Hanok Living, Old & New
By Kim Ji-soo, Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporters
As a child growing up in 1970s Seoul, the hanok was not an unfamiliar place, although the shift toward Western-style houses was undeniable. One remembers big cement-floored gardens where moms would make"kimjang" (or making kimchi) together in a hearty atmosphere. But it was a bit cumbersome not being able to rush out the door to play, because of the elevated thresholds of the front gates. Also, living in a Western-style home made one feel like a bona-fide member of the upwardly mobile class.
But some three decades and plus years later, the hanok has come back, as the gray and sterile buildings in the city have begun to overwhelm.
These hanoks are no longer mere residences, they are a Hotel in Gyeongju, the Hyewha-dong Office, dental clinic, barber shops, restaurants and teahouses.
In his book titled ``Hanok Has Come Back,'' architect Hwang Doo-jin notes that there were 1,518 hanok units in 1985, but as of 2006, the number dropped to 924. The Seoul government, desperate to save probably the last cluster of hanok in Seoul, started providing up to 60 million won for hanok construction and renovations. It also provided tax cuts.
Esther Kim, 16, currently lives in a hanok in Bukchon. Built about a year ago on land the family owned, her residence is large and clean. Hanoks are usually defined as old and cozy with a few cracks here and there on the thick, sturdy wooden pillars. But this new hanok was made of bright and well-polished wood, no cracks to be found. There is plenty of room in the front yard, complete with a garden and a traditional decoration on the yard wall. The house was modeled after a traditional structure more than 500 years old, but still has that practical and modernized touch.
``It's not as uncomfortable as it may look,'' Kim said. ``When my family returned from the United States, we wanted to live in a traditional house,'' she said. Another consideration was her heath conditions.
``I have atopy dermatitis (a common type of dermatitis which makes the skin itchy and red) and my parents thought it would be better for me to live where there were no concrete walls,'' Kim said. She said there could not be a better choice than a hanok for those who have skin or respiratory problems.
Hanok are made with wood and dirt, and do not need much concrete material to build the walls or the structure.
On the other hand, there are residents like Kim Sook-myung. The 80-year-old Kim has been living in the neighborhood for three decades. Her house is old and dilapidated, but she cannot dream of living in a modern apartment.
``Apartments are too high and gray. I enjoy living near the ground, with the trees and dirt. The earth calms me somehow,'' she said.
``People might say that hanok are too old, but I don't mind. As I grow older, it feels like the hanok is growing old with me,'' she said.
She admits that it does get chilly in the winter and noisy at night, but she is used to it. ``Many people are buying and renovating hanok and I think that is a good thing. Young people can't live in traditional hanok like this. They are used to technology and Western style.
She said that some type of reconstruction may help her live a bit easier but it was the cost that worried her.
It's not easy to renovate hanok. Since Western-style construction pretty much replaced hanok building, it's hard to find skilled carpenters who can renovate them. In the case of Bukchon, since the houses there are small, one may need to buy more than one to build a comfortable living space.
Lee Hyo-jae, a well-known designer of traditional Korean attire owns a hanok, which she uses as her workshop and shop. She knows how hard it is renovate hanok. It took her three years to make it as it is, quaint and cozy with a modern bathroom and modern heating. But she doesn't have a modern kitchen. ``There was just no place where it would work,'' She said. ``Installing the standard Western kitchens, bathrooms and the beds and sofas that we are now so accustomed, that takes money,'' said Lee, 48. But even then, living in a hanok is still uncomfortable.
Indeed, there is criticism that the moneyed-rich are buying up hanoks and turning them into gallery-like second homes they don't quite live in. Seoul government's incentives have also driven up the price of real estate in Bukchon. Also with hanok there is always debate about just how far one should experiment and adopt modern innovations.
Despite its downsides, Lee, sees her house blending in well with the neighborhood, striking a general balance between the house and neighborhood.
``I am glad that people with money are spending their money in renewing hanok, but I believe the government can step in to preserve the hanok as they are and possibly rent them out to people who would like it to make it their homes or their workshops," she said. She suggested that the government can purchase hanoks for long-term lease to those who want to live in hanok but can't afford to.