25h Myeonok

Seongdong-gu, Haengdong-dong 286-4,
SEOUL, ROK
Tel : +82.2.2297.8522
25H Myeonok / 25시면옥 (restaurant)

Wanghimni Newtown will not rise before a few more years. Yet, the area is changing at a very quick pace, starting from Wangshimni Station. Just like with Cheonggyecheon, many shops adopted the same system of wooden signs, masking the ugly old buildings behind. New constructions are already changing the main street, internal franchises and banks tend to multiply.

25si Meyonok is not likely to disappear that soon. This small noodle specialist offers a fake traditional decor but a very good, simple and cheap sujebi (수제비 also writen Sujoebi or Sujeobi after its sujeop-bi origin).

SM2008

Claiming Dokdo as Takeshima equals claiming Seoul as Gyeongseong

According to the Chosun Ilbo, from 2012, "all social studies textbooks for middle school students will have to describe the Dokdo Islets, or Takeshima in Japanese, as Japanese territory"*.

Again**, Dokdo Islets are Korean territories, and even the Japanese government told so in the late XIXth century. Dokdo has been under the Japanese flag only during the nippon occupation, and the "Takeshima" claims is only a key symbol of neofascism revival in the archipelago.

Here are the actual historical facts :

1) Indeed, Dokdo happened to be Japanese in the past, but only during occupation periods, each time Japan would aggress its peaceful neighbor. If Japan claims Dokdo, it must also claim the whole Korean peninsula.

2) As part of the eradication of anything Korean (an actual cultural genocide was planned from the start), Japan renamed Dokdo "Takeshima" in 1905. Like all the names changed during the occupation period ended with WWII, it was turned back to its original name at the Korean independance. Note that the "Sea of Japan" was never renamed "Sea of Korea".

3) Significantly enough, Dokdo means "remote island" in Korean, which reflects the difficulty for this country to defend this couple of rocks far away from its shores.

4) Significantly enough, Takeshima means "bamboo island" in Japanese, which seems absurd considering the fact not much can grow on these rocky islets but piles of guano. On the other hand, the name makes perfect sense if you know how bamboo reproduces : by its very name, "Takeshima", perfectly symbolizes the first implantation of imperial Japan on Korean soil during the 1905 wave (Dokdo was the first piece of land conquerred, the first outgrowth of the glorious Showa era).

So when Tokyo's hardliner revisionists claim Dokdo as Takeshima, it is exactly the same as if they claimed Seoul as Gyeongseong (its Japanese name under the occupation).

Enough of this infamy.

Such revisionism is meant to fuel nationalism across the region and force the return of warmongers at the helm of countries that either evolved towards democracy (Japan, Korea...) or may one day take that path : China is definitely contributing to this unfortunate trend, claiming the Koguryo culture***.

Let the moderates speak and expose these impostures.

And it's high time for Japan to cope with its past and, just like Germany, to teach its children an accurate and fair vision of history.


* "Japanese Textbooks to Repeat Dokdo Claim" (20080519)
** see "Red blogule to Japan's neofascists - forget Takeshima and Mandchukuo" and "Blogule rouge aux Jeunesses Japonaises - idees et chemises noires" (20060502), "Blogule blanc a Ban Ki-moon - drapeau blanc sur Dokdo" (20060420) "Red blogule to Japan - No UN Council seat for an Unrepentant Nation" and "Blogule rouge au Japon - Pas de siège au conseil de sécurité de l'ONU pour les révisionnistes" (20050410)
*** see "Red Blogule to China's revisionism - No to the Chinese cultural Anschluss" (20040901)

7 zones

LEE Myung-bak's government is facing big hurdles these days but at least something seems relevant : grouping provinces and big cities around 7 economic zones, and accelerating bullet train projects at the national level. I hope this won't alter the "cluster" approach but boost each region.

The 5 major zones will be :

- Central metro : Seoul + Incheon + Gyeonggi-do - major : finance & hi tech
- South East : Busan + Ulsan + Gyeongsangnam-do - major : heavy industries
- Daegu / Gyeongbuk : Daegu + Gyeongsangbuk-do - major : electronics, textile, energy
- Chungcheong : Daejeon + Chungcheongnam-do + Chungcheongbuk-do - major : science, R&D, education
- Gwangju / Jeolla : Gwangju + Jeollabuk-do + Jeollanam-do - major : tourism

Two provinces remain on their own :

- North East : Gangwon-do - major : tourism and medical
- Jeju : Jeju-do - major : tourism

Not a dramatic change for Jeju but some hope for Gangwon, now a segment of one potentially more advertized overseas. Splitting Gyeongsang is an even smarter move. Jeolla remains untouched and focused on tourism, but a "Sun Belt" Economic Zone is also planned from Mokpo to Busan along the South Coast in order to rival Seoul and accelerate the demographic and economic development of Mokpo area. Top chaebols will be invited to open vice-national HQs in the new zone. Preferably not in the Busan area, already a major hub by itself.

