CRITICAL TRAVEL JOURNAL CAL POLY IN SOUTH KOREA
ARCH 445 SPRING 2023 ASHER TWU
Week 1 pp. 4-5
Bukchon
Dongdaemun
Starfield Library Jogyesa
Hwaseong Haenggung
Galleria Gwanggyo
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Museum SAN
Youngwol Y Park
Jingwansa
Changdeokgung
Jongmyo Shrine
Sosuseowon
Buseoksa
Hahoe Village
Sayuwon Donggung and Wolji Pond
Bulguksa
Inwangsa
LG Arts Center
Seoul Botanic Garden
Architecture firm visits
Jeju-do
National Museum of Korea
Lotte World Tower
Bongeunsa
Naksan Park
Everland Resort
Seoul
Bangju Church
Water, Wind, and Stone Museum
Podo Museum
Jeju Olle
Bonte Museum Templestay
Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls
Seongsan Ilchulbong
Yumin Art Museum & Glass House
Manjanggul Lava Tube
Oil Tank Culture Park
Jogyesa
Kangbuk Samsung Hospital
Seosomun Shrine History Museum
Forest of Wisdom
Mimesis Museum
Heyri Art Valley
ARC.N
Mass Studies Office Visit
Itaewon Streetscape
Wonnam Church
Saemoonan Church
Paradise City
Bukchon Hanok Village Joseon Dynasty Starfield Library at COEX Gensler (2017)
53 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Walking through Bukchon Hanok Village felt like I was walking through a vestige of the Joseon dynasty with the hanok or traditional wooden Korean housing surrounding me. This was a neighborhood in which many aristocrats and government officials lived.
I noticed that there was a clear divide between public and private realm in this district, with stone and brick walls or gates, which may have been a symbol of privilege or wealth. This would be further supported by its central location and close proximity to the two largest palaces in Seoul.
513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Starfield Library was a large two-story open space with lots of natural daylight streaming in from the glass ceiling. The wide span was achieved through metal trusses that also hold up metal screens to help diffuse the daylight so that it is not harsh and damaging to the books.
Gensler used a ceramic material that is inspired by natural oak wood for the towering bookshelves around the space, creating a warm feeling for reading and studying. The bookshelves also hide more private shops or cafes within that allow the space to have a variety of differently-sized spaces.
History Material Experience Space Food Program
It was an immersive experience and the historical buildings were preserved really well. I saw a lot of people in hanbok or traditional garment taking pictures in the various alleys and side streets.
There were many teahouses, cultural centers, and observatories, but they all required an entry fee, so we did not enter.
The local food was delicious. I tried a fried rice cake that was crunchy on the outside, but chewy on the inside, and it was drizzled with a rich spicy sauce.
I liked the use of the woodenlike ceramic material because it made the bookshelves seem like trees towering above our heads as we entered the space. It was a welcoming contrast from the white plaster of the underground mall.
Because the rest of COEX mall was underground with singlestory height ceilings, the sudden opening into this large atrium within the library made the sight even more breathtaking. I also liked being able to walk into the bookshelves and finding coffee shops or study nooks.
While it is advertised as a study spot and a place for quiet reading, I think the tourist attraction makes it not as effective of a library space. Most of the seats are on the second floor, but they are placed next to circulation zones without enough separation.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza Zaha Hadid (2014)
281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Dongdaemun Design Plaza was an artistic piece that could not be captured on camera due to its curves and undulating facade. The building itself is more horizontal, sticking close to the ground. Since each of the steel panel was custom-fabricated, the scale of the structure was very impressive. However, the building seemed to be designed as an artistic structure to be viewed from the outside primarily because the interior of the building was bleak. Many of the interior design choices such as the handrails seemed arbitrary.
Experience Structural expression Scale
The exterior of the building was impressive because of the large horizontal scale that contrasted with the low roofline. However, the interior of the building seemed to be an afterthought, and the spiral walkway was bland without any art on display.
I really liked the structural expression of the concrete below the main grade of the sidewalk. The concrete felt light while supporting the steel structure on top.
Even though the DDP is a large building, it did not feel abnormally large due to its low roofline. I could see the Seoul skyline above the structure. On the inside, however, I could feel the massive scale of the building due to the emptiness.
Jogyesa 1910 (Renamed in 1945)
45 Gyeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
First
piece; really relaxing to work on
I worked on a field report for Jogyesa with Zoe, so I learned about the history behind the temple and the Jogye order. As one of the few temples within the city center, Jogyesa has an unusual layout that it has been trying to transform into a more traditional temple layout. However, I think the temple layout being affected by the city organization is symbolic of Buddhism as a syncretic and accessible religion. When we visited the temple, the sky was filled with lanterns of vibrant colors in preparation for Buddha’s birthday on May 27.
Walking into Jogyesa with the myriad of vibrant red, blue, yellow, and white lanterns overhead was a mystical and enrapturing experience. The entire temple complex seemed to be welcoming Buddha’s birthday. Even though Jogyesa is in the middle of the city, it feels separate from the bustle.
A group of us entered Paradise Hall to meditate and pray for good fortune. It had been awhile since I had prayed in a temple, but I immediately felt at home and was able to find peace.
The food at Jogyesa Kitchen is affordable, fast, and refreshing! I have ordered both the cold noodles and the champion noodles (pictured above) and they were both delicious.
Hwaseong Fortress Joseon (1796) Suwon, Gyeonggi-do
On April 13, we made a trip to Suwon to visit Hwaseong Haenggung and the surrounding fortress. Honoring King Jeongjo and the tragic story of his father Prince Sado, the fortress serves as a defensive infrastructure for the city. The fortress was impressive in scale, as I was only able to walk a short segment of the perimeter. I found it interesting that the fortress was once an insurmountable wall, but has now become a cultural heritage site that adds to the modern cityscape that has expanded outside of the wall.
Anecdote Past and Present Circulation
The story of Prince Sado being locked inside a rice chest by his own father added some weight to the cultural importance and historical background of the palace and fortress.
Once a defensive fortress, Hwaseong Fortress was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. With modern Suwon on both sides of the wall, it now feels more like a cultural gate rather than an impenetrable wall.
During my time, I was only able to walk a short segment on top of the wall, but it was a nice walk with vantage points to various parts of the city.
Galleria in Gwanggyo OMA (2020) 124 Gwanggyojungang-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon
The Galleria in Gwanggyo is a building designed by OMA recently in 2020. While the inside is a standard department store, the most distinctive aspect of the building is the facade, which features a glass circulatory walkway that weaves through the entire building. This walkway takes visitors through the entire department store, along the perimeter, within, and outside over the public sidewalk at one point. Visitors who follow this glass path arrive at rooftop terrace, but it was closed when we visited the department store, so I was unable to see the view from the top of the building. In addition, there was a large park and pond behind the department store that connected with the eight walking paths around the city.
Innovative concept Disappointing reality Adjacent park
The facade of the Galleria was unique, and the interactive circulation invited passersby to walk through the entire department store, which would help with sales. I think the overall concept of the building was simple but effective.
I thought the walkway was less impressive on the inside. It felt like I was just walking through a glass tube, and I did not feel compelled to stop and shop at the stores I passed through. I also was not able to enter the rooftop terrace.
I personally liked exploring the adjacent park more because it was expansive and provided various activities such as stamp collecting. There were also many small structures scattered throughout the park that, given more time, I would have wanted to explore.
Gyeongbukgung Joseon Dynasty Foods! Best Hits from Weeks 1-2
161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Gyeongbokgung was impressive in scale and symbolism. As one of the main palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung is located in a central part of Seoul and utilizes strong fengshui principles to establish order and hierarchy. At the same time, Gyeongbokgung incorporated many walking paths through nature within the temple complex, providing a sense of tranquility within a bustling cityscape.
Culture and history Power and tranquility Scale
I was able to watch the changing of the palace guards which was a fresh experience. It felt like I was witnessing part of history and of traditional Korean culture.
Gyeongbokgung displayed a good balance between imposing power and tranquility with nature. It used strong fengshui principles with the central axis to establish power while backing the main palace complex with plenty of nature.
As one of the main palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung was an imposing palace complex. I walked around for an hour but did not walk through the entire palace complex.
Bongwonsa Joseon Dynasty (1748)
75-66 Bongwonsa-gil, Seodaemun-gu Seoul
I worked on the field report for Bongwonsa with Xavier. While Jogyesa was the headquarters of the Jogye order, Bongwonsa was the headquarters of the Taego order. Since the Unified Silla era, this temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, relocating to the outskirts of Ansan Mountain in the Joseon Dynasty. With various prayer halls, the most prominent building is the Samcheonbuljeon of Hall of Three Thousand Buddhas, which houses three thousand Buddha statues within. It also included 16 arhat statues, symbols of Theravada Buddhism.
