Gangbuk area in 1970s

By Kim Song-rhei

Until the southern side of the Han River in Seoul developed into a new town, the areas north of the river, especially Jongro-gu and Jung-gu, were the heart of Seoul in terms of political, cultural and commercial aspects. As I recall, the full-scale civic renewal of the southern district got into its stride in the early part of the 1980s.

In those days, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, Cheong-jin-dong in Jongro-gu was famous for “haejangguk,” a kind of soup that helps a drunk person get rid of the effects of liquor. So the area, especially at dawn, used to be crowded with drinkers who suffered from drinking the night before.

At that time, the military authorities had been gaining power successively. Namely, Park Chung-hee ruled Korea from 1963 to 1979 and Chun Doo-hwan from 1980 to 1988. A curfew was enforced at midnight that expired at 4:00 a.m. So anyone who violated the rule was taken to the police station and had to pay a fine. They were sometimes suspected of being spies coming from North Korea or treated as hooligans. The curfew continued for 37 years, and it was completely lifted on Jan.5, 1982.

Hence, the people who visited haejangguk restaurants in Cheong-jin-dong as soon as the curfew was cleared were mostly those who had been drinking all night long at taverns or saloons in the vicinity.

I also got into the habit of going to the eating houses at dawn along with my co-workers when I worked all night. When eating haejangguk, I used to look around at the people present. Judging from what I saw, there were also many people who worked all night long. The number was almost two thirds of those who amused themselves all night at drinking houses.

Working all night, especially in the winter season, was quite frequent at that time in the printing circles in Korea. Skilled workers would be given an allowance for working all night. The allowance for all-night working was the equivalent to two days pay. However, a newly-hired young employee like me was paid not more than enough for several pieces of bread and a bottle of milk, and a petty sum of money suitable for traffic expenses for a day.

I have also heard that some kisaeng houses (or high-class Korean-style restaurants) stood clandestinely in the back alleys of Jongro. A kisaeng means a maid who was ready not only to entertain her guests with eating and drinking but also to allow guests to take liberties with her body. There was a rumor going around that the secret kisaeng’s houses in that region only entertained great political or financial figures.

On the other hand, all sorts of small and big printing houses stood roof by roof in the back alley of Euljiro 1ga and 2ga in jung-gu district ― easily accessible places on foot from Cheongjin-dong.

Big department stores such as Shinsegae, Midopa, Shinshin, Hwashin and Cosmos were situated in Myeong-dong, Chung-gu or in Chongro 1ga. These department stores were tourist attractions in Seoul. When rural dwellers went to see the sights of Seoul, they used to visit one of these department stores.

It seems to me that the growth of Seoul over 40 years is truly remarkable.

The writer lives in Gwanak-gu, southern Seoul. Reach him at kwanak11@hanmail.net.