If new administrative levels could limit the intranational competition between self proclaimed Asian hubs, they are not necessarily good news - poorly handled they would even destroy value everywhere. I also suspect some potential cannibalization / coopetition with Korea's existing cluster strategy.

Goodbye HiSeoul, hello Haechi

I'm glad Seoul officials decided to dump the "HiSeoul" slogan*.

Born in October 2002, HiSeoul was underlined with the "Soul of Asia" motto four years later. According to the Chosun Ilbo, the official slogan will be either that one or the less delicate "Soul Seoul".

Bonus : the city will be knicknamed "City of Haechi" as a tribute to the fabled lion which gave its brand and logo to Haitai, the famous confectionery company.

On Haitai's logo, the lion looks OK, but the original model has a funny look and a stupid smile. I understand the cultural / nationalist motivation and I do like this character, but many may wonder why the World's center for knowledge society wants to be represented by a strange animal apparently plagued with the IQ of a fencepost.

The daily newspaper presented Haechi (해치)'s new official portrait : a bubble caricature, probably the fruit of a bad LSD trip by a sci-fi cartoon artist. The two statues planned for Gwanghwamun Plaza will probably look more like the ones which laid there a couple of decades ago.

Still, I'm dubious. They just took away the old "bank trees"** in the middle of Sejongno, and I know the new plaza will have no tree - fountains do look nice in the summer but they won't protect you from the blazing sun when you cross this large stretch and they won't be working during the long winters.

* Strangely enough, the death warrant was issued right before the HiSeoul festival - http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200805/200805020021.html
** 은행나무 - I prefer the korean name to the Japanese artifact (gingko biloba)

Festival season(s)

Busy week in the 'hood : Jogyesa's Lotus Lantern Festival telescopes with Seoul City's Hi Seoul Festival (now a 4 times a year event). Not to mention a candlestick march of 10,000 opponents to US Beef imports near Cheonggyecheon on Friday night.

Even if rain is expected tonight for the lantern parade, both operations seem big successes. Last night at the Gyeonghuigung, thousands gathered to attend an outdoor concert. An opportunity for many kids and families to hear a La Boheme aria, to see conductor CHUNG Myung-whun arrive like a rock star, or to welcome the next president (OH Se-hoon a little ahead of CHUNG Mong-joon at the event - and probably in the polls as well).

Definitely more glamourous than the concert at Sajik park the other night (one of these corny singers exposing their wigs and fake teeth on Tuesday evenings at the TV).

Lotus Lantern Festival : llf.or.kr
Hi Seoul Festival : hiseoulfest.org

Chungwon Hwaegwan (Yeongam)

Yeongam-gun, Yeongam-eup, Dongmuli (Yeongam-gun Cheong ap)
YEONGAM, ROK (Jeollanam-do)
Tel : +82.61.473.6700 - 473.6711
Chungwon Hwaegwan / 충원해관 (restaurant)

At the feet of beautiful Jirisan and next to the "gun office", try their amazing jjangddungeotang (짱뚱어탕), a soup made with these almost amphibian fish you can see crawling on the seashores after the tide. A truly unique and very subtle flavor.

SM2005

Mabang jib (Hannam)

Hannam-si, Cheonhyun-dong 428-4 beonji
HANNAM, ROK (Gyeonggi-do)
Tel : +82.31.791.0011
Mabang Jib / 마방집 (restaurant)

A place to rest (the last stop for your horse before entering seoul) and feast with traditional and original food. No fusion but for the delicious things melting on your palate.

SM2003

Mirak (Seoul)

Gangbuk-gu, Suyu 2-dong
273-15 SEOUL, ROK
Tel : +82.2.995.2999
Mirak (restaurant)

You're for one reason or another lost in Suyu-dong. You're looking for a Korean feast but you'd like to avoid the royal full course marathon with the whole shebang (decorum et al). Here, everything is served at once : about 40 "banchan" (side dishes) will enlight your main course, which could well simply turn out to be a rather surprising oyster rice. Please your eyes and palate for a song. All these small streams make a huge river, so finishing them all could be a genuine mirakle.

