to visit there and feel their noble spirit of sacrifice.

Yeongcheon Market

Address: 189-1, Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Yeongcheon Market appears after walking from Dongnimmun Gate Station for five minutes. There are various foods such as tteokbokki, noodle soup and dumplings, and there are many shops that have been introduced on television programs. In particular, the market is famous for tteokbokki and twisted bread sticks, and there is a rumor that the twisted bread sticks will be sold out if you don’t go there before 2 p.m. If you are hungry, the Pharos recommends using “Gorugoru Cafe.” “Gorugoru Cafe” runs a lunch box buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday to Saturday. For a lunch box buffet you can also visit shops like Yeopjeon Lunch Box at Tongin Market and choose the side dishes you want to put in your lunch box. You can buy rice and soup separately and order food at the market. The buffets offer a closer look at the traditional market, which has been in place for 50 years, and offers various popular foods in one place. Passing halfway through the market, you can find “Cafe Rice Cake Village.” It is a cafe that sells rice cakes, and has good prices and a place to eat quality rice cakes and drink tea. Besides rice cakes, according to the season it sells “patbingsu” (an adzuki-bean ice dessert) or “danpatjuk” (sweet red-bean porridge), so you can also visit after meals and enjoy sweet desserts.

The bookstore “Draw the Time of Seoul”

Address: 31-6, Dongnimmun-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Walking along the alley past Yeongcheon Market, you will find a hanok-style bookstore behind Seokgyo Church. The bookstore “Draw the Time of Seoul” also runs a cafe and is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Tuesday to Saturday. Sometimes it can be shut down due to a program running in the bookstore or due to the owner’s situation, so it’s best to check the news on its blog or Instagram before you go. The name of the bookstore is borrowed from the title of a book by Lee Jang-hee, the husband of the owner, and art books and drawing books by Lee Jang-hee are on display there. The owner of the bookstore has preserved the appearance and cozy atmosphere of the 90-year old hanok building by remodeling the hanok over a six-month period. When you visit the bookstore, books owned or recommended by the owner are displayed and sold under warm lighting. There is a large table inside, and it is used as a place for reading groups that operate in the bookstore to talk while having a class or a cup of coffee. You can drink coffee and tea in this bookstore, but drinking coffee is especially notable because it is made and served with the intention of evoking a home-like feeling, using a mocha pot rather than an espresso machine. Among the menu items, the Pharos recommends the mulled wine, which has an especially sweet smell, because the owner boils the wine herself. Why don’t you visit there and take a break from reading books and organize your thoughts?

 Before visiting Seodaemun in person, you may not be able to think of anything other than Seodaemun Prison, which represents the pain of modern Korean history. However, there are various restaurants and cafes including those in the Yeongcheon Market. The aforementioned bookstore, “Draw the Time of Seoul” has a compact structure and interior, so it is good to visit there with your lovers or acquaintances to make good memories. Seodaemun contains both historical and modern attractions, so it is an interesting place to feel both modern progress and the atmosphere of history. It will be a good opportunity for you to reflect on whether you have lived enough in life by following the path through Seodaemun.