Dramatomy goes to Seoul Holiday 7

Day 8 Tuesday 16th November 2010…Seoul

We decided to venture into Insadong area

Breakfast @ Amandier across the street from Line Insadong Station Exit 6

Amandier Café

Breakfast @ Amandier Café

We proceed to Bukchon. Bukchon Hanok Village meaning “North Village” was once a village of aristocrats long ago as the residence of the Royal Family & high ranking officials, and its luxury tile-roofed houses called giwas have been preserved since the Joseon Dynasty. It is located in the between of Gyeongbokgung Palace & Changdeokgung Palace. Bukchon Hanok Village boasts 600 years of history in the region. The preserved village sits between two large palaces in the traditional hanok regions where the eggplant-shaped streets show the 600-year-old beauty of the city. Now, the village operates as a place where visitors come to experience the ambiance of the Joseon Dynasty, offering a cultural centre and hanok-style restaurants.

If you wish to go to Bukchon, it is on Line 3 Insadong Station Exit 3

There is a walkabout map tour of 8 Photo Spots where in the KBS variety show of Two Days & One night that Kim Jong Min attempt to cover Bukchon to take the photographs from the photo spots. We only managed to cover 2 Photo Spots

Bukchon roadsign

On our way to Bukchon

Bukchon Hanok Village 1

The left sculpture

The right sculpture

The signage to the sculpture

Giwas roof Hanok house @ Bukchon

No. 23, Bukchon. Houses are keeping with times. Jackie house number is also No. 23

Persimmons at Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Garage

Bukchon 4th Photo Spot 1

Bukchon 4th Photo Spot 2

Bukchon Hanok Village 2

Bukchon Hanok Village 3

Jackie purchase of Celadon ware in Bukchon

Bukchon 1st Photo Spot 1

Behind is Changdeokgung Palace

Bukchon 1st Photo Spot 2

As we couldn’t access to MBC Yongin set where MBC has built a replica of Changdeokgung, we decided to go to the actual Changdeokgung palace

Changdeokgung is one of the 5 grand palaces found in Seoul. Changdeokgung 昌德宮 is literally means “Palace of Prospering Virtue”. Changdeokgung was the 2nd palaces after Gyeongbokgung palace. During the Japanese invasion of 1592, both Gyeongbokgung &* Changdeokgung was burnt but Changdeokgung was reconstructed in 1609, Changdeokgung became the was the site of the Royal residence, Royal court & the seat of government until 1872. Therefore it will be the seat of governance in the reign of Sukjong

Admission is W3,000. Operating time from November – March is 09:00-17:30, while April – October is 09:00-18:30. Changdeokgung is closed on Mondays. There is a guided tour to the Secret Garden 秘院 (Palace gardens or Geumwon 禁苑 or Naewon 內苑) W5,000. It was known as Huwon 後苑 which was originally constructed for the use of the royal family & palace residence for Consorts. We miss the timing for the English guided tour & will not want to stay for the next tour. The gardens can only be access by a guide. English tour is 11:30 & 14:30. Changdeokgung to date has only preserve 30% of its total buildings. Bo Gyeong Dang & Chwi Seon Dang sites as we have been told is just a empty plot

Outside Changdeokgung Palace wall

Sukjong claimed to Choi Dong Yi that his residence walls are high

Donhwamun Gate

Donhwamun Gate – The main palace gate. Built in 1412, Donhwamun has a two-story pavilion-type wooden structure, and is the largest of all palace gates. Donhwamun was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and was restored in 1608.

Inside Changdeokgung Palace wall

Signage on the history of Changdeokgung

Geumcheongyo Bridge 1

Geumcheongyo Bridge is the oldest bridge still exist in Seoul. It was built 1411.