SM2005

Ojangdong Hamheung Nengmyeon (Seoul)

90-10 Ojang-dong, Jung-gu
SEOUL, ROK
Tel : +82.2.2267.9500 - 2268.8500
OJANGDONG HAMHEUNG NENGMYEON (restaurant)

Three restaurants next to each other share the same name : pick the one in the middle. You'll see both limousines and rotten cabs parked in front of this not so glamorous place. One big room, each party wolfing ultraspicy cold noodles down - a North Korean sadicist treat served with a delicious beef stew. Strong, cheap... a killer institution.

SM2005

Woo-Jeong Nakji (Seoul)

Jongno-gu, Seolin-dong 127
SEOUL, ROK
Tel : +82.2.720.7991
Woo-Jeong Nakji / Ujeong Nakji / 우정낙지 (restaurant)
Photo "Octopus museum" (copyright Stephane MOT 2007)

Their octopuss is so hot it may kill your foes or your microbs, but their light clam soup can help you survive another day.

SM2003

Woo-Jeong Nakji's ugly old yellow-salmonishy building is the only one remaining in the area after the restoration of Cheonggyecheon. You simply can't remove such an institution overnight. Hell - if they can survive their own food these guys may even survive a nuclear attack.

I'm afraid bulldozers will eventually get this Octopus Museum down and that day will be a sad one for Yours Truly.

SM2006

banNK accounts and other accounts for historians

People from North Korea will be allowed to open bank accounts in China and do business in Yuan.

You know what kind of people from North Korea can afford this kind of tasks these days.

Pyeongyang's regime is offered a safe heaven in return for what ? Probably a Chinese anschluss of Chosun, as a province of the new and improved Koguryo, the fake cultural and historical center of Korea under construction in North East China, with the benediction of an army of revisionist historians.

Under the Middle Kingdom's powerful umbrella, this new Tibet will then demand the reunification with that renegate and remote piece of land called South Korea.

Pathetic.

Don't get me wrong. I love China and respect its unique civilisation. I do know its cultural influence on the region in general and especially in Korea.

But Korea is not a Chinese province and Koguryo doesn't belong to China.

And Beijing's top strategists are playing a very dangerous game by fueling ultranationalism. This folly is the best way to keep a nation united in the short term and to make it implode in the medium term. Remember Yugoslavia. See how xenophobia and antisemitism are condemning Putin's Russia.

China is a great country and the birthplace of strategy, but I'm afraid Sun Tzu's heirs are losing their minds and waging the wrong battles at the wrong moment.

Namdaemunium

The collapse of Sungnyemun is a tragedy for Seoul, where most National Treasures have been reconstructed after the Japanese occupation or the war. The Southern Gate survived both, but despite its central and remote location it couldn't be saved from a vulgar fire.

Rebuilding National Treasure #1 will take 3 years.

How long to recover from this feeling of loss ?

The Bulldozer Canal

President-elect-and-under-judicial-threat LEE Myung-bak confirmed his ambition to build a canal joining the Han and the Nakdong rivers during his first (and theorically only, unless he also manages to remodel the constitution) mandate.

One more project on the Seoul - Busan axis ? I'd rather see Korea build a circular bullet train line to balance the country's infrastructures with a milder impact on the environment. Or even better, invest in the much needed restoration of Seoul's subway stations, many of which are plagued with asbestos dust falls (30% of Seoul Metro's employees are rumored to be suffering from this cancerous material).

As the name of his Cyworld blog shows*, "Bulldozer" LEE is ambitious : one year to plan, three years to build (2009-2011), and one year to campaign for a second term. Not much time to think and plenty of time to sink ?

The former CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction wants his pharaonic project to be 100% financed by private companies. All chaebols have already been invited to a roundtable, and Middle East investors are likely to pour the bulk of the $15 bn announced.

A quick reality check already showed the actual number would be triple that... and a tedious real estaty check would probably multiply it tenfold.

A streamlet as a Mayor, a canal as a President... should LEE become the next BAN Ki-moon, he'd probably dig a new ocean or at least an Asian equivalent to the Mediterranean sea.


* http://mbtious.cyworld.com/

One million aliens

1,000,254 foreigners live in Korea. That's not much (a little bit over 2% of the population), but the number almost tripled within the last 10 years. And it starts showing.

