Insa-dong History
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Insa-dong of the Joseon Dynasty Period
Seoul was called Hanyang in the Joseon Dynasty, and was the capital of Joseon from 1394 to 1910.
Present-day Seoul is divided into north and south by the Han River. In the Joseon Dynasty, the south of the Han River was not Seoul, and Seoul was divided into South and North by a small river called Cheonggyecheon.
According to the geography of feng shui, a place with a mountain behind and a river flowing in front is known as a Myeongdang, and Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung were built between Bukhansan and Cheonggyecheon. Insa-dong is a village formed around a stream between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. Since the old days, government affiliated organizations such as Chunghunbu, Uigeumbu, and Ujeongguk have been located in Insadong, so many historically famous figures such as officials and scholars have lived in Insadong. -
Chest of the Joseon Royal Family
In Insa-dong, located near Gyeongbokgung Palace, there was Dohwaseo, a government office in charge of painting during the Joseon Dynasty. Dohwaseo is a government office where art works are performed on various ceremonies, events, or portraits of the country. was completed by Based on these results, the tradition of Joseon painting was completed by the Dohwaseo Flower Garden, and played a central role in continuing its achievements.
In an era when photographic materials were not available, the paintings drawn in the drawing book are currently evaluated as valuable materials that allow one to see the culture and rituals of the Joseon Dynasty at a glance. As a result, famous painters and people who bought and sold painting tools naturally gathered in Insa-dong due to the drawing book, and it was an opportunity to form a shopping street such as a pilbang and a Hanji store. Among the representative painters who worked as painters, there were those familiar to us, such as Danwon Kim Hong-do and Hye-won Shin Yun-bok. -
Kim, Hong Do(金弘道) (1745~?)
Danwon Kim Hong-do was excellent at painting, but he could not study painting properly because of his father's objection.
He painted in front of Hojo Champan Kang Se-hwang, and his skills were recognized, and he became a painter at his recommendation.
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Joseon Dynasty Period
Insa-dong is the museum where Korean life, history, and culture are alive and has been located in the heart of Seoul for about 600 years since the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).
Moreover, Dohwaseo, the highest arts authorities in the Joseon Dynasty Period, was located here. Hence, the base for winning fame with arts was prepared early, and the famous artists of the time could do art work here.
According to the inquiry into the name of Insa-dong, this region had the names of Bang and Gye such as Gwanin-bang, Gyeonpyeong-bang, Daesadong-gye, and Tapdong-gye. When the new name of Dong was introduced in 1914, the name of Insa-dong was made by combining In of Gwanin-bang with Sa of Daesadong. -
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Insa-dong of the Joseon Dynasty Period
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Chest of the Joseon Royal Family
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Kim Hong-do
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Taehwagwan
(The place where the racial representatives gathered and recited the Gimi Declaration of Independence)
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Modern Times
As the Japanese colonial period began from 1910, yangban couldn’t enter government service. Hence, the upper class, yangban, residing in the north village collapsed. The booths gradually becoming stores with this as a momentum included the antique stores managed by Japanese. These places in Insa-dong started to sell the antiques such as pottery, ancient paintings and writings, and ancient furniture possessed by yangban starting to collapse.
In 1930s, it became the momentum making Insa-dong famous for the antique street with the sad history of Japanese’s collecting Korean ancient art works in Insa-dong located closely to the Japanese Government General of Korea after the Japanese Government General of Korea was established in Gyeongokgung Palace. Furthermore, Insa-dong, the center of Seoul, has many historic landmarks and has the historic meaning as the representative base of the March First Independence Movement and as the source of the independence movement.
A lot of historic sites including the March First Independence Movement historic sites such as Taehwagwan (Taehwa Building), Tapgol Park, Seung-dong Church, the Central Temple of Cheondogyo, Joseon Establishment Alliance Site, and Declaration of Independence Distribution Site are dotted.
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Contemporary Times
As ancient art work stores, galleries, mounters, and paper, pens, and ink stores became the mainstream from the latter part of 1960s, modern commercial galleries gathered in Insa-dong for the first time for starting to create the gallery street around 1970
As the Insa Traditional Culture Preservation Association for writers, artists, and art lovers was founded in 1987 and Insa-dong was designated as the cultural district for the first time in Korea in 2002, Insa-dong was changed to the traditional culture street having antique stores, galleries, craft stores, paper, pens, and ink stores, Korean food restaurants, and traditional tea cafes.
Insa Traditional Culture Festival held in Insa-dong every spring and every fall is providing various attractions representing Korean traditional culture including the exhibition of ancient and contemporary art works and crafts and the performance of Gukak. Moreover, the slogan of a live museum is adopted through the designation as the vehicle-free street and as the traditional culture street. As it became a meeting place, traditional tea cafes and traditional food restaurants started to be formed. -
1980s
1990s
1980s
2000s