Geumcheongyo Bridge 2

Geumcheongyo Bridge 3 with Haechi

Front Gate Entrance to Inner Changdeokgung

Front Gate Entrance Roof

Compound in Changdeokgung

Injeongmun – Entrance to Injeongjeon

Injeongjeon Hall is the throne hall of Changdeokgung, it was used for major state affairs including the coronation of a new king and receiving foreign envoys. Originally built in 1405, it was rebuilt in 1610 after being burned down during the 1592 Japanese invasion, and a third time in 1804 after being destroyed by a fire. It is commonly known as Pyeonjeon

Close up on the entrance to Injeongjeon

Picture the scene as Choi Dong Yi palanquin enter the palace through these doors

Injeongjeon 1

Injeongjeon 2

Scene of Injeongjeon in “Dong Yi

Injeongjeon 3

Injeongjeon 4 – Choi Dong Yi palanquin is parked

Scene taken from Dong Yi

Injeongjeon 5 – Concourse Jeong 1st rank official

Injeongjeon 6 – Throne

Injeongjeon 7 – Steps

Injeongjeon 8 – View of Injeongmun from Injeongjeon

Injeongjeon 9 – the eaves of Injeongjeon

Seonjeongmun

Seonjeongmun is the entrance to Seonjeongjeon

Seonjeongjeon – Compound

Seonjeongjeon – The blue glazed roof

Seonjeongjeon is the only structure remaining in Changdeokgung with the blue glazed roof tiles. The roof tiles was expensive but Gwanghaegun ordered them for both Injeongjeon & Seonjeongjeon during the reconstruction of Changdeokgung in 1612. Historical records has noted that the Ministers had complained about the excessive luxury as Joseon tradition preferred frugal adornment for palace structures

Seonjeongjeon Hall is the office for ruling officials, the king held daily meetings with ministers, reported on state affairs and seminars here. Injeongjeon, Seongjeonjeon & Chimjeon 寢殿 literally the King’s sleeping quarters are buildings consider the as the political governance of the palace officially known as Chijo 治朝 but commonly known as Daejeon

Huijeongdang 1

Huijeongdang Hall was originally the king’s sleeping quarters, then it became his workplace after Seonjeongjeon was deemed too small for conducting routine state affairs. The original Huijeongdang was destroyed by a fire in 1917. The reconstructed structure is completely different from the original due to recent Western influences. Wooden floorboards and carpets, glass windows & chandeliers can be seen inside the building.

Huijeongdang Hall – The protruded part of the entrance was not in its original shape when it was first constructed. This building was destroyed by a fire in 1917 then during the reconstruction in 1920s, the transport the King use was imported from the West which is the automobile therefore the entrance was constructed like a porch drive way for a car

Huijeongdang 2

Huijeongdang 3

Huijeongdang 4 – The compound

Huijeongdang 5

The wall behind is the palace garden

Daejojeon 1 – The entrance

Daejojeon Hall is the official residence of the Queen Consort. It is commonly known as Junggungjeon. It was destroyed by fire in 1917, it was rebuilt with materials taken from Gyeongbokgung. Daejojeon was used as a residence for the last empress of Joseon, allowing us a glimpse into the final years of the royal household of the Joseon Dynasty

We can see the ambition aspire Jang Hee Bin wanting to be the proprietor of this residence

Daejojeon 2

Daejojeon 3 – Steps

Daejojeon 4

Daejojeon 5 – View from Daejojeon to Huijeongdang

Daejojeon 6

Corridor that links Daejojeon with Huijeongdang

In most palace’s building in Joseon Dynasty are connected by long corridors

Changdeokgung palace walls

Naseonjae 1

Naseonjae 2

Entrance to palace garden

Changdeokgung – Compound

We proceed to Insadong for refreshments.

Insadong – The location was feature in the “Rules of Love”

We has refreshment in Jilsiru Tteok café

Tteok has always had a presence in the most significant and sacred of Korean occasions and events

Jilsiru Tteok Café @ Insadong

We bought some Korean souvenior for friends. We also bought the brand Red Ginseng that was an official sponsor for “Dong Yi”

End frame taken from Dong Yi Episode 30

The Red Ginseng 1

Red Ginseng 2

Honey Red Ginseng Slices

Sukjong gave his allocation of red ginseng to resurrect Choi Dong Yi’s Qi in Episode 29