Accessibility Tranquility Interior
Even though Bongwonsa is located on Ansan Mountain, it was a short fifteen-minute walk uphill from a subway station. The temple complex has wide rocky paths, but the most important Samcheonbuljeon is at the front of the complex.
Since the temple is up on a mountain, it is much quieter than Jogyesa. As it is lesser known to tourists and often mistaken for Bongeunsa by Google, we were the only visitors during our time at the temple. It provided a peaceful atmosphere for meditation.
The Hall of Three Thousand Buddhas invoked sanctity unlike other prayer halls I had been in. The air was fresher than the outside air, and the sight of three thousand buddha statues lining the walls begot piety.
Museum SAN Tadao Ando (2013)
260 Oakvalley 2-gil, Jijeong-myeon, Wonju
Museum SAN, aptly named Space Art Nature but also alluding to “san” which means mountain in Korean, is an art museum located in the mountains of Wonju. It featured a procession that is characteristic of Tadao Ando, a meditative hall (which I attempted to depict in a watercolor), and a James Turrell exhibition featuring four of his most famous pieces (no photos could be taken inside). While we were there, the museum had a special exhibition of Tadao Ando and his work over his career.
Procession Meditative experience Art gallery
The museum had multiple scales of procession, with the overall procession between structures, the circulation within the gallery spaces, and the guided tours within the meditative hall and James Turrell exhibition. While the building had me turned around a bit, I enjoyed the procession.
The meditation hall within the tomb-like stone dome invoked a secular spirituality due to the tasteful slit of light that cuts through the center of the dome. The James Turrell exhibition also provided contemporary spaces for meditation while enjoying the view of the sky and the colors.
I also enjoyed the permanent art galleries as they featured how paper was developed and innovated upon. The temporary exhibit celebrating Tadao Ando’s career also showcased various trace paper drawings and physical models that I could identify.
Youngwol Y Park 1910 (Renamed in 1945)
1467-9
Youngwol Y Park is a modern art museum that features many of sculptor Ok-young Choi’s works, including the “Wooden Star,” “Outer Space Garden,” and “Red Pavilion.” All three are pictured above. In addition, it featured art from Grace Park and Jeong-yoon Choi, and had spaces dedicated to the Beer Museum and a Coffee Factory.
The museum itself was surrounded by nature, which was reflected in the various art pieces throughout the exhibitions.
Jingwansa Goryeo Dynasty (1011)
Unlike other art museums, the structure at Youngwol Y Park was part of the exhibition of art. Okyoung Choi’s works were large and human-scaled projects that could be inhabited. Instead of walking through a nondescript space to look at art, we were experiencing the art itself.
The various structures and pavilions utilized light and color within their showcase. In the “Wooden Star,” the light created a dappled effect throughout the space. In the “Outer Space Garden,” light was reflected all around. In the “Red Pavilion,” red contrasted against the blue floor.
Youngwol Y Park featured a linear circulation with small offshoots from the main path. I lingered in some spaces for longer while passing by other spaces. The spaces ranged from small pavilions to large structures.
The westernmost of the four major temples in Seoul, Jingwansa is a temple that is more tranquil than Jogyesa because it is farther from the city center but still within Seoul. In addition, this allowed the temple to be larger and more spread out. It is fronted by Eunpyeong Hanok Village, which is a village designed as a traditional tourist attraction. While more tranquil, there was still a large event occurring while we visited the temple, with many participants and visitors wandering about. Like other temples, many lanterns were put up in celebration of Buddha’s birthday.
Quite quiet Surroundings Yep! It’s a Temple
Even though there was a large event occurring at the time of our visit, it was very quiet, most likely due to how spread out the entire temple complex is. In addition, the temple was surrounded by large trees, which helped as sound buffers.
With large trees, tall mountains, and streams all around, I felt like I was no longer in Seoul. I also enjoyed exploring the Eunpyeong Hanok Village after visiting the temple.
After seeing many temples in Seoul, I am able to see the similarities and differences between each of the temples. I think what made this temple unique was its non-axial procession. In addition, it has three small buildings that survived the Korean War.
Changdeokgung Joseon Dynasty
2-71 Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Changdeokgung was one of the Five Grand Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. It was built by King Taejong in 1405 as a palace that would blend in with the natural environment instead of imposing its structure. As such, Changdeokgung was not built on a central axis but was instead built according to the natural landscape, preserving the trees around it. Many kings favored this palace because it was quieter and more isolated from the bustle of the city; therefore, they could take a temporary respite from their administrative duties. I also felt the same when I visited as it was a very tranquil atmosphere.
Not Like Other Palaces Meditative Experience Feng Shui Principles
As opposed to the neighboring Gyeongbokgung with its central axis and imposing structure, Changdeokgung is more subtle as many of its buildings are hidden away within the trees.
Even though it was constructed as a palace, I felt like it also embodied some aspects of Buddhist temples because of how it adapts to the natural landscape and the tranquility of the entire complex. I was able to quietly meditate while I drew one of the pavilions.
Even though it was not organized along a central axis, Changdeokgung still embodied many feng shui principles through its harmonious relationship with the natural topography. Many of the pavilions also faced large bodies of water and were backed by tall trees for protection.
Jongmyo Shrine Joseon Dynasty
157 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest Confucian Shrine that is still preserved from the Joseon Dynasty. Jongmyo Shrine continues to be the venue for the Jongmyo Daejae where ancestor spirits are invited down from the heavens through music and dance. The shrine also houses tablets that depict teachings from various administrative officials and royal members.
When we visited Jongmyo Shrine, the main hall was under renovations so we were not able to see it, unfortunately.
Longest Wooden Building Path for Spirits Under Renovations
The Jeongjeon or Main Hall is supposed to be Korea’s longest wooden building at around 109 meters long. It features nineteen chambers for housing all the spirits and gods during the rituals.
An interesting aspect about the shrine complex was that there was a stone path that only spirits could walk on. Corporeal beings like us should not tread on the stone path. However, we saw many people, including workers, cross over the path (?)
Sad face :(
Additional adventures!
Yonsei University (1885)
Yonsei University is one of the major university in Seoul. It was the result of a merging between Yonhi University and Severance Medical School. It was also a prime proponent of the independence movement and modernization movement. I was able to see relics of these historical events while visiting the campus through the original buildings and statues memorializing specific events. I wrote a blog post about the prevalence of pungsu in Yonsei University’s masterplan.
Foods! Best Hits from Weeks 3-4
HiKR Ground is Korea Tourism Organization’s newest exhibition that aims to aims to promote K-culture. Arranged as a “playground,” the different floors each highlight a different aspect such as K-pop, K-drama, K-cinema, and K-art. Through different interactive exhibits and immersive rooms, I was able to learn about modern Korean culture and how it has influenced everyday life both domestically and internationally. Admission is free so it is worth a stop!
Eunpyeong
Village (2014)
Eunpyeong Hanok Village is unique in that it was created recently, specifically as a tourist destination. It is still a residential area, but the residents are fully aware that random people may visit their neighborhood before they move in. This Hanok village sparked an interesting discussion between my friends and I about the difference between tradition and authenticity. We agreed that this village embodied traditional concepts well but it was not authentic because of the reason for its development.
Sosuseowon Joseon Dynasty (circa 16th CE)
2740 Sobaek-ro, Sunheung-myeon, Yeongju
Sosuseowon is the oldest established seowon or Neo-Confucian academies in Korea. It was established by Ju Sebong and officially recognized by the government. It has been well-preserved with many of its original buildings and lodgings. During its active years, many men came to Sosuseowon to become seonbi or scholars who became government officials after passing the civil service examination.
After Sosuseowon was established, many other private seowon were established around the country throughout the Joseon dynasty.
Legacy Colors and Ornamentation Experience
As the first seowon in Korea, it established a new era of the Confucian Joseon dynasty, as Confucian teachings were no longer passed from individual to individual, but rather taught by teacher to students. I would argue it paved the way for modern schooling systems.
Some of the buildings were painted red and green, similar to Buddhist temples. Some of the buildings maintained the look of their construction materials. This separated the religious and secular buildings.
As part of their studies, seonbi were encouraged to observe nature during their breaks, so the complex is surrounded by nature. We were able to walk along the river and through a small cluster of trees, enjoying the fresh mountain air.
