Time Travel to Hwarangdae Station?

Nowon-gu to Infuse Cultural Content into the Former Hwarangdae Station on the Gyeongchun Line

Discovering and Establishing History Education Experience Programs Utilizing Cultural Heritage

Expanding Opportunities for Residents to Enjoy Cultural Assets and Establishing Awareness for Their Preservation

Reevaluating Historical Value, Expecting Regional Cultural Development ... Striving to Lead to Local Revitalization

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will operate an experiential program called 'Time Travel to Hwarangdae Station' utilizing the Gyeongchun Line and the former Hwarangdae Station.

The Hwarangdae Station building is Registered Cultural Heritage No. 300. Although it was closed in 2010 due to the relocation of the Gyeongchun Line, it was reborn as an exhibition hall during the creation of the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Park. The district has emphasized the poetic value of Hwarangdae Station, the last simple station in Seoul, preserving the old railway and station as they were, and has been working hard to develop various cultural contents.

Representative examples include the ▲Time Museum using a retired Mugunghwa-ho train car, ▲a caf? train scene where model trains deliver drinks, and ▲Nowon Train Village, which intricately recreates the beautiful natural scenery of Switzerland and model trains in miniature.

The upcoming 'Time Travel to Hwarangdae Station' is an experiential program utilizing various facilities developed by the district so far, designed to expand opportunities for residents to experience and enjoy cultural heritage.

The programs include four types: ▲Hwarangdae in My Hands ▲Gyeongchun Line Marble ▲Talk Concert Gyeongchun Story ▲Photo Contest Stories Embracing Hwarangdae Station.

First, 'Hwarangdae in My Hands' is a hands-on history education program that explores the opening process of the Gyeongchun Line and the Hwarangdae Station building. It is conducted with professional commentary by a cultural tourism guide from the Nowon Cultural Center. Rather than just visiting the exhibition hall, participants can create a Hwarangdae Station experience kit using MDF material craft kits.

The board game 'Gyeongchun Line Marble,' made using the Gyeongchun Line and Hwarangdae Station as themes, is also noteworthy. Cultural explanations given before the game spark interest in related history, naturally encouraging experiential learning through gameplay. Each session accommodates 15 participants divided into 3 to 4 teams, and the winning team will receive a Monopoly game as a prize.

Lastly, 'Gyeongchun Story' is a talk concert designed to share stories and precious memories related to the former Hwarangdae Station and the Gyeongchun Line. Experts and general participants discuss historical facts about the Gyeongchun Line and Hwarangdae Station, sharing residents’ daily experiences and memories related to these places, fostering appreciation for the space. The district expects this to help establish and cultivate awareness for preserving local cultural heritage.

These programs will be held individually from August to November, and participation is limited, requiring prior registration. Detailed information is available on the Nowon Cultural Center website.

The photo contest 'Stories Embracing Hwarangdae Station' is open for submissions until August 31 via the Nowon Cultural Center website. Anyone nationwide can participate regardless of the shooting device, whether smartphone or camera, as long as the photos relate to Hwarangdae Station or the Gyeongchun Line. About 20 works will be selected through judging, and winners will receive gifts worth approximately 50,000 KRW. Selected works will be exhibited at the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Gallery in November.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Nowon-gu possesses various historical resources, including the Registered Cultural Heritage No. 300 Hwarangdae Station and Taegangneung Tomb. We will strive to expand residents’ opportunities to enjoy cultural heritage by discovering experiential tourism programs linked to cultural assets and surrounding infrastructure.”