[EXCURSION] "East of Gwanghuimun: Alleyways, Forests and Gentrification" with Matt VanVolkenburg

EXCURSION THEME:
"East of Gwanghuimun: Alleyways, Forests and Gentrification"


LEADER: Matt VanVolkenburg


DATE: Saturday, June 14, 2025. 2:00 PM~5:00 PM


DESTINATION: Sindang-dong area in Seoul


COST: W25,000 for RAS Korea lifetime and annual members; W30,000 for Non-members


MEETING POINT: At the top of Exit 4 of Sangwangsimni Station (상왕십리역, #207; Subway Line 2)


RSVP by June 13 (Friday) with payment of the fee via bank transfer.
REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/6b7frktXhYAQZaVf9
Please register one RSVP at a time.

☞Payment to be remitted to the following account:
SHINHAN BANK ACCOUNT # 100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)

*Reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received by RAS Korea in advance of the event.


The area between Gwanghuimun, which once opened onto a large cemetery, and Wangsimni, a centuries-old town, features a variety of environments, from hillside golmok (alleyway) neighborhoods and forested parks to Sindang-dong’s ‘tteokbokki town’ and Dongdaemun’s Little Russia. This walk will cover this terrain and explore the area’s history.

From Sangwangsimni Station we will walk through a neighborhood of narrow alleys featuring colorful murals intended to entertain local children on their way to school. From there we will pass the former site of Cheongryeonsa Temple, which was first established in 1200 years ago, and walk through the forested hilltop Muhakbong Park before making our way to Baesuji Park, which sits atop the water reservoir built almost 120 years ago for Seoul’s first waterworks. After descending in a recently-opened funicular, we will visit the home former president Park Chung-hee lived in before launching his coup d’etat in 1961, walk through a hanok cluster and past gentrifying sections of Sindang-dong, and visit the neighborhood’s famous tteokbokki street. From there we will walk past a section of tenements, some built in the 1920s, visit a golmok (alleyway) neighborhood, take in Seoul’s Gwanghuimun gate, where corpses were once removed from the walled city, and end in the Russian – Uzbek neighborhood near Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

The excursion leader has lived for over six years in this neighborhood. As well, this excursion serves as a sequel of sorts to last year’s excursion, “’Hipdang-dong’ – Exploring the history and gentrification of Sindang-dong.”

This walking excursion will set off at 2:00 pm from exit 4 of Sangwangsimni Station (상왕십리역, #207; Subway Line 2). The excursion will last until about 5:00 and end near Dongdaemun History & Culture Park station (Subway Lines 2, 4, and 5). Participants may join Matt afterwards for a coffee or an early dinner (not included in the excursion fee) nearby. The walk has two short uphill sections; comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

You may also like the following events from Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch:

• This month, 28th June, 02:00 am, [EXCURSION] 'Seoul's Eastern Gateway: Tracing the Evolution of Cheongnyangni' with Jack Greenberg in Seoul

Also check out other Meetups in Seoul.