Buseoksa Silla (676 CE)
148 Bukji-ri,
Buseok-myeon, Yeongju
Also known as Temple of Floating Stone, Buseoksa was established according to the story of Lady Sunmyo. Lady Sunmyo was infatuated with Uisand during his time in China. When he had to return to Korea, however, Lady Sunmyo died and became a dragon to keep him safe. This temple is named after the stone that she threw from the heavens to extirpate the evils preventing him from returning home. The stone is next to the Muryangsujeon which is purportedly the second oldest wooden structure in Korea. The entire temple complex is spread out on the mountainside.
To harmonize with nature, the temple was established around the natural topography, leading to the buildings being built along the mountainside. It was quite a hike from the first gate to the main hall to the topmost prayer hall.
Despite the steep hike, the view from various points along the temple complex was amazing.
I enjoyed being able to see the entire temple complex from the top down, an sight you may not be able to see at many other temples.
The procession of the temple is fairly linear compared to other temples we have been to. Despite being built on a mountainside, there was a general idea of a central axis. In addition, the path leads us to walk beneath the pavilion holding the four temple instruments.
Hahoe Village Joseon Dynasty Hahoe-ri, Pungcheon-myeon, Andong
Hahoe Village is a traditional village that has retained much of its culture and spirit from the Joseon Dynasty. Hahoe, which translates to “returning river,” is strategically located within the bend of a river and has mountains to the North offering protection. There is a hierarchy within the village, with ordinary houses with thatched roofs and houses with tiled roofs for the nobility. In addition, there is a 600-year old Zelkova tree that is home to the Samsin, the goddess of childbirth.
We were able to participate in a tea ceremony during our visit, where we learned the customs of drinking tea and the everyday rituals of entering and leaving someone’s home as a guest. It was a novel experience and impressing.
We were also able to witness a portion of the Byeolsingut, which is a shaman ritual to pray for health and prosperity. It was surprisingly humorous and boldly commented on society.
We were also able to view Hahoe Village from above by hiking to the peak of Buyongdae Cliff. It was amazing to be able to see the feng shui principles of the village along with the general shape, which is supposed to resemble a lotus flower.
Sayuwon Various Architects (2006-Present)
1150
Sayuwon is an arboretum where art and nature combine to create a space for quiet contemplation, inspired by the pensive bodhisattva. There are many unique trees such as the zelkova and quince tree, and various pavilions and structures scattered throughout the park, many of them designed by Seung H-Sang. We spent half a day in this park with a multi-course lunch at the restaurant at the base of the park. The spaces all differed in material, site, and form, which allowed them all to create varying spaces that evoked different styles of quiet contemplation. I really enjoyed my time here.
Structures Nature Food
The structures all differed in scale, material, form, and context. My favorite one was probably the stone pavilion with a pond in the center (pictured bottom right). I also liked the bridge pavilion over the lake, but I was not able to enter due to time.
The air was refreshing due to the vast field of trees in the park. I enjoyed being able to walk through nature (without allergies, surprisingly) and just take the time to be in the present. The trees also separated the architecture, creating interstitial spaces for meditating.
I enjoyed the lunch we had at Sayuwon, though we got lost on our way out of the park, so we were a bit late.
Donggung and Wolji Pond Silla (674 CE)
102 Wonhwa-ro, Gyeongju
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond is a palace complex and artificial pond built during the Silla state by King Munmu. It is a palace with a unique layout due to the prevalence of water rather than walkable ground. However, it was still constructed with Taoist or fengshui principles in mind. Today, only part of the original palace complex still remains, but it still commanded a grand presence, especially at night with the lights illuminating the walls that hold up the various pavilions and palace structures around the pond along with the various treeladen artificial islands.
Nighttime Scenery Taoism Date Spot
I think visiting during the night added to the mystical nature of the palace complex, as the lights brought our attention to the palace buildings and islands rather than the vast amounts of water.
In Taoism, water is an important landscape feature because it represents flowing energy. Therefore, this palace embodies good flow of energy. In addition, the pavilions are all open on all sides to allow the free flow of air.
Donggung and Wolji Pond is a classic spot for couples to take a stroll around the lake and enjoy each other’s company. That was apparent when I took a lap around.
Bulguksa Silla (528 CE)
385 Bulguk-ro, Gyeongju
Bulguksa is a prominent Buddhist temple with a history dating back to the Silla state period. It is most prominently known for housing the Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas among other National Treasures of South Korea. It is close to Seokguram Grotto which we visited prior to the temple. This temple also had many more prayer halls than other temples as it honored various Buddhas and bodhisattvas. In addition, the temple is famous for having a square pathway where visitors can walk along the maze-like path while meditating, following the path to receive good fortune.
Contemplation
I really enjoyed the walking meditation path, as felt my mind becoming increasingly clearer as I followed the path. While simple, I think it was an effective way for people to focus on something simple, grounding their thoughts.
Stone pagodas Yep! It’s a Temple
I enjoyed learning the history behind the two National Treasures, along with how archaeologists found one of the oldest woodblock prints within one of them. I believe the pagodas are the highlights of this temple.
While the pagodas and walking meditation path were unique, it is still a temple. As such, it felt very familiar to me.
Addition adventures! Additional adventures!
Daereungwon
When the weather was nice, we took the chance to go to the Ichon Han River Park to relax and enjoy the scenery. There were many structures in the park, including the Root Bench by Yong Ju Lee Architecture (pictured to the left) and a large metal spiral. In addition, the park had a flower garden, a rollerskating rink, and a court of exercise equipment. It was nice to sit back and relax, enjoying the tranquility of the park scenery and doing some light watercoloring of the greenery around.
Seokguram Grotto is an artificial grotto that has been designated National Treasure No. 24. The main statue and surrounding stone sculptures, such as the Four Heavenly Kings in the rectangular chamber and the panels of bodhisattvas, arhats, and ancient Indian gods have been preserved since they were first crafted. We were able to look into the grotto from the adjacent building, but we were not able to enter as the monks were in prayer. The main statue was grand and impressive to look at.
Cheomseongdae is the oldest preserved astronomical observatory in Asia. It has been well-preserved since it was first built. Today, there are many theories surrounding the astronomical tower. Many believe that the stones and form represent various historical or astronomical beings. In addition, there are 12 rows of stones above the window and another 12 below the window, which could possibly represent the 12 months or 24 solar terms. There are 30 stones in line with the window, which could represent the days in a lunar cycle.
Also known as Tumali Park, this large complex houses the tombs of kings and influential nobles from the Silla State. While there are 23 tombs, which look like mounds of grass from the outside, only a few have been excavated. The most famous tomb, which were entered and walked through, is Cheonmachong. Within, we were able to see how spacious the tombs were since kings were buried with many of their belongings and other artifacts such as the famous Silla crown.
During our free time in Gyeongju, a few of us visited the Wooyang Museum of Contemporary Arts which had a special exhibition on Jean Jullien, who has developed a recognizable cartoon style. I loved walking through the gallery and seeing how he developed his style, especially with his 100 sketchbooks on display showing his drawing process and thoughts. In addition, the exhibition also included a section celebrating Nicolas Jullien, his brother!
During our stay at CM Park in Andong, many of us decided to go bowling at the bowling alley in the hotel. It was a fun experience since most of us were novices. We practiced our bowling techniques, celebrated each other’s accomplishments, cheered each other on when we hit nothing. It was a fun group experience where we played just to have fun and not for scores or for winning. The bowling was relatively affordable too.
Amorepacific David Chipperfield Architects (2017)
100 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Amorepacific is a major corporation in Korea that researches, develops, and sells beauty products. The Amorepacific Headquarters is a reimagining of their values as they have expanded over the years. Although the first three floors are open to the public, the rest of the building is for company personnel only. Fortunately, we were granted a private tour of the building and were able to go to the fifth floor garden and the top floor office space.
Inwangsa Joseon Dynasty
34 Tongil-ro, 18ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inwangsa is a more private Buddhist temple on Inwangsan that was adapted from a shaman shrine as a key defensive location for Gyeongbok Palace. Due to this history, the temple activities incorporate many shaman traditions and values. One of the most important places in the temple is the Seonbawi, which is an old rock formation that is believed in both mugyo and in Buddhism to be an auspicious rock. As such, many shaman rites and Buddhist prayers are held at this site.
Employee Wellbeing Materiality and Form Beauty
The fifth floor garden space and top floor office space provide lots of natural daylight and views to nature, so I believe it helps with employee health and wellness. The fifth floor, especially, allowed for quiet contemplation while listening to the sound of flowing water.
While the building is mostly concrete, the openness allows the building to feel light. Every space was open, allowing for plenty of natural daylight and views to nature, sans the meeting room for the top brass (which is interesting because it’s usually the reverse).
The Amorepacific Headquarters was simple, both in its architecture form but also its symbolism. Pictured above was its floor indicator which also depicted how the building relates to its surrounding context.
