Jeongdong Culture Night: Explore Seoul’s historic hub
From the Sontag Hotel, one of Korea's first Western-style accommodations, the view of Seoul stretched from Jeong-dong to Mount Inwang. Korea Times file
George Nathaniel Curzon, a British politician who later became the viceroy of India, traveled to Korea in the early 1890s. To his eyes, Seoul appeared as a sea of uniform tiled rooftops, with two notable exceptions: the grand, hooded roofs of the palace audience halls, and the district where foreign legations were clustered.
“A few elevations spring up from the general level of the city basin; and these have been opportunely occupied by foreigners with a superior appreciation of site, the British, Russian, and Japanese Legations and the French Catholic Establishment being from any altitude the most conspicuous objects in the town,” he wrote in his 1894 book.
The neighborhood that had once housed the British and Russian legations — now their embassies — is now surrounded by skyscrapers, yet it still retains Seoul's old charms. This May, the city invites visitors to explore this historic area.
Jeongdong Culture Night will run from May 23 to 24, featuring 35 modern-era heritage sites, street performances near the former Russian Legation and a rare tour of the grounds of the British Embassy, which is usually closed to the general public.
British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks, center, introduces his official residence to reporters at the British Embassy in central Seoul's historic Jeong-dong neighborhood, Thursday. Yonhap
Jeong-dong in central Seoul is home to some of Korea’s first Western-style schools, including Pai Chai Hakdang and Ewha Hakdang, as well as religious sites like Chungdong First Methodist Church.
During Korea’s early modernization period, when the Joseon Dynasty began engaging with the West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood became a gateway for new nations establishing relationships with the Land of the Morning Calm, with hospitals, diplomatic missions and hotels dotting the area.
Today, visitors can experience Jeong-dong’s unique charms through a variety of programs offered during the festival.
The Embassy of Canada will host a lecture by folklorist Shawn Morrissey on connecting Korea and Canada through folk beliefs, while the British Embassy will open its grounds for a special tour. Live street performances will also be held every 30 minutes at Jeong-dong Park, near the former Russian legation site.
A view of Deoksu Palace from the Seoul City Hall Seosomun Building during the third Jeong-dong Culture Night festival in May 2016 / Korea Times file
Historic and cultural sites in Jeong-dong, including a media facade at the Appenzeller Noble Memorial Museum, will be lit up and remain open into the evening. The museum houses historical artifacts from Pai Chai Hakdang, founded in 1885 by American Methodist missionary Henry Appenzeller as one of Korea’s first modern secondary schools.
At night, visitors can take photos along Deoksu Palace’s stone wall path, illuminated by lights provided by local lighting shops. The path is one of the most famous walking trails in Seoul. Amid the tranquil atmosphere, visitors can witness the blend of a Joseon-era palace with Seoul’s modern cityscape.
A pedestrian walks past Deoksu Palace’s stone wall in central Seoul's historic Jeong-dong neighborhood, March 27, 2021. Yonhap
Religious sites are also an integral part of the festival. At Chungdong First Methodist Church, visitors can enjoy performances such as “Echoes of Jeong-dong” by an organist and a vocal quartet, and “Jeong-dong in Brass” by the Zion Brass Quintet.
Right next to the British Embassy, the Seoul Anglican Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Nicholas will host a pipe organ performance, while the Salvation Army Museum of History will put on a concert.
Visitors can also take part in hands-on programs, from making mood lamps using traditional materials to crafting upcycled sea glass keyrings and mother-of-pearl magnets.
Guided history tours will also be available, with multilingual staff offering sessions in English, Chinese and Japanese for international visitors.
Tours, including visits to the Canadian and British embassies and programs for foreigners, require advance registration. Applications are open at jeongdong-culturenight.kr from 9 a.m. Thursday to 6 p.m. next Thursday.
Successful applicants will be announced on May 12 via the website and individual notifications.