Insa-dong
Insa-dong is a dong, or neighborhood of the Jongno-gu district of Seoul. The main street is Insadong-gil, connected to a multitude of alleys that lead deeper into the district, with modern galleries and tea shops. At one time it was the largest market for artworks in Korea. In area, 12.7 hectares, the district is bordered by Gwanhun-dong to the north, Nagwon-dong to the east, Jongno 2-ga and Jeokseon-dong to the south, Gongpyeong-dong to the west. Insadong was two towns whose names ended in the syllables "In" and "Sa", they were divided by a stream. Insadong began 500 years ago as an area of residence for government officials. During the early period of the Joseon Dynasty, the place belonged to Gwanin-bang and Gyeonpyeong-bang - bang was the name of an administrative unit during the time - of Hanseong. During the Japanese occupation, the wealthy Korean residents were forced to move and sell their belongings, at which point the site became an area of trading in antiques. After the end of the Korean War, the area became a focus of South Korea's artistic and cafe life.
It was a popular destination among foreign visitors to South Korea during the 1960s, who called the area "Mary's Alley". It gained in popularity with international tourists during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In 2000 the area was renovated, after protest, the rapid modernization of the area was halted for two years beginning that year. In recent years the backstreets of Insadong have continued to be gentrified with cafes, garden restaurants, traditional pension-style accommodations. Insadong-gil is "well known as a traditional street to both locals and foreigners" and represents the "culture of the past and the present", it contains a mixture of historical and modern atmosphere and is a "unique area of Seoul that represents the cultural history of the nation." The majority of the traditional buildings belonged to merchants and bureaucrats. Some larger residences, built for retired government officials during the Joseon period, can be seen. Most of these older buildings are now used as shops. Among the significant buildings located in the area are Unhyeongung mansion, Jogyesa - one of the most significant Korean Buddhist temples, one of Korea's oldest Presbyterian churches.
The area is well known for sightseeing, with 100,000 visitors on Sundays reported in 2000. Insadong is a visiting spot for foreign dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II and the princes of Spain and the Netherlands, it contains 40 percent of the nation's antique shops and art galleries as well as 90 percent of the traditional stationery shops. Noteworthy is Tongmungwan, the oldest bookstore in Seoul, Kyung-in Art Gallery, the oldest tea house. There are daily calligraphy demonstrations and pansori dancing performances. Ssamzigil, a shopping mall that concentrates in specialty stores of handcrafts, is a prominent destination in Insadong, it opened in 2004. Unhyeon Palace, Bosingak bell pavilion, Jongno Tower can be found in this area. Samcheongdong is a nearby dong with an art scene. One of Insadong's more recent attractions, the Asia Eros Museum, opened in 2004, is purportedly South Korea's first museum devoted to sex. There is an express bus to the resort island of Namiseom where the popular Korean Drama Winter Sonata was filmed.
The area is on the Seoul list of Asia's 10 greatest street food cities for the gimbap, bungeoppang. There are three information centers which offer information or information materials about Insa-dong and Seoul in Insa-dong, they are the Insadong P. R Center, North Information Center, South Information Center. N-info Center and S-info Center are located at the south entrances of Insa main street. Insa P. R Center is located on the opposite side of a well-known shopping center in Insadong. At the Insa P. R Center, visitors can have a hanbok experience. Jonggak Station Jongno 3-ga Station Anguk Station ☆Way out #6In January 2013, the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation published free guidebooks in three languages: English and Chinese, which features eight tours as well as recommendations for accommodations and shopping centers; these were distributed from information centers in 44 subway stations, namely Itaewon Station on Line 6 and Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5. The tours are designed with e.g. Korean traditional culture.