Chinese represent 44.1% of the total and Americans 11.8%, but the majority of these Chinese "foreigners" (266,764) are ethnic Koreans... and I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar pattern among the 117,938 US citizens registered by the Ministry of Justice. The Korean diaspora going mobile seems a key driver anyway.

Another internal driver is the recent trend of "spouses imports" : 104,749 immigrants are married to Koreans - three times more than in 2002. And we are not just talking high rise international weddings but also about farmers picking up wives in South East Asian rice paddies. Mixed kids with a cultural handicap (inadapted mother at home and xenophobic neighbors around) are becoming a national issue.

And emerging countries are the main providers of "aliens". Japan and Taiwan lag behind Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand (15.7% for the 3 combined). But if there are 1.5 times more illegal immigrants than 10 years ago, they only represent 22.5% of the total, down from 38.3%.

Songdo New Town intends to compete with the likes of Singapore or Hong Kong, proposing lavish penthouses and wide green spaces one hour away from China and Japan to Westerners. But will they rush to new towns as quickly as Koreans did for Bundang ?

12 degrees of separation

This is my 4th presidential campaign in Korea. The posters haven't evolved much, and the animations at the crossroads still look about the same : mobile podiums blasting vibrating speeches, big screens, adjuma cheerleaders welcoming you out of your shop / subway station with fanatic songs praising a rather North Korean way their dear leaders... Christmas carols ahead of time, loud enough to cover up intense rumors of corruption...

11 candidates will try to prevent Lee Myung-bak from getting 50% of the ballots. 49M citizens will get a new leader for 3 years, and a new lame duck for 2... even if Seoul's former mayor changes the constitution to make 2 much needed changes for his successors : now that the democracy proved its sustainability, presidents should be allowed to run for a second mandate, and presidential elections should include a second round to clarify the political landscape (enough with this tradition of comical alliances and betrayals).

It's time to restore some dignity to an important function. Disapointed by ROH Moo-hyun's waste of trust (he held both the executive and legislative branches but balked in front of reforms - he did have to face a strange breed of justice, though...), netizens could decide to turn their back to the res publica and to focus on their virtual kingdoms instead.

Return to Naganeupseong

Naganeupseong, Jeollanam-do
Photo : "Naganeupseong farmer" (Copyright Stephane MOT 20070820)

Fortunately, nothing has much changed. The old halmony is over 74 now but her place remains as simple, comfortable and beautiful as it was a couple of years ago. In her (central-, not back-) yard like in most of the houses of the village, thatch is kept under ugly plastic for the yearly roof change. She's drying plants under the blazing sun and we'll have more delicious shiraegi bokkum bap this autumn. We invited her to play yutnori but she didn't know the game. Even in this beautiful spot in the middle of rice fields, you're too busy to learn this kind of trivialities.


All right, there's that big parking lot beyond the fortress, the other side of the village. And more highways have been completed in the area, destroying pristine landscapes. Plus they were shooting an MBC Drama that day - the kind with bearded tenors in lavish costumes. And another one was announced in the area (around the meta-sequoias... yet another Winter Sonata ephemeral hit for sure). Damyang-gun is definitely turning into a major touristic hub.


SM 200708

Today's news

(courtesy Chosun Ilbo)

Save Korean maemis

The other day, I saved a poor lad about to drown in Cheonggyecheon. I used my clutch to help him out of the water. He took my hand with a surprisingly strong grip and I left him rest by the stream.


The time for its wings to dry, the insect was ready for another recital.

The Korean maemi is a big fella with a chant that (scientists noticed) tends to grow louder in Seoul, where tall buildings modify its propagation.

But Korean maemis are threatened by their Chinese cousins. They've been flocking by millions recently, sometimes thousands on the same tree, claiming the country as greedily as Beijing revisionists claim Koguryo culture.

Maybe this guy was committing suicide. Could Cheonggye stream become the next Canal Saint Martin ?

SM 200708

Dog day afternoon

Shindang-dong - Jung-gu
Photo : "Dog Day Afternoon" (200406 Stephane MOT)

People selling dog meat don't like to be taken pictures of. These lads do an even less pleasant job : they raise and kill the said dogs.

You cannot see the animals. Only hear them cry and scream behind doors and walls.

Or you see them dead, as dog meat or "gaegogi". In a stew or on a counter. In a stew you cannot tell for sure (I actually had some once without knowing what it was), but on a counter there is no way of mistaking.

Photographs

You can get some of Seoul Village's pixes at my place in that other village, Snapvillage.com.