After Insadong, we proceed to our 4pm performance of MISO in Chongdong Theatre. Our tickets was W40,000. Direction to Chongdong Theatre Line 1 City Hall Station Exit 1 walk alongside the corner of Dunkin Donut & stonewall of Deoksugung palace about 5mins towards Chongdong theatre

City Hall – Han Hyo Joo G-20 billboard

Han Hyo Joo for G-20 Summit billboard at Seoul City Hall

Seoul City Hall is under major renovation. They had torn down the old City Hall a Renaissance-style stone building built in 1926 to built an ultra modern new City Hall building

Close up on the billboard

Our mission is accomplished

Deoksugung has a little pageantry

Deoksugung was originally the home of a Royal Family member Wolsandaegun (1454-1488), the older brother to Joseon King Seongjong (1469-1494). King Seonjo (1567-1608) resides in this palace after his return to the capital during the Japanese invasion of 1592-98. Deoksugung Palace is famous for its elegant stone-wall road. It became a proper palace when Gwanghaegun (1575-1641) ascended the throne and gave the palace the name Gyeongungung in 1611. Afterwards, the name was then changed back to its original title of Deoksugung. It is also the only palace that sits alongside a series of western style buildings that add to the uniqueness of the surrounding scenery. The compound is now only the third the size as it use to be during the era of Emperor Gojong. Emperor Gojong (1863-1907) proclaim the founding of the Great Han Empire as a formal declaration of independence of Korea from China

Do take note that starting from the 1st May 2010, there is an all-inclusive ticket (W10,000 valid for 1 month) for 4 major palaces Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, & Deoksugung Palace & Jongmyo Shrine. Admission to Deoksugung is W1,000. It is closed on Mondays

Entrance of Deoksugung

Deoksugung pageantry of changing of the guards

Deoksugung with the guards

Follow the walls of Deoksugung

Deoksugung wall 1

Deoksugung wall 2

Deoksugung wall 3

Deoksugung wall 4

Chongdong Theatre 1 – Entrance

Chongdong Theatre 2 – Interior

Chongdong Theatre offer at W5,000, Dress in traditional costume 15:00-16:00.

Joseon King & Queen 1

Joseon King & Queen 2

Joseon King – Chu San Cheon Na

Joseon Queen – Jungjeong Mama

MISO’s plot summary

Mong Ryong who always studies hard, goes out to get some fresh air. He sees Chun Hyang on a swing and it’s love at first sight. He orders his servant, Bang Ja to ask Chun Hyang to come to him but she refuses. Mong Ryong goes to talk to Chun Hyang’s mother, Wal Mae, to ask permission to marry Chun Hyang; Wal Mae gives her permission and the two young people marry that day. Mong Ryong’s father, a government official, has to move to another region, Seoul so Mong Ryong has to leave Chun Hyang to follow his father. After he leaves, a new lord comes to Chun Hyang’s village. The new lord is greedy and selfish- he always wastes his time at partying with courtesans. Chun Hyang, renowned for her beauty, is forced to come to his party. Although Chun Hyang is not a courtesan the lord treats her like one because her mother is a courtesan. So he compels her to sleep with him, but Chun Hyang keeps refusing because she is married. The Lord gets angry and imprisons her by placing her under wooden cangue restraints. He decides to punish her on his birthday. Mong Ryong wins first place in a state examination and he becomes a secret royal inspector, or Am Haeng Eu Sa, who investigates and prosecutes corrupt government officials as an undercover emissary of the king. Under disguise, he comes to Chun Hyang’s village and finds out what have happened to Chun Hyang and the misbehavior of the Lord. He must conceal his real identity so he acts like an insane person and wears mendicant clothes. Despite his mendicancy, Chun Hyang still loves him and asks her mother to take good care of him. At the lord’s birthday celebration, Mong Ryong comes in and makes a satirical poem about the misbehaviour of the Lord, but the lord does not understand the poem. Mong Ryong discloses his real position and punishes the lord. At first, Chun Hyang cannot recognize Mong Ryong and he tests her faith by asking her to spend a night with him. Chun Hyang, who still cannot recognize him, refuses him as well. However, she recognizes him soon and they live happily ever after.

After the MISO we return to hotel