Which goes from Jongno 3-ga Station to Anguk Station and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 that showcases antique shops and art galleries of this area. Daehangno Jongno-gu Giordono, Joe. "In Seoul, the Insadong experience is not to be missed". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2009-07-08. "Insa-dong Cultural Festival Brightened by Renovations". The Korea Times. 2000-10-14. Retrieved 2009-07-08. Kimm, Jong-soung. "The Insadong District in Seoul: An Urban Design Proposal". In Davidson, Cynthia C. AnyWise. New York, N. Y.: MIT Press. Pp. 100–105. ISBN 0-262-54082-7. Krich, John. "Decision to Stop Building in Insadong Triggers a Battle Over What to Save". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2009-07-08. Moon, So-young. "Something alluring stays on art street. JoongAng Ilbo. Retrieved 2009-07-08. "Renovated Insa-dong Avenue Beckons Popular Visitors". The Korea Times. 2000-10-17. Retrieved 2009-07-08. Ch'oe, Chun-sik.
Nowon District
Nowon District is a residential district of Seoul, South Korea, Located in the northeastern part of the metropolitan city. It has the highest population density in Seoul, with 619,509 people living in the area of 35.44 km². Nowon District is bordered on the northeast; the Jungnangcheon flows through the western part of Nowon. The Gyeongchun and Gyeongwon Lines of Korean National Railroad and the Seoul Metropolitan Subway lines four and seven pass through Nowon District. Nowon District is home to numerous educational institutes such as Kwangwoon University, Sahmyook University, the Korea Military Academy, Sejong Science High School, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Induk University and Seoul Women's University; the large number of schools and hagwon have given the "gu" the reputation of being the so-called "educational district" of northern Seoul, just like Gangnam and Seocho Districts of southern Seoul. Kim Seong-Hwan of Democratic Party had been the mayor of the district from July 2010 to February 2018, when Kim resigned to run for the by-election of a National Assembly seat held in the district, vacated by Ahn Cheol-soo’s resignation.
Kim’s bid was successful and the mayoral office is succeeded to Oh Seungrok a member of Democratic Party. In April 2013, multiplex cinema CGV Junggye opened in Junggye-dong. Gongneung-dong 1∼2 Hagye-dong 1∼2 Junggye bon-dong Junggye-dong 1∼4 Sanggye-dong 1∼10 Wolgye-dong 1∼3 school and university in Nowon: Asia Pacific International School Seoul National University of Science and Technology Kwangwoon University KorailSeoul Subway Line 1 ← Wolgye — Kwangwoon University — Seokgye → Seoul MetroSeoul Subway Line 4Danggogae — Sanggye — Nowon → Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit CorporationSeoul Subway Line 6 ← Seokgye — Taereung — Hwarangdae → Seoul Subway Line 7 ← Suraksan — Madeul — Nowon — Junggye — Hagye — Gongneung — Taereung → Huaping, China Cairo, Egypt Milan, Italy Jungwook Hong Official website of the District Office of Nowon-gu
Han River (Korea)
The Han River or Hangang is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok and Nakdong rivers. The river begins as two smaller rivers in the eastern mountains of the Korean peninsula, which converge near Seoul, the capital of the country; the Han River and its surrounding area have played an important role in Korean history. The Three Kingdoms of Korea strove to take control of this land, where the river was used as a trade route to China. However, the river is no longer used for navigation, because its estuary is located at the borders of the two Koreas, barred for entrance by any civilian; the river serves as a water source for over 12 million Koreans. In July 2000, the United States military admitted to having dumped toxic chemicals in the river, causing protests; the lower stretches of the Han River are lined with pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, public parks and restaurants in Seoul. In a 2011 survey conducted by Seoul Development Institute of 800 residents and 103 urban planning and architectural experts, 51.3 percent of residents and 68.9 percent of experts voted the river the second most scenic location in the city, following Mount Namsan in the top spot.