You may prefer great pictures by real photographers. For the forgotten people of Seoul, I recommend KIM Gi-chan, who caught the soul of the city during the sixties and seventies, and naturally CHOI Min-sik, Korea's great master from Busan.

You can also browse the website of Noonbit Editions (in Korean only).

Last Cig (2005)

Photo : "Last Cig" (2005 - Copyright Stephane MOT)

This old man, probably born and raised in the countryside, looks closer to the end than to the ground.

2007

The Gaon (Seoul)

Gangnam-gu - Shinsa-dong - 631-23 beonji 135-895 Seoul

The Gaon (restaurant)

Tel : +82.2.3446.8411

Photo : "Gaon Gimchi Clinic" (at Gaon, the preparation of Gimchi requires surgical precision - Copyright Stephane MOT 2004)

To my humble opinion, the reputation of Korean cuisine should normally surpass that of Japanese cuisine within 15 to 20 years. Koreans clearly don't play in the same league and the Japanese know it (they adore Korean food). They can fool Westerners with their sense of presentation but as soon as the public tastes actual Korean cuisine, the game is over - for good. Unfortunately, up to now no Korean restaurant could really visually match their cuisine, but for some prestigious places embalmed in the cult of Tradition.

Gaon created the very much expected precedent, setting from the start the standards at the highest level. To me, Gaon is simply the very best Korean restaurant in the World* because it perfectly honours the great Art Culinaire of Korea. The chef manages to reinvent the classics and masters to the perfection each element (taste, flavor, color, texture, temperature...). And to make it even more sublime, each course is presented in a dish specially designed for it by a great master in ceramics.

SM2003

* if you find a better one, please send the address ASAP

Sejongno

Seoul - Jongno-gu - Sejongno
Photo : "Sejongno Caricatures" (Copyright Stephane MOT 2006)

When I first came to Seoul, pedestrians were basically parasites tolerated in a city embracing the cult of Car Almighty. New cars kept piling up at the rate of 400 per day, and I would witness a major crash every other day. Needless to say I could spread thick traffic jam on my toast anytime, not only for breakfast.

Back then, Sejongno (downtown's central axis) was a highway paved with ugly monuments built during the Japanese occupation, but guarded by the statue of the local hero, Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Seoul Station, City Hall et al are still standing, but the country has mercifully removed the massive horror deliberately erected to hide the Gyeongbokgung and destroy the beautiful Bukansan perspective. The National Museum's great collections were offered a (slightly) better shell in Yongsan.

In a relatively near future, passers-by should be able to walk peacefully across the stream (right now, the safest way to survive the walk from one river to the other is to go through the underground maze). Traffic will be limited to two times two lanes ; I just saw the first drafts of restoration projects and I wonder when these brilliant architects will consider building things meant to last over a few years. For Gimchi's sake, something nice can be done at the core of this city. You want to enjoy your walk from the palaces to Insadong.

*

I had just been a Seoulite for a couple of days and was going out for lunch behind the Kyobo Building with colleagues from the French Embassy, when I felt something pass just inches from my head - then I saw a policeman dodge the bullet... We were in the dead middle of a war... the mother of all snowball battles : maybe a hundred police and military playing like kids, laughing their masks off.

Our offices were next to the US Embassy* and if you like to see uniforms, that's the place to be. The most impressive line up of policemen I ever saw was for the visit of George H. W. Bush (the Elder, a.k.a. 41) : one man posted every meter for a couple of miles, all the way from the Gyeongbokgung to Samgakji Station. No wonder Dubya's Dad got a little bit dizzling later that day.



200706

* at the Leema Building - the Economic Mission moved to Gangnam a few months later.

Damyang

Jeollanam-do - Damyang-gun (담양군, 潭陽郡) - maeul

An almost deserted maeul just a couple of miles off Damyang.
We're welcomed by a scorching sun, a cripled dog and this old lady.

Only traditional houses - hay and bamboo sticking out of parched walls.

A her friends place, a traditional oven outside at floor level, and sesame grain drying up.

It definitely beats nearby Sunchang, a gochujang (red pepper paste) theme park. Damyang-gun markets itself as a bamboo county (you are surrounded by forests of them, you swim in it in spas, you even eat your rice in it). Quite a few cultural spots (better off season), including Soswaewon garden.