It was a steep hike to reach the temple and as the temple is situated on a mountainside, the entire temple complex was steps. We visited on a humid day, so it was quite exhausting.
After visiting Seonbawi, we climbed even higher to get to an observation point that is popular with locals for watching the sunrise of sunset. From there, we were able to see the city walls and also far out into the city.
It has a unique layout because it was adapted from a shaman shrine. However, the buildings had been retrofitted to be reminiscent of traditional Buddhist architecture.
LG Arts Center Tadao Ando (2022)
136 Magokjungang-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
The LG Arts Center is a theater and cultural performance space that was recently relocated to the new concrete architecture. The new LG Arts Center was designed according to three principles that Tadao Ando described as ‘Tube, Gate Arc, and Step Atrium.’ It featured classic characteristics of Tadao Ando’s architecture including a procession surrounded by tall walls, along with bold, but clean overlap of contrasting spaces. We did not enter the performance hall, but we walked around the lobby space, the terrace, the interior cafe, and the art exhibition area.
Bold contrasting spaces Architectural Detail Newly Opened
The building itself looks like the union of two buildings: a rectangular building with a round performance hall. Inside, there are balconies that intrude and “cut into” other spaces, as seen in the picture on the right.
Tadao Ando paid attention to the details of each material, expressing the concrete form ties in the main building and the planar wooden planks in the circular tunnel.
Maybe because it was newly opened or because there was not a performance scheduled, but the LG Arts Center felt quite empty.
In addition, some of the hallways were dark.
Seoul Botanic Garden Kim Chan-joong (2019)
161 Magokdong-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
Seoul Botanic Garden is the city’s first urban botanic garden, whose goal is to cultivate a communal understanding and awareness of the importance of horticulture and sustainability. The garden is divided into various gardens with different themes that cultivate at the Botanic Center or greenhouse. The greenhouse exhibits plants from 12 different cities from around the world. As we walked through the garden and around the greenhouse, we could see a variety of different plants, some I had never seen before. The greenhouse itself had an interesting architecture.
We quickly walked past the various gardens on our way to the greenhouse so I did not fully explore the spaces, but they seemed meditative with various nooks.
The greenhouse was warm and humid inside to house the various plants within. I enjoyed being surrounded by nature and by various plants I had not seen before.
I thought the architecture of the greenhouse was intriguing due to the triangular glass panels and the additional arch that stems from the main building. It reminds me of flying buttress architecture.
Architecture Firm Visits
Doojin Hwang Architects // BCHO // Iroje Architects
In weeks 5 and 6, we visited three architectural firms and heard about their design philosophy along with some of their more prominent works. With each firm, we learned more about how South Korea urbanized quickly and how architecture in South Korea has developed over the last five decades. Each firm had their own values, such as Doojin Hwang Architects emphasizing user experience and user wants, BCHO working in an architectural style that combines traditional architecture with the contemporary, or Iroje Architects experimenting with all sorts of formal and material expressions.
I really enjoyed Doojin Hwang Architect’s works. I especially liked the Castle of Skywalkers building they designed as training complex for a professional volleyball team. It prioritized housing, training, and exercise in properly daylit spaces.
BCHO’s philosophy of preserving traditional architecture resonated with me because it is a perspective that is more rare in the architecture world. I think hanoks among other traditional architecture should be incorporated into everyday life.
The head of Iroje Architects, Seung H-Sang designed many of the structures at Sayuwon, so I had personally experience of his architecture philosophy. I think he achieved them really well.
Addition adventures!
On the last day of our Gyeongju excursion, we visited Haeinsa, which is known as the second of the Three Jewel Temples in Korea. It houses the Tripitaka Koreana which is an entire Buddhist scripture carved onto 81.350 wooden printing blocks from the fourteenth century. I think the architecture of the storage house is interesting because it incorporates modern ideas of natural ventilation. In addition, Haeinsa featured a walking meditation path, which I walked through twice.
The Banul Story Cafe is a knitter’s dream as it is a cafe designed specifically for people to browse knitting and crocheting materials, buy them, and sit on the second floor to engage in their personal projects. In addition, the cafe is famous for its button cakes which either have red bean or sweet cream inside. I visited the Banul Story Cafe where I finally started learning how to crochet from a friend. I decided to start with a half double stitch bucket hat as my entry into the world of crocheting.
Space K is located in the newly-developed neighborhood of Magok. It is next to famous structures such as the Kolon One & Only Tower, the LG Arts Center, and the Seoul Botanical Garden. When we visited, Space K was featuring the abstract multimedia artist Donna Huanca. While I did not understand her art, I did appreciate the building because the entry and procession were carefully crafted to create a variety of scales and spaces.
National Museum of Korea (1945, 1996)
137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
The Gyeongju branch of the National Museum had a good assortment of artifacts and relics, including incomplete statues of Buddha and items excavated from the tombs in Gyeongju. However, we walked through all the exhibits in less than an hour, so it was smaller than I expected.
I presented on the National Museum of Korea with Ivan. The National Museum of Korea has a rich story and the modern building was built as a grand structure that adhered to fengshui principles but also focused on sustainability and lighting. As a National Museum, the goal is to not only preserve the history of Korea but to also cultivate a global network with other national museums. The main branch in Seoul featured six galleries that were free for visitors to see. We also visited the branch in Gyeongju (pictured to the left) during our Gyeongju excursion, which consisted of three main buildings.
Architecture
The Seoul branch of the National Museum was divided into six permanent exhibitions that was expansive enough to warrant several visits. The museum featured two Pensive Bodhisattva statues in a quiet contemplation room.
The architecture of the Gyeongju branch was a contemporary take on more traditional architecture with curved roofs. The architecture of the Seoul branch was a more monolithic style that looked to fengshui principles.
Lotte World Tower Kohn Pedersen Fox (2016)
300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu Seoul
Lotte World Tower is currently the sixth tallest building in the world and is the tallest building in the country with 555 meters in height and 123 stories. It is supposedly also to be known for having one of the fastest elevators in the world. At the base of the tower of Lotte Mall and Lotte World Mall. We visited Lotte World Tower and went up to the observation deck, the gift shop, and the cafe on the top seven floors of the tower, also known as Seoul Sky. Although Lotte World Tower also has the skywalk experience, I did not participate because it cost extra, and am afraid of heights.
From Seoul Sky I was able to see much of the urban landscape in all directions. However, I am afraid of heights, so I wasn’t able to stay focused on the views for a long time. Instead, I enjoyed browsing the gift shop and relaxing at the cafe.
Lotte Mall was a large shopping complex that was split into a luxury tower and a more affordable tower. The architecture of both buildings were grand with large atriums letting in plenty of natural daylighting.
I also walked around the park behind Lotte World Tower for a bit and watched the ducks for awhile. I liked that there was an expansive park with a lake right next to the tower to escape the bustling of the mall.
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Bongeunsa Silla (793 CE)
Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Naksan Park (2002)
41 Naksan-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Located at the base of Sudo Mountain, Bongeunsa is one of the two temples in the city center of Seoul alongside Jogyesa. However, since Gangnam-gu is a relatively new district of Seoul, Bongeunsa was planned as part of the urban infrastructure, allowing it have a large footprint to achieve the proper procession through the gates and have a strong north-south central axis. In addition, Bongeunsa hosts the largest statues of Buddha in Seoul, as pictured in the middle top. Bongeunsa is directly across from COEX shopping mall which I had visited during my first week in South Korea and visited again after the temple.
Accessibility Symbolism Yep! It’s a Temple
Like Jogyesa, Bongeunsa is very accessible because it was built in the middle of the city rather than halfway up a mountain. However, unlike Jogyesa, it is oriented like a traditional Buddhist temple, so I would say it is the quintessential temple.
Aside from the usual symbols of a Buddhist temples, the temple also had ceiling details (bottom middle picture) that depicted lotus flowers and swans and flowers. In addition, the scene of the giant Buddha statue with various statues behind him was impressive.
Bongeunsa was grand, with a large central axis and the largest Buddhist statue in Seoul. It included multiple depictions of the four heavenly kings.
Naksan Park is a municipal park on Naksan where visitors can see a portion of the old city fortress walls that protected Gyeongbokgung along with the city center. The wall stretches across the park from Hyehwamun to Heunginjinmun, stretching for around two kilometers. There are various pavilions scattered around the park for people to stop and catch their breaths or for people to exercise with the public exercise equipment. We had already seen part of the city wall during our hike up to Inwangsa, but being able to walk up next to and alongside the city wall.
A good hike
I thought the walk was a good combination of hill and flat ground. I liked that there were many places to stop and rest for awhile if necessary, along with the exercise equipment throughout the park. I eventually want to hike from one gate to the other gate.
