A Glimpse of the Past
By Shim Hyun-chul
Staff Reporter
Paul Albert Anka's ``Diana'' sounds from an old record player. The old pop song beckons passersby into a small street, transporting them back to the 1960s and '70s.
The Dream Forest Art Center in Beon-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, is hosting a special exhibition just in time for schools' winter breaks. ``Daddy's Way to School as a Child'' invites viewers to experience life back when Mom and Dad were kids ― allowing the young to get a glimpse of the past and elders to relive their youth.
Near the entrance, the old phonograph sets the nostalgic mood, and the street is lined with a barber's shop, a coal briquette store and a tiny stationary vendor, along with retro movie posters and some 10,000 authentic vintage items.
The barber's shop in particular attracts attention ― it is the actual set used in the movie ``The President's Barber.'' Across the street is an electronics store that showcases the development of radios in Korea, and a comic book store displays the most popular cartoons of the era.
At the far end of the exhibit is a replica of a classroom.
``This reminds me of my grade school and junior high life," said Song Youn-ok, 53, who visited the exhibition with her son and mother-in-law. "Back then I was lucky to sit next to the warm furnace but the privilege entailed having to help with lunch boxes. I also remember how I once spent two entire days reading comic books in a dimly-lit bookstore.''
Two sixth grade students at Samyang Elementary School, Seoul, were impressed with the event. ``It's amazing to see life in the past. It seems very warm and loving,'' said Yu Jeong-eun.
Han Ah-yong added, ``It's nice to be able to see things you see only in TV dramas. It's also amazing they didn't throw all this old stuff away. I think our country has made a lot of progress.''
The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Jan. 31. It is closed on Mondays. Admission is free of charge. Visit https://blog.naver.com/hstory1.do (Korean) or call (02) 2115-7531 for more information.
