Walking sticks and cameras in hand, visitors tour Korea's newly open Blue House

Korean Heritage

Published: 11 May. 2022, 17:52 Updated: 12 May. 2022, 14:06

Walking sticks and cameras in hand, visitors tour Korea's newly open Blue House

The main gate of the Blue House opens at 11:37 a.m. on Tuesday as the pre-selected visitors wait to be the first ones to walk in. [YONHAP]

Visitors storm into the Blue House on Tuesday, the first day of its public opening. [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

With Korea’s new president settling in his office in Yongsan, central Seoul, the highly restricted Blue House, which had even been concealed on maps for security reasons, opened to the public for the first time in 74 years on Tuesday.

Visitors to the site that until a few days ago served as Korea’s presidential office and residence can now take selfies, videos or even take a nap on a well-maintained lawn with a backdrop of Mount Bukak — all of which were strictly prohibited before the public opening.

Visitors who approach the Blue House riding the newly established bus No. 01 from the Gwanghwamun Station, exit No. 2, will first see the main gate of Chunchugwan, a building that was used by the president to hold press conferences. On Tuesday, many visitors who arrived early began taking photographs in front of the gate of Chunchugwan, thinking it was the gate that former President Moon Jae-in walked out of the day before.

“It looks rather small in real life,” a man in his 70s who was taking a photo of his wife in front of the gate of Chunchugwan said. A guide soon came out to explain that they have to walk about 400 meters (1.25 miles) west towards Shinmumun, the north gate of Gyeongbok Palace, to reach the main gate of the Blue House. The security guards that were previously stationed at the gate to stop people and ask for identification are all gone, along with all the barricades that blocked the streets.

Blue House tour map [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]

It’s best to start the Blue House tour from the main gate. The whole tour takes about an hour and a half at a leisurely pace. Upon entering through the main gate, a picturesque scene of the Main Office Building with the famous blue tile roof, known as kiwa, and the beautifully maintained lawn with a backdrop of Mount Bukak stops visitors in their footsteps. Time to take pictures.

This compound had belonged to the authorities since 1104. King Sukjong of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) established a royal villa on this site, noting the great location and area. Kaesong, now situated in North Korea, was already the capital during the Goryeo Dynasty, but Hanyang, currently Seoul, later became the capital during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Gyeongbok Palace was established in 1395 and the site was used as the rear garden of the palace.

According to historical records, a military training center called Hoemyengdan, where the king's subjects swore allegiance to their ruler, existed on the current Blue House grounds in the early Joseon Dynasty until the Gyeongbok Palace was burnt down during the Imjin War (1592-98) between Korea and Japan.

In 1868, Heungseon Daewongun (1820-1898), a royal regent who ruled Joseon on behalf of young King Gojong, re-established the site as the rear garden of Gyeongbok Palace and named it Gyeongmudae.

In 1939, the Japanese demolished many of the buildings and built an official residence of the Japanese governor-general on the site. They made the blue kiwa, or the roof made with individual pieces of tile, by taking tiles from the main religious building of a common religion in Korea at the time, known as Bocheongyo, established by a Korean in 1921. The old religious building is now being used as the Daeungjeon Hall of Jogye Temple near Gyeongbok Palace. This is where the Korean name for the Blue House, Chung Wa Dae, comes from, as it literally means blue-tiled pavilion. The name was established during the administration of Korea’s second president, Yun Bo-seon, in 1960.

After fully taking in the panoramic scene of the main office building, it’s best to turn right toward Nokjiwon, touted as the most beautiful garden inside the Blue House. It is home to about 120 species of trees. Every president who resided at the Blue House would plant a tree in Nokjiwon on April 5, Korea’s Arbor Day. Visitors can take a stroll to check out what trees were planted by which presidents. Next to Nokjiwon, there’s a small traditional building called Sangchunjae. It was built in 1983 to host unofficial meetings with guests, especially those from overseas, to show what a traditional Korean-style building called hanok looks like.

Visitors look around the Chimnyugak Pavilion on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Following route suggestions marked by red tape and post signs, visitors will encounter several historic areas, starting with the Chimnyugak Pavilion on the right side. It was built in the early 1900s and was moved to its current spot in 1989 when the president’s Official Residence was being established. It is presumed to be one of the buildings from when the area was used as Gyeongbok Palace’s rear garden, making it one of the oldest buildings on the site. It is designated as a Soul City Tangible Cultural Heritage.