Accessibility Views of the city
Naksan Park is accessible from Hyehwa station along with a few other subway stations and bus stops because it is a long-spanning park in the city center.
Naksan Park offers good views of the city on both sides of the city wall. I was even able to Lotte Tower in the far distance despite it being across the Han River!
Everland Resort (1976)
199 Everland-ro, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin
Templestay: Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center
On our free day, a group of us went to Everland Resort, the largest amusement park in Korea. It took around two hours to reach the resort park from our hotel since it was outside of the city. The park itself was expansive and featured various rollercoasters, rides, restaurants, and gift shops. We spent a fun day at Everland, riding various rollercoasters ranging from more intense rollercoasters to more relaxing safari rides. Similar to Disneyland, the park was divided into six themed sections featuring different architecture motifs and different attractions. We did not have time to fully explore every section, but we had a lot of fun.
Entertainment Food Merchandise
I had a lot of fun at Everland with my friends. We went on a rides including some water rides since it was a hot day. I was also able to enjoy a portion of the zoo and the safari ride where I saw elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and zebras!
The food at Everland was surprisingly more affordable that I expected. There was a good mix of stall foods and sit down restaurants through the amusement park.
I bought a stuffed capybara at Everland to remember my day. There were many stuffed animals, cute ear headbands, and various paraphernalia in the stores, which each sold slightly different merch in accordance with section of the theme park they were in.
On May 13-14, I was on a templestay program at the Lotus Lantern International Meditation Center where I experienced the Buddhist monastic life for two days and one night. During the templestay, I joined in morning, noon, and evening chanting; learned about temple customs and how to enter the prayer hall; meditated in silence for half an hour; went on a walking meditation around the mountain neighborhood; and had tea time with the monk. The templestay was a wonderful experience and granted me a new perspective on not only Buddhism and Buddhist traditions but about personal outlooks and the important things in life.
Refreshing the mind Buddhist rituals
The templestay allowed me to meditate in peace without having to worry about my school stresses or about my future. I was able to live in the moment and sense the world around me, valuing every moment as it came.
Learning life lessons
I learned a lot about Buddhism and about the customs that people practice such as how to enter a prayer hall (with a hapjeong half bow and three prostrations) along with how to eat my meals (quickly and in silence, and then washing my bowls and plates afterwards).
The most important lesson I learned at my templestay was about finding personal happiness. The monk said that monastic life isn’t for everyone, but that we are all just trying to find true happiness for ourselves. I think those words will forever change my outlook on life.
Seoul City Hall iARC Architects (2013) 31 Taepyeongno 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
We visited Seoul City Hall and received a tour through the old building and the new building by iARC Architects. The new building was constructed according to the old building, creating the parametric curve that we see in the facade of the building. Using special glass to keep the interior space properly daylit but not overheat, the new city hall featured one of the few successful vertical green walls in Seoul, with various types of plants. The building was built to mark a new era of architecture in Seoul dedicated towards sustainability while retaining the culture identity of Korea.
Parametric curves Exhibition and showcases History
My first impression of the curves of the new Seoul City Hall was of indifference. However, when I saw the plan and how it interacted with the old city hall building, I started to appreciate the curved facade of the building.
Our guide took us around the city hall and showed us some of the exhibits open to the public within. I think it’s super interesting that the city hall is also a museum open to the public along with having a few community spaces.
We were able to see many snapshots of history along with learning about the political history of Seoul while walking through the old city hall building. I liked that instead of demolishing the old building, they decided to maintain it as a living monument and testimony to their urbanization.
Bangju Church Jun Itami (2009)
113 Sallongnam-ro 762beon-gil, Andeok-myeon, Jeju
The first location we visited in Jeju was Bangju Church, also known as the Church of Sky. It is a private church that is in a more secluded location and is surrounded by an artificial pond. The interior of the church was a standard church with many rows of pews, but the views outside, especially with the reflecting water, created a serene experience for quiet contemplation and prayer. Next to the church was a cafe where we stopped and rested for awhile before moving on to our next location.
The facade of the building along with the color palette allows the building itself to blend with its surroundings: the water and sky. With a simple form, we could appreciate the surrounding nature.
I thought the procession in the rain was quite awe-inspiring because we had to walk over the artificial pond and alongside the pond to enter the church. Afterwards, we took a full lap around the pond to see the church from multiple angles.
Even though it was already quiet outside the church, it felt like the atmosphere became even more serene inside the church. Similarly, the cafe next to the church was cozy and welcoming in the strong winds and rain.
Water, Wind, and Stone Museum Jun Itami (2006) 79 Sangcheon-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju
The Water, Wind, and Stone Museum is a set of buildings each dedicated to the three characteristic features of Jeju Island. Jun Itami isolated each of the buildings and utilized all five senses to create an immersive experience where each thing was highlighted and celebrated. Since the three structures are on private residential land, we had to follow a guided tour to see the three pavilions
Podo Museum Kim Seok Chul (2011) 788, Sallongnam0-ro, Andeok-myeon,
At the Podo Museum, we experienced a exhibition titled “Yet, With Love” that discussed the various diasporas in the world and about the migration of people along with challenges they may face in their new place. Featuring various artists from around the world, the museum had various types of media to depict the stories of these humans both from their perspective but also from the perspective of the people who are already living at their destination. This exhibition served to honor these stories but to also enact change within the second group of people to push towards a community of love and acceptance.
The stone museum was a steel building that had rusted into a dark reddish color. Various stones were placed around the structure, both inside and outside, to allow for different lighting conditions to appreciate the stones.
The wind museum was a timber structure that allowed wind to travel between the wooden members to create a whistling sound effect. In addition, the building itself was slightly curved to further differentiate the movement of wind.
The water museum was a low concrete structure with a pond of water inside to allow for quiet contemplation while it reflected the sky through the oculus above. In addition, there were four animals guarding the pavilion.
This was probably my favorite museum of this entire study abroad experience because it evoked a multitude of emotions within me: of sadness towards the challenges that these people face but also of hope for a better future.
Within the museum was a living artwork by Yoko Ono that visitors could interact with by adding paint to it. It depicted a half-sunken refugee boat in a white room that would change over time as visitors added paint in shades of blue. It was cool to be able to take part in the art.
Throughout the museum, there was a mix of art ranging from paintings to full scale models to music to animations. I thought it was a wonderful selection of pieces that touched upon a lot of content while sticking true to the theme of “Yet, With Love.”
Jeju Olle Trail Jeju coastlines
We hiked part of the Jeju Olle, which is a long-distance footpath along the coastline of Jeju island that consists of many main routes and a few sub-routes. The Jeju Olle Trail is marked by a series of colorful ribbons tied around trees next to the path. The blue ribbon represents the sea while the orange ribbon represents Jeju’s famous tangerines.
We hiked part of the Jeju Olle Trail at the southwest tip of the island around Song-aksan, and we were able to see an extinct volcano Sanbangsan in the distance.
Hiking in good weather Jeju tangerines Jeju Olle
While it was raining during half of our stay on Jeju-do, we were able to hike part of the Jeju Olle Trail on one of the days when it was sunny, perfect for hiking next to the sea! The gentle sea breeze felt nice against the warm sunshine.
On our hike, we tried some of Jeju’s famous tangerines on our way up to the observation point. On our way down, we bought some tangerines to take with us. They were some of the best tangerines I have eaten.
I think the Jeju Olle is a great way to encourage tourism and increased activity all around the island. I think it presents an opportunity for people to explore each part of the island and enjoy the scenery of Jeju.
Bonte Museum Tadao Ando (2012)
I enjoy Tadao Ando’s attention to how visitors should enter and move through spaces. Bonte Museum is no different, as I enjoyed walking between the galleries and taking time to acknowledge the structure in relation to myself.
We visited the Bonte Museum which consists of five galleries that run through Korea’s history from ancient artworks to contemporary artworks to a special exhibition of Yayoi Kusama’s works (The Pumpkin and the Infinity Mirror Room). Like most of Tadao Ando’s other projects, there is a unique procession through the museum and between the different galleries characterized by tall concrete walls, a reflective pool, and moments for quiet contemplation. I enjoyed the architecture of the museum but I did not get as excited about the galleries as I have with other museums.
While I was not as excited about the galleries themselves, I enjoyed the chronology of the galleries as they progressed from ancient relics to more contemporary art. This is one of those museums where the procession matters.
I had never seen Yayoi Kusama’s sculptures in person before so it was a pleasant surprise to find an exhibit of two of her most famous pieces in the museum!
Additional adventures!