The Han is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River, which originates in Mount Daedeok, the Bukhan River, which originates on the slopes of Kumgang Mountain in North Korea. The River flows through Seoul and merges with the Rimjin River shortly before it flows into the Yellow Sea; the two major branches of the river, the Namhan River and the Bukhan River, come together at Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi province, at which point it is referred to as the Han River. It passes through Seoul and continues on to the Yellow Sea. Broad tidal flats can be found at the mouth of the Han River, where it meets the sea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone that divides South and North Korea; the total length of the Han River is 494 kilometres. Although it is not a long river, the lower Han is remarkably broad for such a short river. Within Seoul city limits, the river is more than 1 kilometre wide. Prior to the construction of a number of major dams, the river was known for its huge coefficient of river regime of 1:390.
The Namhangang is sometimes, but not always, referred to as the "Han" in South Korea. The term "South Han" is understood irrespective of. Though "Namhan" and "Bukhan" are homophones with the acronyms Namhan and Bukhan, used in South Korea, this is a mere coincidence; the hanja for the Han River is not 韓 but 漢. The reason behind this is because the meaning of the native Korean "han", in this instance meaning "great" "large" "wide", was transliterated into Hanja with the character 漢 meant "large", thus showing the reason why the river used the word 漢 instead of 韓, it is easily mistaken with the use of 漢 in Seoul's older name, "漢城" where 漢 does not refer to Chinese people, but refers to the idea of Seoul being the "walled city on the Han". As a result, Koreans use 漢 because 韓 and 漢 sound the same, but the meaning is 韓, not "Han Chinese". Han River has been called by different names through the course of Korean history. During the period of the Han Commanderies on the peninsula and the early part of the three kingdom's period the river was referred to as the Daesu.
The state of Goguryeo called it the Arisu. Baekje called it the Ungniha; the Han River has played a central role in Korean history from the earliest times. The kingdom of Baekje was the first to lay claim to the Han River, recognizing its strategic significance as a primary waterway linking the central western region of the peninsula with the Yellow Sea, it was recognized for the river's fertile alluvial banks, a relative rarity on the mountainous peninsula. Pungnaptoseong, located south of Seoul, is posited as an early capital of Baekje, it was not long before the region near the effluence of the Han River with the Yellow Sea, around present-day Seoul, became a bone of contention between Baekje and the rising kingdom of Goguryeo. During the reign of its King Jangsu Goguryeo wrested the western terminus of the Han River from its rival Baekje; the ensuing decades would see a tug-of-war over the region until 551 when Baekje, in an alliance with Silla, confirmed its control over the Han River basin.
But this alliance was not to last, in 553 Silla broke its alliance with Baekje to seize control of the entire river as part of its bid for domination of the peninsula. With the demise of both Baekje and Goguryeo and the unification of the peninsula under Silla in 668, the Han River entered its long era as a "Korean river", first under the control of Unified Silla of the succeeding Goryeo dynasty, as part of the Joseon dynasty. During the Joseon period the Han River achieved new prominence as the primary waterway of the new Korean capital of Seoul called Hanyang. During the Korean war the South Korean military destroyed the Han Bridge; the Han River now belongs to the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, with its effluence in the Yellow Sea a few nautical miles from North Korea (though some of the river's tributa
Jungnang District
Jungnang District is one of the 25 gu, or districts, of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River; the mayor of this district is Moon Byung-kwon since his election in July 2006. Junghwa-dong 1, 2 Mangu-dong 3, Bondong Muk-dong 1, 2 Myeonmok-dong 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, Bondong Sangbong-dong 1, 2 Sinnae-dong 1, 2 KORAILJungang Line ← Jungnang — Sangbong — Mangu — Yangwon → —Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit CorporationSeoul Subway Line 6 ← BonghwasanSeoul Subway Line 7 ← Meokgol — Junghwa — Sangbong — Myeonmok — Sagajeong — Yongmasan → Cheongwen, China Administrative divisions of South Korea Official site
Geumcheon District