Gyeongju Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal located behind the Official Residence [NEWS1]

Ounjeong Pavilion located behind the Official Residence [NEWS1]

Before rushing into the Official Residence, where former President Moon resided until just Monday morning, there are two historical artifacts to check out that are located behind the residence. Ounjeong Pavilion is presumed to have been established in 1868 during King Gojong's reign for the rear garden of Gyeongbok Palace. Next to the pavilion, there’s a stone statue of a seated Buddha created in the 9th century during the Unified Silla period (668-935). It is a state-designated treasure.

The Official Residence is one of the most popular attraction of the Blue House on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Visitors to the Blue House can't access the inside of the buildings but can get a sneak peek through a glass window. The photograph shows the inside of the Official Residence. [NEWS1]

Next up is the main attraction: the Official Residence of the Blue House. Built during the administration of Korea’s 6th president Roh Tae-woo, it was during this time that the original blue tiled-roof residence for the Japanese governor-general was destroyed and the new Main Office Building, along with the Official Residence and Chunchugwan, were established. Though the Blue House grounds are open to the public, visitors are not allowed to go inside the buildings until confidential documents and telecommunications systems are removed. Visitors can, however, take a peek inside through the glass windows.

Leaving the president’s residence, visitors will encounter a strange-looking gourd-shaped sculpture. It sits beside a sign stating this was the former site of the Japanese governor-general's residence. The sculpture is the only remnant from the building.

Visitors watch to the Blue House’s first public opening on Tuesday watch Jongmyo Jeryeak (ritual music performed for Confucian ancestral worship rites).

Next up is the Main Office Building. For those who had been dreaming about taking a seat in the president’s chair in his office and feeling a new sort of “energy,” like Park Jin-yu, 61, from Ulsan, it would be better to visit the Blue House after the buildings are all fully opened.

Park had a long face after finding out that the inside of the building isn't yet accessible.

“I came all the way to sit on that chair on the first day of its opening,” he said. “I only found out that we are not allowed in on my way here while searching about the Blue House on the train. I’m so frustrated. Now I have to come up again on the first day of the opening of the buildings and go through that fierce competition of winning the entry ticket again.”

This building was built in 1991 under the Roh administration. The design was based on the traditional architectural style of the Joseon Dynasty’s royal palaces. About 150,000 blue tiles for the roof were newly created — baked one by one over a long period of time to give them the strength to withstand the elements of more than 100 years.

A performance is being held inside the Chilgun Shrine, which houses ancestral tablets of royal concubines who gave birth to some of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty 1392-1910), on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Coming down the hill from there, visitors will encounter the Chilgung Shrine, which was designated as a historic site in 1966. It houses ancestral tablets of royal concubines who gave birth to some of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty including Royal Noble Consort Suk, who was the mother of King Yeongjo, and Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon, the mother of Crown Prince Uimin.

Yeongbingwan, or State Guest House, inside the Blue House [YONHAP]

Finally, visitors will see another familiar building, Yeongbingwan, also known as the State Guest House, where many large meetings and official events involving foreign guests were hosted.

As it’s a long walk up and down hills, it’s best that elderly visitors, like Jeong Man-seok, 90, and his two friends from Seoul, who visited the Blue House on Tuesday, bring a cane or walking stick.

Jeong Man-seok, 90, visiting the Blue House on Tuesday with his walking stick. [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

Jeong and one of his friends brought walking sticks and often took time to rest on the lawn, but the other friend, who is three years younger, did not and “keeps complaining it’s too tiring,” according to the others.

Some visitors complained that without the insides of the buildings opening up, the tours are not that different from the previous Blue House tours.

“It seems like the only difference is that you can freely roam around and take pictures anywhere without following a guide,” said Kim Hyun-soo, 45, who toured the Blue House once, about five years ago. “But I guess it’s still a great experience for those who are visiting for the first time.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Tuesday that it will provide a map, including satellite and 3D versions, of the Blue House compound in the near future to help visitors easily navigate the public venue.

Various traditional performances are being held at different corners of the Blue House until May 22. [NEWS1]

Anyone can apply for the tours via www.opencheongwadae.kr, Naver, KakaoTalk or Toss. Although it allows 39,000 people to access the Blue House per day, with 6,500 people allowed in every two hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., there are so many applicants that they have to be selected through a lottery. Only chosen applicants may participate in the tours. Six time slots will be offered from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until May 22. The format of the Blue House tours after May 22 may be changed depending on how the public responds to the tours in the next couple of weeks, the Yoon administration said.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]