Morphosis Exhibition
We visited a Morphosis exhibition titled “Capsule 1” where we met the director of the Morphosis Korean office. He showed us around the exhibition which featured intriguing drawings that resembled sites in an abstracted format. I saw the flow of space and circulation of energy within the drawings. In addition, the director introduced a few projects that Morphosis completed in Korea, such as the Kolon One & Only Tower that I had passed by just a few days before. I really enjoyed the drawings within the exhibition because it inspired me to pursue the flow of energy within my own studio project,
Concert
During my study abroad in South Korea, I attended my first ever concert. Funnily enough, it was a British Australian artist rather than a Korean artist, but I still enjoyed the experience. It was a smaller building than had envisioned and I had standing tickets, but I was still able to see Ruel performing on stage with good acoustics. The hall also had balcony floor with fixed seating, but I imagine the ticket prices were more expensive. I enjoyed my first concert, and it was a novel experience. I think being in a new country pushed me to explore outside of my comfort zone!
Foods! Best Hits from Weeks 5-7
During our excursion to Jeju, we visited one of most capturable locations: the Arte Museum. Established by d’strict, it is Korea’s largest immersive media art exhibition with a total of ten different exhibition halls, each with a different feel. We walked through each of the artwork, which immersed us in different colors and patterns. The one on the right, titled “Beach” portrayed blue waves that washed over us in patches of illuminated streaks. Even though the concept was simple, we spent plenty of time within taking photos because every capture was unique.
Osulloc Tea House Mass Studies (2012)
15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju
Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls
Cheonji-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju
The Osulloc Tea House is a museum located next to the largest tea farm on Jeju, located in a gotjawal or at mid-mountain level area.
Osulloc Tea House is owned by Amorepacific, whose headquarters we had previously visited back in Seoul. The Tea Museum consists of a series of buildings in a scenic landscape including the main gallery and exhibition space, a tea store, two cafes, and an Innisfree house that sells skincare beauty products. The buildings are surrounded by an expansive landscape that includes a green tea field and a garden that people could sit back and relax in.
Tea tasting and buying Cafe Innisfree House
There is a section of the building where visitors can taste the tea brewed from leaves harvested nearby. After tea tasting, I bought a variety of tea as a gift for my parents, since my family is big on drinking tea.
At the cafe within the main building, I ordered a matcha ice cream and a double matcha baumkuchen cake, both of which were delicious with a strong matcha flavor. I think the cafe works really well to promote the tea industry.
Since the entire complex was owned by Amorepacific, there was also an Innisfree House, a skincare beauty brand by Amorepacific.
Innisfree specializes in selling products that contain ingredients from Jeju such as green tea or volcanic rock.
Cheonjeyeon Waterfall is a three-tier waterfall that flows from a cave. People can walk alongside the stream to see all three tiers of the waterfall. Along the sides of the waterfall, visitors can see the hexagonal form of old volcanic rocks. According to Korean legend, seven nymphs would descend from the heavens at night to bathe in Cheonjeyeon pond at the bottom of the first tier. As such, the Seven Nymphs Festival is held at this location. The Seonim Bridge near the waterfall also alludes to this Korean legend through the ornamentation on the side.
Short shaded walk Multiple vantage points Seonim Bridge
Within the hot, humid weather, the pathway was close to the water and mostly shaded, so it felt much cooler. The steps were a bit slippery from the water, so we had to be careful not to fall.
We could see the waterfall from multiple vantage points and observation points. I liked being able to see the waterfall upclose but also being able to see the expanse of trees around the waterfall when viewed from far away.
Seonim Bridge was an impressive structure to see as we approached it. The ornamentation was eyecatching. However, the bridge itself was exposed to the sun and was quite steep near the ends.
Seongsan Ilchulbong
104 Seongsan-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, Jeju
On the first morning living on the east side of Jeju-do, a group of us woke up early to hike up Seonsan Ilchulbong to see the sunrise over the horizon. Seonsan Ilchulbong, also called “Sunrise Peak” is a popular tourist destination and many visitors climb up the mountain early in the morning to see the sunrise. The landscape itself is a tuff cone that was formed from a hydrovolcanic eruption, granting it its unique crater shape at the top of the mountain. Even though the weather was hazy, it was still a unique experience to climb up the mountain and watch the sky gradually getting lighter.
Sunrise hike Accessibility Haenyeo Diving Show
I believe the sunrise hike is worth it. Even though the hike was relatively short, it is quite steep with steps the entire way. However, the views from the top, looking out towards the ocean and looking back towards the peninsula, were both spectacular.
According to our tour guide Sunny, not many Jeju natives have the chance to hike up Seongsan Ilchulbong for the sunrise, so it was definitely a series of fortunate events that led me to the top. It’s not the most accessible mountain, but I would recommend it to anyone who can.
At the base of Seongsan Ilchulbong, there is a haenyeo diving show where these women divers showcase their song and how they dive for seafoods and kelp. These women divers embody the spirit of Jeju.
Yumin Art Museum JAC Studios (2017)
Located in Phoenix Resort, Yumin Art Nouveau Collection is a museum featuring various glass art sculptures from the art nouveau movement. It was a small exhibition but the curation of glass art along with the vibrant interior lighting was captivating. After walking through the museum, I decided to try drawing a glass chalice with the color pencils that they offered near the end of the gallery. After the museum, we had a multicourse lunch at the nearby Glass House, which was designed by Tadao Ando. Both the museum and Glass House were made of concrete and had similar materiality and formal aspects.
Procession and Materiality Surrounding nature Glass House by Tadao Ando
Walking into the museum surrounded by tall concrete walls and flowing water features, it was reminiscent of Tadao Ando’s architecture. I think the architects for Yumin Art Museum were inspired by Tadao Ando, creating a beautiful procession into the building.
Phoenix Resort is quite pretty because it is on a cliff by the ocean. The rolling green hills, the blue sea, the concrete forms blending into the ground. We stumbled upon an abandoned candyland-style house, which was apparently the All-In House named after the K-drama.
The lunch we had at Glass House was exquisite. All five courses were delicious with high quality ingredients and cooked to perfection. I especially liked the dessert because it featured fresh tangerine mousse and raspberry sorbet.
Manjanggul Lava Tube
182 Manjanggul-gil, Jeju
Located in Jeju-si, Manjanggul Lava Tube is the twelveth longest lava tube in the world and has been designated a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is part of a larger system of lava tubes that were created by the Geomunoreum volcano. With many different lava formations such as lava stalactites, shelves, and the tallest lava column in the world, the Manjanggul Lava Tube was a fascinating place to visit and walk through. I could see how lava flowed through the tube by the lava flowlines along the walls, and I learned how different lava formations are created by the cooling and hardening of flowing lava.
Avoiding puddles Cool interior Lava column
Since there was limited lighting in the cave, I spent most of my time looking down to make sure I was avoiding puddles (though I still stepped in large puddles twice). It was actually kind of fun, but I needed to stop periodically to admire the lava formations around me.
Since it was a hot day, it was nice to be able to escape the heat and take a walk in a place that was cool due to being underground and due to the amount of water in the tunnel. I think the lava tube should be especially popular during the summer.
I spent much of the journey through the tunnel looking forward to the lava column at the end of the path since it seemed to be the biggest tourist attraction. It did not disappoint. It really is a wonder how the lava column was formed and preserved.
Oil Tank Culture Park RoA Architects (1976, 2013) 661 Seongsan-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul
We visited the Oil Tank Culture Park next to the World Cup Stadium in Seoul. Following the oil crisis of 1973, this complex was created as an oil storage facility. After it was decommissioned, the park was transformed into a cultural park and each of the six oil tanks was turned into a different program such as a performance venue or an exhibition hall. Various cultural events such as Seoul Fashion Week and Seoul Gourmet Week have been held at this park. Unfortunately, there were no public events being held when we visited, but we were still able to walk into the majority of the oil tanks.
Materiality
It was interesting to see the rusted metal of the oil tank and how it was painted in camouflage to hide it within its surrounding landscape. The materiality makes the park feel more industrial, and the interior spaces can get quite hot.
A bit empty Wide variety of programs
Since there were no events being held at the park when we visited, the oil tanks were all big and empty. think it would be much cooler to see how the different performances and exhibitions are organized within these oil tanks.
The park consists of mostly flex space for different cultural events. However, the main community center also includes a cafe and a library where visitors can relax. The beanbags were especially comfortable!
Addition adventures! Additional adventures!
Seogwipo Forest of Healing
The Seogwipo Forest of Healing is a meditative forest trail that allows people to heal their minds and souls from the stress of studying or working. The forest is known for its cypress and cedar trees. I enjoyed my time for the first fifteen minutes of my walk, before my allergies got really bad. I had forgotten to take my allergy pills because I had not had to since coming to Korea, so I personally did not have a good time. After walking through the forest, I got back on the bus and started getting a cold. In the end, while others enjoyed their time in the Forest of Healing, I felt the opposite of healed and felt worse after exiting the forest. I think would have enjoyed it better had I taken allergy pills.
