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Kyonghorue (1412)
Kyongbokung
Dinner in
Tongdaemun
Namdaemun Market
Kukkiwon
Sights and Sounds of Seoul
Although many people expected to be closer to or within the city limits of Seoul, others were very glad to be in the mountains south of Seoul in a fresher, more remote environment. Yangi is approximately an hour drive south of Seoul, so it takes some patience to get into Seoul from there. Nevertheless, between our scheduled tours and hiring drivers on our own budget, we managed to see many aspects of Seoul throughout the week.
Seoul is a very large city and considering that 10% of the population of Korea is within its boundaries, it is a unique city to experience. It is not as intimate as perhaps some other capital cities, but the vitality of the people is quite apparent. Motion is the norm. Wherever you visit, keep moving.
Shopping at the Outdoor Markets
On one excursion outside the official tour, we visited Itaewon to do some shopping. Personally, this author found Itaewon less charming than other areas of Seoul because of the prevalence of non-Korean nationals. The opinion is that if there are too many non-Koreans in the area, the vendors are catering to the same culture as in the U.S. or Europe.
From Itaewon, we proceeded to Tongdaemun, another shopping district. Tongdaemun has a different atmosphere altogether in that it does not seem to cater to the tourist population as much as Itaewon. Although there were many outlet stores as in Itaewon, there were also a greater variety of streetside food vendors. The presence of these vendors provided a more congenial atmosphere in which to experience. Bear in mind that the atmosphere is no less hectic, it just seems more congenial.
Instead of shopping, two of us decided to sit and enjoy the local cuisine at one of the food vendors. Being 7:00 p.m. by this time, we realized that food was very high priority. Eating dokbokki, drinking soju, talking, and watching the streetlife pass by was a welcome respite from the hectic pace of our trip thus far. As the others shopped, the two of us enjoyed our meal. Despite the constant street and foot traffic swirling about us, the occassion quite pleasant and relaxing.
When travelling to and from Seoul outside the official package, we found that hiring a driver with a minivan in advance an excellent option. From the hotel or shop, we could call a local driver, explain where we wished to go, how long we expected to be out, designate where we wished to return, and work out the agreed upon fee in advance. In this way, a five to seven hour trip, with stops along the way, is a very reasonable 10,000 won per person.
On Saturday, we again visited Seoul. This was the official shopping day so the highlight was a visit to Namdaemun (South Gate) Market. Before doing so though, we stopped at Namsan Park overlooking Namdaemun to get a bird's eye view of the surroundings. From Namsan, we were able to see exactly how large Seoul actually is.
Namdaemun is a very large street market with lots of wares to offer. However, we preferred Insadong as it is a more intimate shopping area (basically a single street) with more items that we were interested in such as antiques, ceramics and scroll paintings.
Kyongbokung Palace
Following our excursion to Namdaemun Market, we proceeded to Kyongbokung Palace, the Royal Palace of the Choson Dynasty. Stepping through the gates is like stepping back through time. The face and voice of modern Seoul evaporates into 305,000 square acres of the rich historical past of the Chosun dynasty.
The initial construction of Kyongbokung Palace began three years after the founding of the Choson Dynasty in 1395 by the first Chosun ruler, King T'aejo. Since then, the palace has been destroyed by two Japanese invasions. In 1592 the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi burnt down the original buildings and the palace was left deserted until the mid-19th century. King Kojong's father, Regent Taewonkun, began the reconstruction of Kyongbokung in the 1860's on a much grander scale. Unfortunately, in 1910 when Japan formally annexed Korea, the palace was once again ravaged and much of it destroyed.
With restoration beginning in earnest following the Korean War armistace and continuing to the present day, the layout and buildings of Kyongbokung Palace are beautiful examples of an exquisite blending art and architecture. In fact, even on a busy Saturday afternoon, there are quiet corners within the palace grounds that offer respite from the crowds to admire and study the wonderful craftsmanship.
Highlights include Kunjongjon Hall (constructed 1395) and its immense square conjuring images of imperial pageants, Kyonghoeru (constructed in 1412; a pavilion built over a man-made lake), and the ten-story marble pagoda off Kyongch'onsa Temple. All these structures and more offer the means to appreciate Korean artistic talent.
For our group, it was enough to stroll through the grounds and attempt to soak up the atmosphere in some meaningful and significant fashion. The richness of detail and craftsmanship is exquisite.
| Next: Kyongju, A Visit to Korea's Past |
