[The Future of Seochon] ⑬ "The Neighborhood Lives Only if Residents Survive in the Narrow Alleyways"

‘Eternal Legacy’ Interview with Writer Sim Yoon-kyung... "I Hope It’s a Place Where the Pulse Harmonizes with Reality"

The Western-style building visible on the left rear is Byeoksu Mountain Lodge. It burned down in 1966 and was demolished in 1973.

[Asia Economy, Reporter Seo Mideum] Sim Yoon-kyung, the author of the novel Yeongwonhan Yusan (Eternal Legacy) (Munhakdongne), is a native who has lived in Seochon, Jongno-gu, Seoul for forty years. Although she left Seochon for about ten years, letting life flow as it would, she returned to Seochon like a salmon returning home. The dense alleys of Seochon, where even wandering all day as a child always led to new paths, are like capillaries of excitement for Sim.

In Yeongwonhan Yusan, Sim centers the story around “Byeoksu Sanjang,” which was once the villa of pro-Japanese collaborator Yoon Deok-young but was used as the office of the Korean Unification and Reconstruction Committee after the Korean War. The novel depicts the stories of “ordinary people who tried to maintain honesty and dignity amid the tides of ideology.” Although the characters are fictional, the novel reflects the actual historical background and locations, shedding light on Seochon. We met Sim on May 27 at a caf? in Seochon.

Sim Yunkyung, Novelist

- I understand that the novel Yeongwonhan Yusan was inspired by a childhood photo taken at Byeoksu Sanjang. You have lived in Seochon for a long time. As a longtime resident, how would you describe Seochon’s unique characteristics?

▲ I have lived in Seochon for 40 years out of my 50-year life. Seochon is a humble neighborhood where Korea’s long history and serene beauty coexist. The word ‘humble’ is important here. While Bukchon was home to prominent aristocrats, Seochon has traditionally been a residential area for commoners and the middle class. That atmosphere still continues today. It is a place with a unique practical, modest, yet beautiful charm.

- It seems there are many sights to see as well.

▲ Seochon is a beautiful place even if you just walk along the main streets during a neighborhood stroll. The view of Inwangsan Mountain from there is truly lovely. The Suseongdong Valley of Inwangsan is the best place to appreciate its beauty. It’s a remarkable spot where the removal of apartments has revealed the beautiful valley intact. I want people to gently walk through the pretty alleys. That is the real Seochon. Even after living here my whole life, there are many alleys where I find new paths. Recently, the Blue House (Cheongwadae) has rapidly become a local landmark. The line waiting for the shuttle bus is incredibly long.

- Seochon has many legacies and attractions, but why did you choose Byeoksu Sanjang as the subject?

▲ It probably best fits the idea expressed by Bong Joon-ho and Martin Scorsese that “the most personal is the most creative.” I had lived my whole life in Seochon but was completely unaware of Byeoksu Sanjang until I was 42, which shocked me. I was proud to have lived in Seochon all my life, yet I had no idea about such a big commotion. I didn’t feel compelled to write just because of its historical significance, but when I realized this was my story and it happened in my own backyard, I felt an urgent need to write. The Byeoksu Sanjang in my childhood photo was demolished three days after the photo was taken. I didn’t want to fossilize that building into a politically charged novel, so I conceived the story as a personal and commoner’s tale for a long time.

- The novel includes the phrase, “There are few people left to testify that such things existed, and the evidence that they actually existed is becoming scarce.” What are some things in Seochon that have faded, disappeared, or need attention?

▲ We often don’t realize the value of something while it exists. Looking at photos of Sunhwa Hospital from the 1950s, the building was quite large, but now few even know it existed. The Baeksong (White Pine) that was said to have been at the home of the calligrapher Kim Jeong-hui was struck by lightning one day and fell, leaving only its place behind. Nothing can overcome time; things disappear one by one. Similarly, the symbolic alleys of Seochon are disappearing. I understand the inconvenience of residents living in narrow alleys and agree that some areas need to be widened, but sometimes it feels like a piece of the neighborhood is lost, which is heartbreaking.