Like Hahoe Village that we visited a few weeks ago, Seongeup Folk Village is an authentic residential district from the late Joseon dynasty. It featured low-sloped thatched roofs and a system of denoting whether someone was home to welcome guests. Three horizontal sticks meant they would not be back for a few days. Two horizontal sticks meant they would be back in the evening. One horizontal stick meant that they had just popped out and would be back soon. No horizontal sticks meant that the homeowner was home and that guests were welcome. Since I had gotten a cold from the Forest of Healing, I do not remember much else from this visit.
After watching the Haenyeo, women divers of Jeju, perform at the base of Seongsan Ilchulbong, we visited the Haenyeo Museum to learn about the stories of these women divers and the hardships they face. The exhibition showed examples of their matriarchal settlements, the evolution of their wetsuits and equipment, along with interviews with famous haenyeo. Our tour guide, Sunny, described the sorrow of this lifestyle and how it used to be a shameful career that people would try to hide even though these women divers contributed greatly to the livelihood of the people living on Jeju. As such, there have been a decline in women divers. This perspective has changed in recent years.
Right before we boarded a plane back to Seoul, we visited Dongmun Market in Jeju-si. Like Gwangjang Market, it was a market with food stalls and various types of souvenirs or memorabilia. At the market, I ate a pork roll with cabbage inside, some sashimi, and a puffed bread filled with Hallabong-flavored whipped cream. I really enjoyed the dessert, partially because I just love carbs, but also because I have always loved citrus-flavored sweets and Jeju’s hallabong orange was especially sweet. While I tried many different foods in Jeju such as their black pork, abalone porridge, and grilled mackerel, I think my favorite item was still the simple hallabong orange.
We visited Seoul National University on one of our free days after the Jeju excursion. There, we first experienced the cafeteria food, which was much more flavorful, affordable, and filling than the food we have at Cal Poly. Then we met Professor John Hong, who discussed the infrastructure of Korea as it pertains to the rapid construction of modern Seoul. Afterwards, we visited the Museum of Art by OMA. While the architecture of the museum was interesting, I also found architectural inspiration in many of the works displayed inside as certain paintings seemed to try to capture snapshots of households within a span of time.
Jogyesa at night Buddha’s Birthday
45 Gyeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
On Buddha’s Birthday, I visited Jogyesa at night to see the various lanterns before they were taken down. Weaving between groups of people and treading over puddles of varying depths, I eventually arrived at Jogyesa, where there were many tourists taking photos with the lanterns and locals engaged in prayer. Vibrant paper lanterns hung over the entire temple complex, with more unique lanterns placed all around for people to admire. Needless to say, Jogyesa was even more breathtaking and dynamic at night, evoking admiration and wonder, especially on Buddha’s birthday.
Once in a Year Event Yeondeunghoe Fast takedown
Buddha’s Birthday is a once-in-ayear experience, and seeing the temple decorated with vibrant lanterns all lit up at night was a wondrous experience. I would recommend anyone who is in Seoul during this period to stop by a temple, especially Jogyesa or Bongeunsa, to see this sight.
The Yeondeunghoe or lantern lighting festival was one of the biggest events during Buddha’s birthday, where boats of lanterns were paraded throughout the streets of Seoul. In addition, people can join and hold their own paper lanterns. Unfortunately, I was in Jeju when this happened.
The day right after Buddha’s Birthday, I saw workers taking down all the lanterns hung along the streets starting a month before. It reminded me of how radio stations start playing Christmas music a month before Christmas but immediately stop playing on December 26th.
29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
A series of unfortunate events led me to Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Like most people, I generally do not like hanging out at hospitals, but this hospital had lots of natural daylighting, views and access to nature, and an easy-to-understand layout, which helped to ease some of the tensions I had from being in a Korean hospital when I did not understand Korean. I was able to navigate where I needed to go and the entire process went smoothly. In the end, I discovered a prime example of good healthcare architecture, one that helps to ease anxiety instead of exacerbating it.
The hospital had a few elements of fengshui in its design such as the implementation of water streams and a rock formation that imitates a mountain to the north. In addition, there were various pockets of nature where people could relax outside and breathe in the fresh air.
Maybe it was fate that brought me to the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. While the hospital experience was not exactly happy, it was also not as stressful as I anticipated. I tend to find myself in an ER every few years, so hopefully this is my last time.
On Arch Daily, I found an addition by Hyunjoon Yoo Architects that resembled a resort more than a hospital reception because of the prevalence of daylight despite being underground. I could not find it and got lost, but I would have liked to see it firsthand.
Seosomun Shrine History Museum INTERKERD Architects (2019)
Seosomun Shrine History Museum is a newer museum below Seosomun Historical Park. It is a museum dedicated to Catholicism in the late Joseon dynasty, with many of the exhibitions and sculptures honoring the many martyrs or persecutions that Catholics faced against different regimes. Each of the exhibits had a different feel with various media to acknowledge the storied history of Catholicism in Korea, even though it is one of the most practiced religions in South Korea today.
Consolation Hall Sky Square Permanent Exhibit
The consolation hall was a dark space with low ceilings for quiet contemplation. I sat down and watched the three different animations they had prepared along with the introspective music. With little lighting, the space evoked a feeling of isolation.
The sky square featured many human-like statues that represent 44 Martyrs all standing against one side. It was quite a sight to see the 44 figures and the other half of the square empty. With an open ceiling, this space evoked a sense of freedom but also solidarity.
I enjoyed the architecture of the permanent exhibit the most because of the smooth curves between the walls and ceiling. With strips of artificial lighting and a reflective floor, the space evoked a sense of enlightenment and hope. Various texts were also displayed, which was thought provoking.
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Hoedong-Gil, Paju
Within Paju Book City lies the Forest of Wisdom, which is an iconic location featured in many K-dramas, including Yumi’s Cells. The Forest of Wisdom is a common library where books are collected and preserved from the collections of various influential persons. With floor-to-ceiling bookshelves making up every interior wall, there are books of every type and genre within the library. It is the first and largest self-regulated reading space established in Korea with an outdoor deck, a cafe at the center, a wide assortment of both Korean and English books, and plenty of reading room.
The Forest of Wisdom was one of the few places I was interested in visiting before I came to Korea. I had seen it multiple times in various K-dramas, the most prominent being Yumi’s Cells, and as a book lover, I knew that I would love the place.
Even though I could not understand Korean, I wanted to spend the entire day just wandering through each room and looking at the selection of books. I opened various books to skim the contents only to realize I did not understand anything, but the covers were really pretty.
The interior space was comforting with the wooden bookshelves, hardwood floors, and warm mix of natural and artificial lighting. On the outside, the exterior facade is rusted metal and concrete, a contrast from the warmer interior.
Mimesis Museum Álvaro Siza, Carlos Castanheira, Jun Sung Kim (2009) Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju
Heyri Art Valley (1998)
The Mimesis Museum is a museum where the building becomes a piece of art. Consisting of three floors, the museum is most well-known for its entirely-daylit third floor. As such, the museum times also fluctuate with the rising and falling of the sun. With reflective wooden floors and white concrete walls, I could see each of the architectural forms and how they overlapped, collided, or weaved between each other to diffuse the natural lighting from the ceiling and create viewpoints from various parts of the museum to other parts. While there was art displayed on the walls, as an architecture, the building itself was the most interesting.
Difference in lighting
The first floor attempts to imitate the beauty of natural diffuse lighting on the third floor, but there was a big difference between the two floors. The natural lighting was so much more even and encompassing.
Unexpected forms
Art encased within
The form of the building was unpredictable, providing various interior windows between curved walls and contrasting areas of light and shadows. The interplay of lighting within the museum made every scene and snapshot of the museum an abstract cubism painting.
Aside from the architecture, the various paintings within were also thought-provoking, with the one I liked the most shown above. I liked the use of colors, which paired well with the diffuse natural lighting of the architecture.
Also in Paju-si is the Heyri Art Valley, an artistic community near the border between North Korea and South Korea. Planned as an art settlement between hundreds of cultural artists, the village became a great community for the production, exhibition, selling, and habitation of cultural art. The buildings in the village were designed by various architects and architecture firms from around the world. As such, the buildings themselves also contribute to the artistic atmosphere of the village, making Heyri Art Valley a great tourist destination.
Exhibitions inside Fun activities
Many of the exhibitions in the village required an entry fee that could either be waived or discounted if you buy something from the attached cafe. I visited four different museums, which each featured a different concept. I especially liked the Hangil Book Museum.
