Hoehyeon Apt, Chungjeong Apt, Dongdaemun Apt, Ogin Apt...

They are touchingly ugly, and sometimes dangerous, but we can't help loving them.

They? Seoul's venerable apartment blocks of the first generation, survivors from the sixties.

I just followed Robert Fouser's link to an article* on modern architectural heritage in Seoul, mentioning Dongdaemun Apt (Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu) and illustrated with a mugshot of my beloved "Hulk Building" (Chungjeong Apt, Chungjeongno, Seodaemun-gu). Immediately resurfaced vivid memories of the amazing Hoehyeon Apt (Hoehyeon-dong, Jung-gu) and of other more or less hidden gems.

Chungjeong Apt is certainly not hiding. You can't miss this cult green thing between Chungjeongno Station and K1 REIT Building, with its metal staircase hanging from its temple like a stray lock of dirty hair (what "Hulk" is hiding is the French Embassy, from which the tall trees emerge in the back):
 

Some of these old timers have been unplugged, most recently Ogin Apt (Ogin-dong, Jongno-gu), at the feet of Inwangsan. And I can't remember the name of that other block, next to the Hyatt, that was wiped out at about the same time as the former Japanese Governor General Building**, but I visited friends there at least once a week, and there were still the small signs preventing people from taking pictures from the windows (to spy Yongsan Garrison?)...

My all time fave remains Hoehyeon Apt, on the other side of Namsan. I even wrote a fiction about it. That place is simply bewitching, and if I were a photographer or a filmmaker I'd probably spend years haunting it. Before being eaten alive by it.

Straight from a cartoon by Miyazaki Hayao on antidepressants (or straight from a M.C. Escher nightmare), the derelict structure somehow manage to hang from Namsan, anchored by scrawny staircases themselves on the verge of collapse. At its inception a model for Korean collective housing, Hoehyeon Apt is an insult to today's standard of living, and was even declared hazardous a couple of years ago.

Hoehyeon Apartment at its brightest

 

Hoehyeon Apartment - Namsan side

 

Hopefully, the 'vintage' spirit that has been on Seoul air for a a decade has helped Seoulites reconsider these time capsules, a spectacular and shameful part of their heritage.

Seoul Village 2013
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* "서울서 가장 오래된 충정 아파트, 근현대 문화유산 '보류'" (thanks for the link!)
** then the National Museum of Korea. I'm glad both structures are gone now.

3 subway lines projects revived ?

Private developers keep lobbying in favor of three subway projects that could be delivered by 2017.

POSCO Engineering & Construction wants to revive the old project of backbone between the capital's Northern and Southern centers : this 11.47 km line between Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) and Gangnam Station (Line 2) would pass by Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), City Hall (Lines 1 and 2), Sinhannam Station, Nonhyeon Station (Line 7), and Sinbanpo Station (Line 9). The line would not connect with Line 6 even if, judging by the map, I would pass not far from Hangangjin Station. I guess they plan to dig much deeper under Namsan : the Sinhannam Station is down the valley, closer to Hannam Bridge and Hannam New Town. It doesn't look connected with Hannam Station (Jungang Line).

We've already mentioned* the second project. Led by Doosan Construction, it would link Yongsan with Gangnam (7.49 km), and ultimately the new Bundang Line (Sinbundang line, 18.5 km : Gangnam, Yangjae, Poi, Cheonggye, Pangyo, Jeongja). The stations would be Yongsan (Lines 1 and 4), Ichon / National Museum, Dongbingo, Sinsa (Line 3), Nonhyeon (Line 7), Sinnonhyeon (line 9), and Gangnam. But should the other project fly, a connection could be made at Sinhannam, and the connection at Sinsa could be dropped.

The third project ? Posco's Plan B would combine the Gangnam-Sinhannam section of the first project with a Gwanghwamun - Yongsan line (8 stations overall).

All projects have in common a relatively low number of new stations. The idea is more to connect major existing hubs. A Gyeongbokgung-Gangnam-Bundang axis would probably become Seoul's biggest vertical backbone, saving time but also sucking traffic from other lines, which are not operated by the same companies : Korail manages lines 1 to 4, Seoul Metro lines 5 to 8, Veolia Transport line 9. Neeless to say, promoters of the Sinbundang line, Bundang, Pangyo, or Hannam landowners, not to mention Samsung, headquartered at Gangnam Station, would love to prolong it towards the other side of Han river and the city center, mirroring the Bundang Line prolongation from Seollung towards Seongdong-gu, further to the East.

