20 Mar 2010, Posted by Matt in Historic Korea, Seoul, Video, 10 Comments

Deoksugung: Seoul’s Palace of Virtue

Built in the 15th century, Deoksugung Palace was abandoned for centuries until the years immediately pre- and post Japanese annexation of Korea, when it was the site of fascinating political intrigue and tragedy.

21 Mar 2009, Posted by Matt in Gyeongsang, Historic Korea, 2 Comments

Andong’s Dosan Seowon Confucian Academy

Andong is a center of traditional Korean culture. One of its most celebrated sites is the Dosan Seowon, or Dosan Confucian Academy.

The city of Andong in North Gyeongsang Province is famous as one of Korea’s cultural centers. Well-known for its conservative tastes and preservation of folk culture, Andong is high on the list of many travelers’ must-see sites. And one of my favorite places in Andong is the Dosan Seowon (도산서원), or Dosan Confucian Academy (original name: Dosan Seodang).

Constructed in 1574 during the 7^th year of King Seonjo’s (선조왕) reign, the school was built to enshrine the memorial tablet of Yi Hwang (이황). Yi is one of Korea’s most celebrated philosophers. And if you’ve been to Korea, you’ve no doubt seen his likeness, because that’s him on the ubiquitous 1,000-won ($0.72) note.

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18 Mar 2009, Posted by Matt in Buddhist Temples, Nature, Seoul, Shopping, 13 Comments

Youth Culture in Seoul’s Edae Neighborhood

The Edae neighborhood’s shopping alleys at night (click here for larger).

Periodically, we explore places to see in the big city. This time around we’ll head to a vibrant neighborhood that’s often overlooked on Seoul itineraries. That neighborhood is Edae (이대), which along with the neighborhoods of Sinchon and Hongdae, are perhaps Seoul’s most famous areas for college students. Sure, Sinchon and Hongdae are very well-known for their youthful exuberance, but Edae has its own distinct character that shouldn’t be missed.

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31 Dec 2008, Posted by Matt in Historic Korea, Seoul, 1 Comments

Deoksugung Palace

Korean palaces like Deoksugung don’t shy away from using bright colors like pink and turquoise.

A few months ago during a Royal Asiatic Society walking tour of Seoul’s palaces, I learned that before most of the city’s five grand palaces were burned or bulldozed, they formed Asia’s second largest royal compound (the largest was China’s Forbidden City).

Case in point is the “Palace of Virtue and Longevity,” better known as Deoksugung, or Deoksu Palace. Located in the middle of modern Seoul, it was built during the mid-1400s as a private villa for Prince Wolsan, the big brother of King Seongjong. But when the Japanese invasion of 1592 left all of Hanyang’s (now Seoul) palaces burning, the residence was renamed Gyeongungung and converted into a temporary palace for just 7 years until Changdeokgung Palace became the royals’ primary residence. The ole villa-cum-palace fell into disuse over the next 2+ centuries before it became Emperor Gojong‘s official residence in the 1890s. My guide estimated that at its height, Deoksugung was comprised of 180 structures, but most were either burned in a 1904 fire or demolished by the Japanese during the colonial period. Today, only about 12 significant buildings remain on a footprint whose size is less than half its original. Nevertheless, what remains is a beautiful reminder of the sophistication of Korea’s Joseon period.

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