Toeing the in-between: An excursion into Seochon
By Ines Min Staff reporter The area directly west of Gyeongbok Palace ― also known as ``Seochon’’ ― is most noted for its traditional dining hotspots coupled with its long history of cultural landmarks. Efforts to preserve the area have been launched in past years, including the government’s most recent plan to protect 600 of the area’s ``hanok’’ (traditional Korean houses). But even so, branches of gentrification and redevelopment are tangled throughout. Seochon, a place often described by its local residents to be simply neighborhood upon neighborhood tightly packed together, has found a way to combine alternating enclaves of modern design with picturesque mom-and-pop stores. The areas in between the neighborhoods have become new centers for creativity, and one such oddly idyllic street, separating Tongui-dong and Changseong-dong, is the perfect place for a day out.
Literary-minded
A small white store packed to the ceiling with books and knickknacks calls out to passersby. Gagarin, a bookshop specializing in used art books, independent publications and kitsch from the West is an eclectic treasure for innovative minds. Though the typical novels and art books can be found, this small, barely two-year-old shop is best for its selection of small-time zines, brought to you straight from the writers and artists who created them. ``We carry a lot of books that are rarely found in general stores,’’ said Cha Seung-hyun, an employee at Gagarin. The wares, rather than