Lots of pizza
Alongside exhibitions, there were various activities that I could engage in, such as pottery making, thrift shopping, and stamp making. There were also various cafes and small shops scattered throughout the village, though much of them were closed on the day we visited.
Surprisingly, pizza restaurants were really common in Heyri Art Valley. The Gorgonzola pizza and margarita pizza my friends and I had for lunch was tasty. The cafes we visited also each had a unique atmosphere.
Foods! Best Hits from Weeks 8-9
ARC.N Book Sinchon Branch
13 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
While out shopping in Sinchon, my friends and I happened upon a bookstore called ARC.N Book that was much more than just a bookstore. Located on the twelveth floor of a department store, we walked into a haven for someone who loves wide open spaces with books and stationery and a cafe, in other words, me. We had to pass through the bookstore to get to the sky garden, but I stopped and browsed all the various books and items in the store for awhile before finally making my way to my original destination.
Exposed structure Books and lifestyle Sky garden
The bookstore creates an open space by exposing the wooden columns and metal wire cross bracing between columns. The entire space felt warm due to the profuse light and the prevalence of wood. In addition, there was a quiet reading space located on one side of the bookstore.
Aside from the books, which were placed in a way that encouraged me to pick up every cover that caught my eye, I was also enamored by the various stationery because it struck a balance between sophisticated and cute. I could probably spend a few hours just browsing everything.
When we got to the roof, we walked through a tree-laden path to reach the sky garden which was an expansive patio space. Although we couldn’t see much of the city due to the tall buildings around, I thought it was a relaxing space because it was many floors above the bustle of Sinchon.
Itaewon Streetscape Mass Studies Office Visit
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Hoenamu-ro, 44ga-gil,
Yongsan-gu, Seoul
After having visited many of Mass Studies projects such as Space K and Osulloc Tea Museum on Jeju, we met with Cho Minsuk, founder of Mass Studies. He talked about his experiences practicing architecture in various countries, showed us some of his projects, and then took us on a tour around his office. Surprisingly, we spent a bit more than two hours on this tour visit when the other tour visits had only been an hour at most, but time seemed to pass quickly while listening to his journey as an architect along with seeing all his projects that were formally captivating and diverse.
Big hike Office layout
It was quite a hike to get to his office, and most of us were exhausted when we finally arrived. However, he was gracious enough to turn off the air conditioning for us, so we were able to cool down in the meeting room.
So many projects
I really liked the office layout because it utilized a small footprint efficiently. It consisted of two work floors and a basement floor where large meetings take place and large models are stored. Even though it was underground the space felt open due to the double-height ceiling.
While he was showing his projects, I realized that I had seen many of Mass Studies’s projects either in passing or in photos. In addition, I really liked that each of the projects was formally different and focused on different parts of the context as necessary.
Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
After the Mass Studies firm visit, my friends and I walked through Itaewon where we discovered many architecturally interesting buildings such as one with a parametric facade reminiscent of something I had once made in Grasshopper, and a building whose cladding alluded to the De Stijl movement, specifically Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow.” While walking across a bridge over the main street, we also saw the sunset behind Namsan and the N Seoul Tower, which was a beautiful sight.
Architecture landscape The neighborhood Hills
Unlike Gangnam which also featured interesting architecture, the streetscape of Itaewon felt more comfortable. It did not feel like the buildings were competing with each other to be the most visually appealing. Instead, each building offered something different but complementary.
Itaewon is known as a central hub for foreigners in Seoul, which we could see from the prevalence of non-Korean restaurants and the various languages we heard as we walked down the street.
Itaewon is a hilly neighborhood that is similar to San Francisco. Many of the buildings are built in a way where the ground floor is always changing and buildings may connect to each other on different floors. As such, it was a bit hard to walk around, but luckily, there were elevators.
Wonnam Church Mass studies (2022) 23 Changgyeonggung-ro 22-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
We visited the Mass Studies’s newly-built Wonnam Church, which is dedicated to Won Buddhism. Won Buddhism focuses on the unity and oneness of life, opting to represent and acknowledge the circle as the “infinite mind-essence” of Buddha rather than worship a statue of Buddha. Won Buddhism aims to view Buddhism through a secular and material scope that differs from conventional Buddhism. As such, it is concerned with technology, globalization, and various social issues such as women’s rights. After having heard about the building from Minsuk Cho, it was fulfilling to see the building and explore it personally.
Mass Studies’s presentation Architectural procession Access and equality
During our visit to Mass Studies’s office, Minsuk Cho gave us a short presentation on the building, which highlighted its lighting, procession, and open circulation. It made me very interested in the building, which did not disappoint.
The procession through the building is not entirely linear and provides a lot of space for meandering. I stumbled upon many spaces and was caught pleasantly surprised whenever I entered a new room.
I really like that Won Buddhism is focused more on secular life, providing equality towards everyone. I think the open access ways of the architecture really complements the ideology of the religion it is dedicated towards.
Saemoonan Church (1887, 2013)
79 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Saemoonan Church was the first church established in Korea, helping bring Christianity into the country. In addition, it has promoted mission work, helping spread Christianity even further. It was founded by Underwood, the same person who founded Yonsei University. We visited Saemoonan Church and had a tour around the main cathedral on the fourth floor. Then, we visited the historical museum on the ground floor where we learned about the entire history of the church. However, there was much of the building we did not get time to explore since there were thirteen floors.
Grand congregation Circulation down History
The grand cathedral space was impressive, with a large organ within the walls and many rows of pews. I really liked the curved details on the organ, and the entire space felt bright despite not having many windows.
To promote community interaction, instead of escalators or grand elevators to take people down, the church decided to install sloped walkways so that people could talk with each other while they walked down to the lobby, which I thought was a really good idea.
This church and Christianity in general have very storied histories. I found it really interesting and loved to hear about the different reverends, but I was also not expecting a long history lesson so it caught me off guard.
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Paradise City
Yeongjonghaeannam-ro 321beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon
With some of the remaining money from this trip, we visited Paradise City from Single’s Inferno and went to Cimer and Wonderbox. Cimer featured indoor jjimjilbang or dry saunas with swimming pools and spas. We were allowed to spend six hours within Cimer which was a good amount of time to explore everything within. After Cimer, we visited Wonderbox which was the indoor amusement park. Despite being in a small footprint, Wonderbox had a lot of attractions. Paradise City also had other buildings such as the art museum, Chroma nightclub, and the hotel, but we did not have time to explore them all.
While I am not a water person, I still enjoyed my time in Cimer because of the jjimjilbang. I enjoyed relaxing in the saunas, with my favorite being the 27oC hinoki room and the 50oC ocher room. I also took a nap in the relaxation room!
Despite being entirely indoors all day, I had a lot of fun. Wonderbox featured a bunch of attractions that rivaled outdoor amusement parks and even had a ropes course that was a novel experience
Wonderbox and Chroma are buildings by MVRDV and resembled draped cloths. I also really liked the mashup of architectural styles in the hotel area, as it reminded me of the Las Vegas Strip.
Additional adventures!
Myeongdong Cathedral (1898)
Myeongdong Cathedral was the first Roman Catholic church in Korea and is also known for being the first Gothic architecture in Korea. It was designated as Historical Site No. 285 in Korea. Today, Myeongdong Cathedral is a grand piece of architecture that continues to stand out, and it provides various services and mass in different languages including Chinese, Japanese, and English. The building itself is organized in the classic cross shape with stained glass art of the twelve apostles near the apse. Like many Gothic buildings, it is more vertical than it is wide, and it features notable features like ribbed vaults inside and flying buttresses on the exterior.
On our final full day in South Korea, we visited the Floating Islands in the Han River as a class. Specifically, we had out farewell dinner buffet at Chavit Cuisine. According to the internet, the three floating islands are supposed to represent the different stages of flowers and lanterns: the Seed, the Bud, and the Blossom, with various programs such as performance halls, fancy restaurants, and exhibition spaces inside. The buffet itself was very fancy and quite overwhelming when first walking in. I think we all fully enjoyed our last night together in Seoul, and it was a good way to cap off the quarter, especially being able to see the water show from our room in the restaurant.
I found Doochae Cafe while searching for nearby cafes after visiting Wonnam Church. However, it turned out to be quite an architectural find due to its unique exterior expression and variety of spaces within. In addition, the food was good and the atmosphere on the fourth floor terrace was relaxing. Doochae Cafe is actually two buildings, a concrete building with various fenestrations of different sizes protruding forward, and a lower brick building with greenery covering it. Despite the two very different exterior appearances, the interior transition is much smoother, with a central staircase tying the two buildings together. Doochae also offered something called a “ceramics stay.”