Geumcheon District is one of the 25 gu of Seoul, South Korea. It was created from southern parts of Guro-gu and tiny sections from Gwangmyeong in 1995, its district office is located in front of Siheung Station, now Geumcheon-gu Office Station, in Siheung-dong. Geumcheon-gu is located in the southwest corner of the city, south of the Han River, it is bordered on the west by the Anyang River, on the east by Gwanak Mountain, a dominating part of Seoul's southern skyline. Many technology companies are housed in Geumcheon-gu and several large headquarters are located here, albeit the income level of Seoulites here is lower than average; the Gyeongbu railway from Seoul station to Busan Station passes through, as well as Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 7. The mayor of this district has been Cha Sung-su since July 2010. Gasan-dong Doksan-dong Siheung-dong Dreaming Tree is a Hue cafe-a youth cultural space-operated by Geumcheon-gu Office. KorailSeoul Subway Line 1 ← Gasan Digital Complex—Doksan—Geumcheon-gu Office → Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit CorporationSeoul Subway Line 7 ← Gasan Digital Complex → Official site Universities Graduate Schools Seoul University of Buddhism Highschools Geumcheon Highschool Doksan Highschool Dongil Girls' Highschool Dongil Girls' Commercial Highschool Moonil Highschool Traditional Arts Highschool Lifelong Education Geongil Management Information Highschool
Dongdaemun District
Dongdaemun District is one of the 25 gu of Seoul, South Korea. It is located to the north of the River Han, its district office is in Yongdu-dong where is close to the underground station of branch of Line 2. The mayor of this district is Sarip Hong since July 2006. Dongdaemun District was first created in 1943 when the "gu" system started and was larger in area than today. Seongbuk District separated from the district in 1949, Changsin Dong and Sungin Dong were given to Jongno District in 1975. An additional 17 dong separated to become Jungnang District in 1988. Dongdaemun District comprises 14 dongs. Cheongnyangni-dong Dapsimni 1-dong Dapsimni 2-dong Hoegi-dong Hwigyeong 1-dong Hwigyeong 2-dong Imun 1-dong Imun 2-dong Jangan 1-dong Jangan 2-dong Jegi-dong Jeonnong 1-dong Jeonnong 2-dong Yongsin-dong KORAIL and Seoul MetroUnderground Line 1 ← Sinseol-dong — Jegi-dong — Cheongnyangni — Hoegi — Hankuk University of Foreign Studies — Sinimun → Seoul MetroUnderground Line 2Sinseol-dong — Yongdu → Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit CorporationUnderground Line 5 ← Dapsimni — Janghanpyeong → KORAILJungang Section Line from Yongsan to Paldang ← Cheongnyangni — Hoegi → There are more stations will add.
Dongdaemun District borders Seongbuk District to the north-west, Jungnang District to the east, Gwangjin District to the south-east, Seongdong District to the south, meets Jung District at a point in the south-west and borders Jongno District to the west. The busiest neighbourhood of the district is the Cheongnyangni area - a large commercial zone formed around Cheongnyangni Station, one of the secondary CBDs of Seoul. Dongdaemun District is named after the east gate in Seoul's city walls, but Dongdaemun itself is located in Jongno District; this is due to an administrative border change. University of Seoul Kyunghee University Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Korea Institute for Advanced Study Gyeongdong Market Dongseo Market King Sejong Memorial Seoul City Cultural Asset: Seonnongdan, King Sejong Sindobi National Treasure: Supyo Historical Site: Yeonghuiwon The grave sites of Kim Byeongro, Han Yongwoon, Ahn Changho and Oh Sechang are located in this district. Anguo, China Yanqing, China Shanghai, China New York City, United States Los Angeles, United States Paris, France Lyon, France London, England Official site
Jongno District
Jongno District is a gu, or district, in central Seoul, South Korea. It takes its name from a major local street, which means "Bell Street". Jongno District has been the center of the city for 600 years, since it is where the Joseon dynasty established its capital city. Jongno District is referred to as the face and heart of Korea because of its important roles in the politics, economics and history as the capital city. Jongno District is home to palaces in which the kings used to reside and work, such as Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace and Unhyeon Palace; the South Korean president's current residence, the Cheongwadae, is located in Jongno District. With the historical value and cultural properties, Jongno District attracts visitors' attention; these include the restored Cheonggyecheon stream, the traditional neighborhood of Insa-dong, the Jongmyo shrine. Art Center Nabi and Gahoe Museum, a relics museum is located in the district. A number of colleges and universities are located here. Jongno District is home to Jogyesa, the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