I hope these projects are not in the balance with actual priorities : all the Seoul neighborhoods that remain out of the grid. But should this Gyeongbokgung-Gangnam be built, I'd rather go for a fourth project :
- The Gyeongbokgung-Gwanghwamun-City hall axis is very relevant and actually follows the country's most defining line : Sejongdaero. Furthermore, downtown's grid lacks a vertical line West of Line 3 (which also connects lines 1 to 5 within 3 consecutive stations : Jongno-3-ga, Uljiro-3-ga, Chungmuro). So I'd keep this vital section.
- From City Hall, I would not try to reach Yongsan Station. I know the Yongsan IBD project needs to be better interfaced with the rest of the city, but if a new subway line were to cross the river, it'd better fill some gaps in the network rather than double existing lines.
- A new vertical line South of Namsan between Lines 3 and 4 makes perfect sense. But if you want to reach Gangnam, connections must be made with all the lines you cross on the way : Jungang Line (at Hannam / Sinhannam), Line 3 (at Sinsa), and Line 6.
- Preferably, new stations should be added in the process. But promoters are selling shorter connections between Gangnam and Downtown, and each stop adds an average 2 mn (not to mention significant increases in CAPEX and OPEX). My minimum scenario (straight line) : City Hall/Hangangjin/Hannam. My maximum scenario (curve) : City Hall / Huam-dong / Noksapyeong / Yongsan Park (now Yongsan Army Base, which is bound to move after 2017) / Dongbingo-dong or Bogwang-dong / Hannam.

Seoul Village 2011
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* see "Yongsan-Gangnam-Bundang subway completed in 2017"

Korea Foundation Summer Concert for Foreign Residents 2011

A Plan B for Friday, June 17 (or a Plan A if you are not interested in Seoul Global Business Networking Event 2011) ? Korea Foundation, which turns 20 this year, organizes 'Different but the Same', a concert of "oriental and western string melodies", featuring HWANG Byung-ki (a gayageum master), and given at Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater. That's in Namsangol Hanok Village, close to Chungmuro Station (Pil-dong, Jung-gu).

The admission is free and Foreign Residents will be given priority for the application process.

Korea Foundation : kf.or.kr ("Join the KFCC events" section). Reservations and inquiries : +82.2.2151.6513 (the KF email specifies that reservations are only possible between June 8 and 14).

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Seoul Fortress Walls (re)completed by 2014

Seoul confirmed that the restoration of its 18.6 km fortress (see "Donuimun Restoration and Sadaemun Resurrection") would be finished in 2014, and that it would keep pushing for the inscription of this most defining cultural asset on the UNESCO Heritage list.

Of course, the monument itself cannot be fully rebuilt since whole sections are now occupied by roads or (often private) buildings. The idea is to fake seamlessness for pedestrians by building overpasses mimicking the walls, where possible. That's what I expected for Donuimun, but it is now planned around Sungnyemun / Namdaemun and Heunginjimun / Dongdaemun, and I wouldn't be surprised to see another overpass at Hyehwamun. In other sections, the walls shall be more symbolically materialized on the ground.

Let's hope these overpasses will be delicately built... and not serve as alibis to remove pedestrian crossings in key traffic hubs.

Jongno-gu officials have recently started promoting full circle hikes along the wall, and here's their estimation of the distances for pedestrians between each monument. I'll follow their order to drop a few updates about the fortress, starting from Dongdaemun* :

- Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun) to Jangchung Gymnasium (장충체육관, near Dongguk University Station) via Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Gwanghuimun : 1.695 km / 1 hour. Three sections of the wall are missing : on both sides of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza Park, and after the Gwanghuimun Park.

- Jangchung Gymnasium to Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) via Namsan, N Seoul Tower : 4.617 km / 3 hours. Most of Namsan is covered but three sections are missing, the longest in the final stretch, the small hill hosting the Namsan Public Library. Both sides of Sungnyemun are also disconnected from the wall.

- Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) to Donuimun (Seodaemun), or rather Samsung Gangbuk Hospital : 1.4 km / 50 mn. This is the most damaged section : only a short stretch of wall remains along Sogongno (Sogong-dong). Donuimun itself must be completely rebuilt.

- Donuimun (Seodaemun) to Jongno Culture and Sports Center (Gwanghwamun Art Hall) : 800 m / 25 mn. The wall has been partly restored at the top of the hill separating Gyeonghuigung from what will become Gyeonam New Town (now known as Donhuimun New Town). There, near Hong Nan-pa's house (now a small cute museum), a public garden was inaugurated. And as we saw earlier, the triangle of hanok restaurants between the hospital and Gyeonghuigung will be replaced by another public garden, and the wall shall be prolonged with an overpass to the gate, the key missing gate but not for long anymore. At the other end, a group of "villas" prevents the connection with the main section of the wall, which starts above Sajik Tunnel and goes all the way to Seongbuk-dong.

