KoreaToday Reviving Seoul Station as Cultural Hub
Putting a New Face on One of Seoul’s Well-Known Landmarks
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Long before the arrival of high-speed KTX and airplanes, Koreans used regular trains as their main vehicle for special trips holidays and journeys. Seoul Station was at the center of the excitement and has witnessed the ups and downs of the public over the years.
Travelers who visit the station nowadays may be well acquainted with the busy and high-tech station connected to subway line 1, but right next to the modern station stands an antique building that bears the name ``Seoul Station.'' This was the original station our ancestors used, and despite the historic meaning it holds, many visitors don't appreciate the now-deserted building, as the train tracks skip the original architecture and connect directly to the fancy platform and the newly built station nearby.
``There is no doubt that Seoul Station is a hallmark station in Korea, but it's not modern or traditional enough to be one. I think it should be upgraded to represent Korea,'' Lee Jae-young, a 26-year-old student, told The Korea Times.
In order to do so, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last June that the station would be reconstructed into a representative cultural space. The ministry has been taking charge of the station from 2007 after the construction of the KTX station, and is determined to transform the area into a cultural hub.
The Beginning
In 1900, a small station called Namdaemun Station was built to connect Seoul to the port city Incheon with the Gyeongin Line. Five years later, the Gyeongbu Line spanning from Seoul to Busan was built, bringing people far and near, and the once-quiet station started to attract travelers and merchants, signaling the start of the Namdaemun market.
With the services of the Gyeongui Line from Yongsan to Pyongyang starting in 1905, Seoul became the core of the train transportation. As the station's role became bigger with more people and trains commuting, it was reconstructed in 1915 and brought down again in 1922 for another revamp.
The Seoul Station visitors walk by today is the one that began construction in 1922 and finally saw light three years later with a new name, Gyeongseong Station. Gyeongseong was the original name of Seoul, and station name was changed to Seoul Station after the country gained independence from Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945).
``Before our independence, the stations were operated by the Japanese. They were in control of the facilities and we were merely using them from time to time. We had no rights or responsibility of what was so important to our country during that time. After the Japanese left, however, we won back the rights. But after the new KTX station, it has been abandoned from our history and daily lives,'' Chung Jae-jeong, a Korean History professor at the University of Seoul told The Korea Times.
The station building, which is designated as Historical Relic No. 284, was built with three floors: The bottom floor was where the main operation for the trains took place, with kitchens for the upper floor restaurants and cafeterias and also electric power rooms, while the first floor had waiting rooms and VIP rooms for guests. The second floor had offices and meeting rooms, along with a cafeteria and restaurants.
The overall architecture was based on the Renaissance style.
``The building resembles those from Greece and Rome, but there were some changes in style as it was built in modern days. Some parts also show Baroque architectural style as well,'' Ahn Chang-mo, a professor at the Graduate School of Architecture at Kyonggi University, said.
Despite the ups and downs the station has gone through over the past years, it is relatively undamaged. The biggest blow was during the Korean War (1950-53), which destroyed the platform and the train tracks. The main building was not harmed, and both the interior and exterior stand as it was built, which is another reason why it is important in terms of modern cultural heritage.
The Present
With the opening of the KTX station in 2002, the Seoul Station building has lost its original role as a station and is mostly empty, except for the partial use of the first and second floors by the Transportation and Movement Offices.
The front grounds of the building have become the home of many homeless people, who wander around and sometimes scare commuters and travelers passing by.
``Some cry all day, while some beg for money. It's unique because the area still holds that nostalgic feeling, but is also modern and hectic at the same time,'' 29-year-old Hong Sun-jae, an office worker who works nearby the station, said.
The question many people may have is where to send the homeless people after the transformation is made.
``We are discussing various ways to help the homeless with organization, including Seoul City. It will be hard to make them move since they have been there for such a long time, but we are hoping they will realize that they cannot spend their lives there after its been revamped to a cultural venue,'' Lee Yung-uk, an official from the Design and Special Culture division under the culture ministry, said.
Future Plans
In order to revive the Seoul station that just sits there with no purpose, the ministry has plans to revamp the area altogether and transform it into a cultural hub, similar to that of France's Musee d'Orsay.
Ever since the ministry took over the old building, there have been various cultural events held around the area ― including fashion shows, art performances, festival and music concerts ― attracting spectators and foreigners.
``The numerous events held around the old station have proven that it has potential as a cultural space,'' an official from the ministry said through a statement.
The ministry announced that it would take approximately 20 billion won to reconstruct the building and also add other cultural facilities such as exhibition halls, museums, restaurants and concert halls. It would take three years and be able to greet the public for the first time in March, 2011. With plans of opening a railroad to the Incheon International Airport in 2010, the ministry is expecting to attract visitors here and also from abroad to the station and offer the essence of Korean culture and history.
Visit the reconstruction site now and you can find an interesting photo exhibition surrounding the whole construction area. The photos date back to the 1900s, when the station began as Namdaemun station, to the days after Independence and the Korean War.
Along with the photo exhibition, the ministry also set up transparent acrylic boards for passers-by to examine the progress of the construction.
``Seoul Station summarizes Korean history. It was not just a train station, but the face and gate of Seoul. It has seen so much throughout the years and it's important and meaningful that we are reviving the station as a place that Koreans can enjoy and appreciate,'' Chung said.