Heart of Korea's modernization to light up for Jeongdong Culture Night festival

Home > National > Social Affairs

Heart of Korea's modernization to light up for Jeongdong Culture Night festival

Published: 25 Apr. 2025, 15:25 Updated: 25 Apr. 2025, 16:07

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Students from Ewha Girls' High School perform pungmulnori, Korean traditional instrument playing, during the 2024 Jeongdong Culture Night festival. [JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

Seoul may be known for its modern skyline and globally expanding K-culture, but it is also a city where the old and new coexist.

One of the most distinctive places that encapsulates this harmony between old and new is Jeong-dong, a neighborhood in downtown Seoul’s Jung District.

Jeong-dong, a historic area known for the iconic stone wall path surrounding Deoksu Palace and its collection of late 19th and early 20th century Western-style brick buildings, will be lit up for two nights on May 23 and 24 as part of the annual Jeongdong Culture Night festival.

First held in 2015, the festival opens museums, theaters and cultural institutions to the public after hours. Last year, the event attracted around 200,000 visitors, both local and international. Since its inception, Jeongdong Culture Night has drawn a cumulative 1.31 million visitors.

Performers sing Seodo sori, or traditional Korean narrative songs, at Jungmyeongjeon Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, during the 2024 Jeongdong Culture Night. [JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

Key landmarks in the area include Deoksu Palace, Jeongdong Theater, the Seoul Anglican Cathedral and the British and Canadian embassies.

Deoksu Palace, formerly known as Gyeongun Palace, became the residence of King Gojong (1852–1919), the last monarch of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), after he fled Gyeongbok Palace to escape Japanese troops. This move marked Jeong-dong’s emergence as the political and diplomatic heart of the Great Korean Empire. The area was also a hub for foreign legations from countries such as the United States, Britain, Russia and France.

Behind the embassy gates

On Thursday, the reporter took a press tour in the lead-up to the festival, passing through one of the most anticipated stops of this year’s event: the British Embassy in Seoul.

Major facilities open during Jeongdong Culture Night [YUN YOUNG]

Opposite Seoul City Hall and beside the Seoul Anglican Cathedral, the embassy building sits quietly behind its steel main gate, offering a rare peek into over a century of diplomatic history.

After clearing security checks, reporters were welcomed by British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks in fluent Korean.

“You came on a perfect day,” Crooks said, referring to the spring blossoms blooming around the historic building.

Britain established diplomatic ties with Korea in 1883 and again in 1949 after Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945). Completed in 1890, the embassy building — the oldest foreign embassy in Seoul — has been closed to the general public for around 130 years.

Due to security concerns, photography during the tour was only allowed in designated areas. Festivalgoers will also be guided on where they can and cannot take photos.

One of the most intriguing stops inside the embassy is Broughton’s Bar, a cozy underground pub named after the first British Royal Navy officer to visit Korea. Renovated last year, the bar has been refreshed with a more modern aesthetic while retaining its vintage charm.

Next door is Aston Hall, named after William George Aston, the first British and European diplomat stationed in Korea. The tour also includes a visit to the No. 2 House, with accommodation for embassy officials, and the No. 1 House, the current official residence of the ambassador.

British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks poses for a photo at a bar in the embassy building in Jung District, central Seoul, on April 24. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

On the first floor of the residence is a formal dining room featuring glass walls that overlooks a lush green garden. Upstairs is the ambassador’s private living quarters.

According to Crooks, the residence was once an inn before Britain purchased it in 1883 to convert it into an ambassadorial home.

“This is the only Western-style building in Seoul that has been continuously used for the same purpose since the 1890s,” the envoy explained, adding that he feels proud of the embassy being the only building of its kind in the capital.

Outside the residence stands a cherry blossom tree planted by the late Queen Elizabeth II during her state visit to Korea in 1999. Now in full bloom, its petals are not only filled with bright colors but also carry years of history.

British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks points to the cherry blossom tree planted by Queen Elizabeth II during her 1999 state visit on April 24. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

Diplomacy after dark

Given the typical restrictions around embassies, the festival offers a rare opportunity to step inside diplomatic compounds.

The British Embassy will open its gates to the public on the second night of the festival, on May 24. The Canadian Embassy will participate on the first night, May 23.

Due to limited capacity and security protocols, visitors will need to book their spots in advance. Tours will be held during designated hours only.

The British Embassy will host three 30-minute guided tours on the evening of May 24. The Canadian Embassy will feature a special lecture by writer Shawn Morrissey on the folk beliefs shared between Korea and Canada. The sessions, held at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., are capped at 30 attendees each.

Reservations for both embassies will open on May 1 via the official Jeongdong Culture Night website, where visitors can also find the full schedule and list of participating venues.

Moments in modernization

Beyond the embassies, the festival includes 35 cultural and historic facilities staying open until 10 p.m. — well beyond their usual closing time of 6 p.m. Notable locations include Deoksu Palace, the Seoul Museum of Art and the Seoul Metropolitan Library. Many of these sites offer special exhibitions, performances and hands-on experiences just for the festival.

Jeong-dong is not only home to beautiful architecture but also to significant milestones in Korea’s modernization. The area is where Korea’s first Western-style schools and religious institutions were founded. Ewha Hakdang, also known as Ewha School, the country’s first school for women, and Paichai Hakdang, Korea’s first private missionary school for men founded by an American missionary, are both located in the neighborhood.

Visitors listen to pipe organ played at the Seoul Anglican Cathedral during the 2024 Jeongdong Culture Night festival. [JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

The area was also home to foreign missionaries — including Horace Grant Underwood (1859–1916), an American missionary and the founder of Yonsei University; Mary F. Scranton (1832–1929), who established Ewha Womans University; and Henry G. Appenzeller (1858–1902), Korea’s first Methodist missionary and the founder of both Chungdong First Church and Pai Chai University.

Alongside cultural performances and marching bands, festivalgoers will be able to participate in interactive experiences like traditional lantern making and folk art demonstrations. This year, Jung District emphasizes that the heart of the festival is its people. The upcoming festival promises greater community participation, with some 200 Jung District residents helping to organize and operate the event.

Additionally, guided historical tours will be offered in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, which can be booked through the festival's website and on-site.

Visitors walk along the stone wall path surrounding Deoksu Palace during the 2024 Jeongdong Culture Night festival. [JUNG DISTRICT OFFICE]

“Jeong-dong was once a gathering place for people who dreamed of reform during Korea’s enlightenment period 130 years ago,” Jung District Office chief Kim Kil-sung told reporters on Thursday, adding that the challenges they took on and their openness to new cultures are what laid the foundation for the popularity of today’s K-culture.

“This year’s festival holds the hope of K-culture continuing to expand and lighting the way forward,” he added, referencing this year’s theme, "Light the Way to Our Future."

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]