- Jongno Culture and Sports Center (Gwanghwamun Art Hall) to Changuimun (Buksomun, better known as Jahamun) : 3.1 km / 2 hours. This Inwangsan stretch may be my favorite one : I sat countless times on a rock to enjoy one of the best views over Seoul (see the 2009 focus "Inwangsan's Great Wall and Seoul's Royal "T" Time"), and not only after a stop at the center's swimming pool !

- Changuimun (Buksomun / Jahamun) to Sukjeongmun (Bukdaemun) : 2 km / 90 mn. This Buam-dong / Seongbuk-dong section includes a Bukhansan summit (344.2 m).

- Sukjeongmun (Bukdaemun) to Waryong Park : 1.5 km / 25 mn. Jongno-gu suggests to reach Samcheonggak from Bukdaemun (400m Northwards / 15 mn), or Samcheong Park from Malbawi Information Center (600 m Southwards / 20 mn, the center being on the way, 200 m after Bukdaemun, on the other side of Samcheong Tunnel).

- Waryong Park to Hyehwamun (Dongsomun) : 1.215 km / 30 mn. The final Heyhwa-dong stretch of the wall doesn't exist anymore. Only a few meters subsist before the Hyehwa Gate, which towers over Dongsomunno and could be typically linked to the next section, just across the street, with an overpass.

- Hyehwamun (Dongsomun) to Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun) : 2.3 km / 1 hour. Another pleasant journey along Naksan. We now know that the new park at the Dongdaemun end of this mountain will be connected to the gate.


Seoul Village 2011

* about the names of the gates (daemun and somun), see the focus "Donuimun Restoration and Sadaemun Resurrection"

The fastuous and the furious : trimming down Seoul city's most embarrassing projects

Good riddance. Seoul city council, now dominated by the Democratic Party*, tuned down OH Se-hoon's least sustainable projects, starting with the opera house planned for 2014 on Nodeul-do : the gizmo was designed by architect Park Seung-hong as part of the Han River Arts Island with the outspoken ambition to make a splash (Sydney Opera or Guggenheim Bilbao style).

Does the upper half of Seoul need a world class shell for performing arts ? Certainly. But the whole concept needs reconsideration, and 'design' is neither the starting point nor the aim of the game.

I won't shed any tear on the embarrassing Namsan gondolas project either. If foreign tourists are at last flocking into the revived Korean capital, the Vegas line certainly won't sell in the long term.


Seoul Village 2010

* see "Oh Se-hoon V2.0"

Electric buses, Smart Chargers : Seoul is really getting serious

Last March, we mentioned a revolutionary technology tested by Seoul for its public transportation system ("KAIST unveils OLEV, the On-Line Electric Vehicle"). The capital city is also pushing aggressively more classic electric solutions : the first 15 electric buses will operate starting this November around Namsan, 34 during the first half of next year, and 3,800 by 2020, the rest of the fleet being converted to hybrid technologies.

The green color doesn't come as a surprise, but "more classic" doesn't mean "non innovative" : composite materials minimize the vehicle's weight, and batteries can be charged in only 20 mn for a 120 km ride (maximum speed : 100 km/h).

Seoul is also multiplying charging facilities for personal electric vehicles across the capital (government offices, large retailers) : from 41 to 130 by the end of this year !

Pilot payment systems (LG CNS solutions) are already tested in two Seoul City Hall annexes (Seosomun and Namsan) : car owners must register at the Seoul Metropolitan Government to enjoy Smart Chargers for free during the trial period.

Yeah, yeah, but as Germans know, electricity itself is not always clean. True, but city officials even prepared a preventive answer to that relevant claim : "even when considering greenhouse gases emitted by the power plant producing electricity, more than 40 tons of greenhouse gases can be reduced per bus in a year". And as we know, citizens will be able to measure the impacts (see "Clean Air Seoul").

Seoul Village 2010


* "Environment-friendly Electric Buses to Start Operation in Seoul"

Seoul city center in Namsan ? Heresy !!!

Seoul City plans to erect a monument at its precise geographical center, located by GPS two years ago at the feet of the Namsan Tower (N Tower) :



Why not indeed ? Provided the monument doesn't destroy too much wilderness in an area already plagued by the said tower... and provided it only celebrates the geographical center and nothing more. It doesn't take a GPS (nor even to fold a map) to know Yongsan lies at the center of modern Seoul.

Let me be clear : locating THE REAL CENTER of Seoul anywhere outside of the Sadaemun (Four Gates) area would be a monstruous heresy.