- Could you elaborate more on the inconveniences of living in Seochon?

▲ Seochon has been under development restrictions for a very long time. Various attempts at change have repeatedly failed. That seems to be the neighborhood’s characteristic. It feels like you shouldn’t change anything recklessly. Even now, many places don’t have access to city gas. Parking problems are obvious. It’s unfortunate that the population is decreasing and aging. As the population declines, alleys become emptier. There aren’t many academies, so many families move to new towns for their children’s education.

- There seem to be many attempts to turn Seochon into a tourist destination.

▲ At Donuimun Museum Village, there is a place where the village has been turned into a small museum. It was probably an effort to preserve historical value, but it feels like looking at a stuffed animal?eerily lifeless. Only the old appearance remains without people living there. I hope Seochon doesn’t become a place that is neither alive nor dead like that. Leaving only the shell is not everything. I hope it remains a place with a pulse that harmonizes with reality. I want to say it should be a place where residents can comfortably enjoy its beauty while living.

- While some things like Byeoksu Sanjang once existed but are now gone, the opposite also exists. What are your personal feelings about Seochon’s changes?

▲ Many houses are old and decaying, but people who love Seochon’s atmosphere are opening new one-person workshops and cafes. It seems the village is still holding on with its inherent beauty. I hope there will be many support measures that maintain vitality without drastically changing the existing atmosphere, like hanok guesthouses.

- The recent opening of the Blue House is also a change. How do you view these series of changes?

▲ I think Seochon’s greatest strength is its tranquility. However, the past 20 years have made it the noisiest neighborhood due to protests and such. Since there has been a big change in the country recently, I think this atmosphere is also a somewhat positive change.

- In the book, you wrote, “The neighborhood I live in has always been a stage for such upheavals. When one side’s voice covers the square, another side’s voice pushes back.” It must have been exhausting. You must have felt history closely. Now that the presidential office has moved to Yongsan, it seems Seochon will be free from that role.

▲ When I was young, it was the era of protests and tear gas. The old downtown areas like Seoul Station, Euljiro, Gwanghwamun, and Myeongdong were the centers of protests. But at some point, it was compressed to Gwanghwamun and Seochon and became more intense. The lifestyle of people here is like watching a weather forecast but for protests. We worried whether public transportation would pass without stopping or if police barricades would make it hard for children to go home from school. It was really tough. During the mad cow disease protests, commuting was a struggle. I even crawled under barricades to get home. Historically, Seochon has borne a very tiring role. I hope it now returns from being a political center to its original quiet village.

- Despite the inconveniences, why did you return to Seochon?

▲ Even when I left Seochon briefly, a part of my heart was always here. Other places felt like temporary residences. This is the area where my soul is buried. The Blue House, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Inwangsan Mountain are the three pillars of Seochon. The space between them is Seochon, and there is chemistry among them. Tradition, modernity, and nature all harmonize here.

- Do you have any hopes for how Seochon should change?

▲ I hope Seochon becomes a place where residents can live comfortably. For that, there should be more support than regulation. Although tourism is a major source of income for local governments, I think they overlook the importance of residents. Between 2014 and 2016, when Chinese tourists flooded Seochon, there was discussion about removing schools and libraries to build tourist hotels or large restaurants. Residents strongly opposed this, and when the ban on Korean tourism to China (Hallyu ban) happened, those large-scale plans vanished like a mirage. Jongno-gu and tourism authorities keep planning large facilities, but that doesn’t suit Seochon. Rather, small guesthouses in the alleys are more useful. Most residents of Seochon have endured through struggle and deeply love this neighborhood.

- What are you preparing for your next work? Will Seochon be the setting again?

▲ I wrote My Beautiful Garden (Hankyoreh Publishing) and Yeongwonhan Yusan set in Seochon. I will publish my first essay collection in July, and it will probably include stories about Seochon.