200706

Photo "Open up sesame" (20040827 - copyright Stephane MOT)

Carrefour Junggye

Seoul - Nowon-gu - Junggye - Carrefour Junggye

Photo : "Carrefour du developpement" (Copyright Stephane MOT 2004)

The World's #2 retailer decided to leave Korea in 2006. Carrefour was eventually starting to earn something (and to export varieties of fresh products from small to medium sized Korean producers for its stores in France), but it just couldn't replicate its usual business model : you are not allowed to make purchases at the group level and thus make a difference at the logistics level. Even Wal-Mart failed. Price killers do exist though : you always find ways of crushing producers.

I'm not worrying for Carrefour. They got more than they could dream of from E.Land, who launched a weird mallish concept called Homever late last year.

It's just that you don't find big juici Nashi pears in their Paris store anymore. And Homever's bookstore is less fun to watch : each time I passed by, tens of kids would be sitting everywhere (even in shopping carts - see pix), reading books and not often of the comics / manga kind.

20070622

Junggye Maeul

Nowon-gu - Junggye - Junggye Maeul

The old Junggye Village is dying. Towers will soon replace this up the hill slum. Villagers were poor but welcoming people. At a fork close to the top, the only shop would lay a mat for customers to sip their beverages, passers-by to join the chat or help for the preparation of gimchi. A rotten trucklet would stop nearby and sell a few veggies to anyone interested.

Steep hill but nice view on the city. Beyond, woods poorly taken care of but well guarded by noisy memmis.

20070621 (photo "Unequal access" copyright Stephane MOT 20040825)

Hwanghak-dong

Seoul - Jung-gu, Hwanghak-dong

South of the Cheonggyecheon and a few blocks East of Dongdaemun, Hwanghak-dong is mutating.

The flea market has been vaporized (or rather Fly-Toxed - I saw troops of thugs paid by the developpers charge the last die harders a couple of years ago), some aseptized remnants transfered near Dongmyo, and a tragic permanent fair of cheap imports set up in Dongdaemun Stadium (on the death row as well).

The Sindang food market lost its charm after the "restoration" of the streamlet. Last time I passed by The Lotte Castle it was almost completed. I was walking all the way from Majang-dong to Euljiro, along the new and improved Cheonggyecheon. At night, the working site wasn't lit at all, and this dark, massive hulk stood over me like a titanic drawing by Philippe Druillet. Not exactly the kind of castles you see while kayaking on Dordogne river...

20070621 (photo "Somewhere under the rainbow" - copyright Stephane MOT 2002)

Nowon-gu map

Nowon-gu's 5 districts :
Sanggye (10 dong)
Junggye (5 dong)
Hagye (2 dong)
Wolgye (4 dong)
Gongneung (3 dong)

Nowon-gu

Nowon-gu (노원구; 蘆原區) is Seoul's Northeastest and most populated district.
Population : 619,509 inhabitants (2006)
Area : 35.44 km² (max 6 km W-E, max 9 km N-S)
City Hall and official website : http://english.nowon.seoul.kr/.

Photo : "Nowon noway" (2004 - Copyright Stephane MOT)

Geography :

Nowon's main frontiers are :

• to the West, the Jungnangcheon. Part of the district (Wolgye-dong) lies on the other side of this confluent of the Han river which also separates Nowon from Dobong-gu.


• to the East, Buramsan and Suraksan mountains (and beyond, the city of Namyangju)


• to the North, the city of Uijongbu


• to the South, the district of Jungnang-gu (plus Seongbuk-gu for Wolgye-dong)

Nowon consists of 24 dong and 5 major areas (see map) :

• Sanggye - North (10 dong)


• Junggye - Center East (5 dong)


• Hagye - Center South (2 dong)


• Wolgye - South West (4 dong)


• Gongneung - South East (3 dong)

History :

Originally a quiet and flat valley of fields dotted with a few villages of farmers (some names do subsit - ie Madeul Station), Nowon was untill 1988 the Eastern part of Dobong-gu.

The new "gu" was meant to become a bed town for the booming population, mainly newly formed households who couldn't afford more central areas. Like in Jamsil, this massive development included from the start tens of blocs of 5 to 15 storey appartment buildings. But here, most appartments were small and remote from the new city centers.

Yet, thanks to its strong internal / demographical dynamics, Nowon managed to grow from a cheap bed town into a major hub at the North of the capital, with a soul of its own and Nowon Station at its heart :

• transports : the crossroads of subway lines 4 and 7 will also welcome a major city air terminal bound to serve the North of Seoul and the neighboring cities. The old train terminal will be relocated in Namyangju and the Dobong driving center in a more remote area of the district).


• commerce : all businesses and national / international franchises, including a Lotte Department Store