Picking Gwanghwamun itself would make infinitely more sense, and respect the origins of the capital city : the gate to the royal palace somehow symbolizes the starting point for Hanyang, which would later become Seoul.

The only rival I could accept would be City Hall : it's also a political center, but furthermore a symbol of democracy... and still within the Sadaemun limits, an absolute must for such a powerful symbol.

Last nail in the coffin of this new Namsan candidate : there's already one ugly monument to mark Seoul city center : Dorowonpyo (도로원표) signals the starting point to measure distances to other major Korean cities, very much like Notre Dame's "parvis" in Paris*.

Dorowonpyo lies on the tiny triangle of concrete next to Koreana Hotel, on Taepyeongno (see Seoul Village map). Between Gwanghwamun and City Hall (respectively 800 m and 400 m away), just opposite Cheonggyecheon, the river that cut Hanyang, the old Seoul**, and almost at what is undisputedly Seoul's most central crossroads : Sejongno Sageori.

But Dorowonpyo is also questionable : the location was chosen 94 years ago by Japanese colons ! Retrospectively, we're lucky they didn't select the exact location of Gwanghwamun itself : the occupants destroyed the gate to build their own headquarters, so beyond the historical starting point of Seoul, Dorowonpyo would also celebrate the Japanese Government-General Building !

So I guess I can tolerate a small plaque to signal the GPS center of XXIst century Seoul in Yongsan.

Seoul Village 2010

* sans le ugly monument, of course : a simple plaque does it. BTW : I was born in Paris and I understand the historical value of the symbol, but a religious reference like Notre Dame de Paris doesn't seem fit for a secular republic.

** I often joke about Gangnam not belonging to Seoul : and use, "Gangnam", South of the (Han) river, for "Gangcheon", South of the (Cheonggye) stream ! Apgujeong ? A Bundang suburb, I tellya ! Of course, I don't mean it totally : there are so many parts of Seoul I like South of Hangang.

-----

UPDATE 201005

This article on Seoul Metropolitan Government's website : "Namsan, geographic center of Seoul". I'm particularly scared by the expression "part of the city's beautification project for the mountain". Administrations have a knack for "beautificating" Seoul mountains.

Hoehyeon-dong overpass passed away

Another overpass is being removed in Seoul. As scheduled, the Hoehyeon Sagori concrete structure will disappear, liberating the view on Namsan Tower from the North.

This crossroads is often saturated : it cuts Toegyero at the exit of Namsan's 3rd Tunnel towards City Hall, right in front of Shinsegae, between Myeongdong and Namdaemun market.

The area is getting more residential, with 3 housing complexes nearing delivery : a SK Leaders View opposite the Department Store, a Lotte Castle behind Woori Bank building, and a Ssangyong Platinum next to LG CNS (Ssangyong is also growing an office building on the other side of that tower).

I won't say I'll miss the old Hoehyeon-dong, except for that quiet place guarded by a gigantic gingko tree. The crossroad area may become human friendlier, provided pedestrians are offered better and safer paths above ground. Under it, there's always that old shopping area if you're into corny paintings, vintage LPs, or stamp collections.

Without this overpass, more people may notice the proximity with the mountain in an otherwise green-free area. To make the invitation even more obvious, a small funicular was opened a few months ago, connecting the street with Namsan cable cars, higher on the hill.

I'm afraid it will take bigger investments in public transportation to compensate for the overpass and the flocks of new residents.

I think it would make sense to establish future connections with Yongsan-gu, particularly towards poorly served but soon to be redevelopped Huam-dong.

A silver lining over Seoul mountains

Seoul is rediscovering its streams and that's a wonderful thing. If only it did more to protect its beautiful mountains...

Few cities can boast such assets. They play a considerable role in Seoul's regulation from visual as well as environmental or cultural points of view. Granted, they create lots of congested bottlenecks, but they also provide fresh air you cannot find anywhere else, and give to the city its unique skyline. Skylines and landmarks do not necessarily consist of skyscrapers, remember ?

Mountains are a defining feature in Seoul's identity. The city should protect them and particularily their elevated forests, lungs of great esthetic value and key to Seoul's differenciation from other Capitals.

From where I'm writing, I enjoy everyday beautiful sunrises and sunsets on natural elevations, but still, bits of blocks of "appateus" spoil the view, emerging from behind the fortress.

Now most elevation points are artificial. Twenty years ago, every little hill had already its red neon cross at its top but at least, you could tell the shape of the land under the buildings. In too many parts of the city, I saw charming hills flattened, mountain tops chainsaw-massacred, forests of wood replaced by forests of concrete... This frenzy goes much too far beyond the normal "domestication" of a rather challenging landscape.