The area is home to the Gwanghwamun Plaza a public open space on Sejongno and is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's plans for environmentally friendly renovation projects such as the Cheonggye Stream and Seoul Plaza. It is of historical significant as the location for royal administrative buildings and features statues of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin of Joseon Dynasty and King Sejong the Great of Joseon. Jongno district has been included in capital of Joseon dynasty for 600 years. Hanyang, the capital of Joseon included Jung district. In October, 1394, Taejo Lee Seong-gye moved his capital from Gagyeong to Hanyang; the capital of Goryeo, had a strong base of traditional forces against Lee Seong-gye. In addition, the topography divination theory says that the new dynasty was unlucky due to its failure, that it moved to Hanyang with regard to water transport of rice and military geographical conditions. Following the relocation of the capital city, the Joseon government pushed for the construction of Hanyang, starting with the construction of Jongmyo.
The construction of the main palace, Gyeongbok Palace and the separate palace, Changdeok Palace was done. In 1395, it was renamed as Hanyang Department. In 1399, the capital was moved to Gagyeong for a while because of the Prince’s rebellion but, in 1405, the capital changed back to Hanyang; the city grew into a large city with about 200,000 people at King Sejong’s time. As the traditional heart of Seoul, Jongno is still an important business center. Notable companies based in Jongno include Kyobo Life. Lotte Group, SK Group, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Daewoo E&C, Daelim Group, East Asia Daily and many more; the headquarters of South Korean skincare retailer The Face Shop is located in the LG Gwanghwamun Building on sinmunno 2-ga. The head office of Air Seoul is in the Kumho Asiana Main Tower in Jongro Gu. Jongno district is called as the most important district in politics, it is located in the heart of the Republic of Korea, which includes Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul City Hall and three large squares, is the first to appear in the National Election Commission's election statistics.
Therefore, it is the first among the local districts in the exit investigation. Because of the symbolism, all political parties are concerned about the nomination of candidates for the district, most minor parties choose local constituencies in Jongno. Three presidents used to be the politician of Jongno district. Yun Posun,No Muhyeon, Lee Myungbak used to be the politician of Jongno district, it has been regarded as a Conservative area in Seoul due to its villages and native areas such as Pyeongchang, Samcheong-dong, Sajik-dong, Jongro 1 and 4, but now it is changing into a stronger democrats due to the votes of Sungkyunkwan University students in Hyehwa-dong. Until the early and mid-2010s, conservative influences were strong, but now it has become a super strong democratic area. The politician of Jongno district is Chung Syekyun and the head of Jongno-gu Office is Kim Youngjong The headquarters of the Ministry of Security and Public Administration is located in the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno District.
The third and fourth floors of the same building house the Ministry of Unification. The headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located in the MOFA Building in Jongno District; the Ministry of Education had its headquarters in the Central Government Complex in Jongno District. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism had its headquarters in Jongno District; the Ministry of Health and Welfare had its headquarters in the Hyundai Building. The offices of those ministries have moved to Sejong City. Before merged into another ministry in 2008, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries was located in Jongro-gu, it was re-established in Sejong City. Those are some of the district administrative dongs. For a complete list, see here. There are various historical attractions in Jongno-gu, because Jongno-gu was the capital of Joseon for 500 years; the three most famous palaces, Heunginjimun Gate, Jongmyo Shrine, Sungkyunkwan University are among other historical attractions. First of five palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty, it is the royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty.
One of the palaces of Joseon Dynasty in Seoul. It was listed as a UNESCO Wo