Natural mountain should be protected as natural treasures, and they are priceless for a city that intends to become an international touristic hub. No construction should be allowed beyond a certain point, and many atrocities should be removed. It was done on Namsan**, but less prestigious elevations are of the same importance for Seoulites.

I'm pleased to notice that recent real estate projects involving towers at mountain tops were turned down, the city recommending low rise constructions. This was only in order to enhance the visibility of the city fortress, and it won't deter all speculators (luxury positioning will further exclude former inhabitants), but that's a positive start.

Over the past few months, a few regulations brought some hope for the future :
- dividing a lot will not necessarily multiply the number of rights owners : this easy way of gaining a status of former resident will disappear, seriously curbing speculation
- associations of owners pooling for a redevelopment will have to be approved by the city : we may no more see competition between rival factions, and transparency should gain (some) ground over corruption
- obligation of devoting a significant proportion of low rise villa areas to public gardens : Seoul is literally suffocating in large areas completely covered with such compact buildings
- protection of certain areas with a high proportion of hanoks (traditional houses) : this stopped a few projects, like in Gahoe-dong
- ...

Prices did go down last year, as a combination of the worldwide crisis and measures taken by late President ROH Moo-hyun. But the bulk of the housing bubble remains, and its expansion seems to be even resuming.

As the housing market almost stalled last winter, President LEE Myung-bak tried to revive it by loosening regulations : reducting vital green belts, allowing higher constructions, lower proportion of green spaces... But now and at last, he seems to understand the necessity of cooling it down and prevent a massive and brutal collapse. During his mandate only, of course : it seems a little bit too late now. You cannot find any place in Seoul unspoiled by new town or renovation speculation fueled under his tenure.

As a Seoul Mayor, LEE did initiate some major projects with overall positive environmental impacts (Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Forest, bus corridors...), but he also unleashed too many private developments with tragic and long-lasting consequences.

Mayor OH Se-hoon doesn't have as many opportunities to shine as his predecessor, but he seems to follow a more impressionist path, multiplying small local projects, bringing change at a more human level.

Seoul is breathing a little bit better when overpasses are removed or about to be removed (ie Hyehwa-dong Rotary, Hoehyeon-dong Sagori, Seodaemun Station...), when car lanes are replaced by tree and bike lanes plus wider sidewalks (ie Bongcheon-ro in Gwanak-gu), when kids can play and cool down in water spring fountains everywhere, even if they can't afford overcrowded pools (which I dub "Salamtang").

Yes, water spring fountains are not necessarily environmental friendly (what to say about the latest Banpo Bridge extravaganza !).

Yes, sometimes the "Wellbeing" fad goes grotesque (ie these days : miniature rice paddies frying in their flower pots in front of Gyeongbokgung).

Yes, building a "green park" often deviates into replacing big old trees with pine trees that don't pump much CO², covering large patches of soil with a concrete plaza and disgracious metal sculptures.

But that's the way Seoul breathes, embracing change at an amazing pace, redoing things before they are even completed. And we've been waiting for this positive if clumsy trend for too long.

Let's hope that in the process, collateral damage will not prove too great and irreversible.


* a pair of old green appartments for foreigners was destroyed. Too bad they turned the tower in a color-shifting squid (the new and improved N-Tower should be called the 오징어 Tower).

Jongmyo - Changdeokgung reunited

Jongmyo visitors can join the Changdeok palace (or vice versa) through a small bridge over a busy 4-lane road separating both UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jongno-gu.

That miserable road, a long stretch between two beautiful places, offers little to see except the canopy, long grey walls, and intense traffic.

Two more lanes will be added, probably for public transportation (buses are often jammed there), but all traffic shall go underground : at last, both monuments will be reunited in a strong vertical and cultural green line.

Beyond Jongro and prolonging this new perspective between Bukhansan and Namsan, and forming a cross with the recently restored Cheonggyecheon, public gardens will replace the Sewoon shopping center (세운상가), a long and narrow rectangular monstruosity built in 1968.

A few blocks westwards, another urban nightmare, the Nagwon shopping center (낙원상가), will disappear and liberate Samil-ro and the way between the Unhyeongung and Tapgol Park (Pagoda Park).

At the macro level, the Insadong - Gwonnong-dong - Jongno-3-ga triangle is definitely changing for the better. But at the micro level, local authorities are unfortunately not doing anything to prevent whole packs of hanoks from being destroyed, or non descript three story buildings from being erected.

That's the difference between good initiatives and a great vision.