[One Day Walk] A Glimpse of Modern Korean History... Dongincheon Station

Editor's NoteThe subway is not only a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely, but also an important point for daily walking. We introduce walkable places around subway stations.

Today's starting point, Dongincheon Station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1, is familiar to Line 1 users as the 'Dongincheon Express.' It is also a historic station built along with the opening of the Gyeongin Line, the first railway constructed on the Korean Peninsula in 1899. At that time, it was called Chukhyeon Station, named after the nearby Ssari-jae Pass, but was briefly known as Sangincheon Station before being renamed Dongincheon Station in 1955 after liberation. The name means a station east of Incheon Station, but as Incheon continued to grow, an ironic situation arose where the station, now located on the west side of Incheon city, is still called Dongincheon Station, leading to calls for a name change.

At the north side of Dongincheon Station lies Buk Square, where the 'Hwadojin Skating Rink' opens every year. This winter season operation starts with an opening ceremony on the 20th and runs for about two months until February 15 of next year. For an affordable price of 2,000 won, including equipment rental, visitors can enjoy skating, a representative winter sport.

The first place to visit is Sinpo International Market. It is known to have started as a market selling vegetables to foreigners settled around Incheon in the late 19th century. As international merchants and tourists visiting Incheon Port increased, it developed into the international market it is today. The 'Sinpo Dakgangjeong' (sweet crispy fried chicken) shops often have long lines on weekends. Additionally, a company operating nationwide dumpling chains named itself after 'Sinpo,' reflecting the market’s fame for dumplings such as wang mandu (large dumplings) and mul mandu (boiled dumplings). Since Jung-gu, Incheon is known as the birthplace of jjolmyeon (chewy cold noodles), jjolmyeon is also considered a specialty.

Next is the Korean Modern Literature Museum, a cultural museum created by remodeling an old warehouse to comprehensively cover Korean modern literature. Reflecting Incheon’s character as an open port city, unlike other literary museums focused on specific writers or schools, this museum centers on the theme of 'Korean Modern Literature.' Works by representative modern Korean writers such as Han Yong-un, Kim Sowol, Hyun Jin-geon, Baek Seok, and Yeom Sang-seop can be found all in one place.

General MacArthur Statue at Jayu Park, Jung-gu, Incheon.
Photo by Incheon City

Incheon Freedom Park is considered Korea’s first Western-style park, established as early as 1888. Initially named International Park, it was renamed Seogongwon (West Park) during the Japanese colonial period, then Man-guk Park (All Nations Park) after liberation. In 1957, to commemorate the Incheon Landing Operation, a statue of General MacArthur, who led the operation, was erected, and the park was renamed Freedom Park. Almost the entire area of Eungbongsan Mountain, at about 69 meters above sea level, is developed as Freedom Park, offering panoramic views of Incheon Port and the surrounding area.

Descending from Freedom Park towards the seaside, you will find Incheon Chinatown. After the opening of Incheon Port in 1883, this area was designated as an extraterritorial zone of Qing China, forming Chinatown, which has preserved the unique culture and customs of the Chinese community for over 120 years. However, rather than strictly maintaining these traditions, various cultures have blended here, such as the birth of Korean-style Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) in this area. Besides Jajangmyeon, visitors can enjoy various foods like gonggalbbang (hollow bread), Chinese-style dumplings, and mooncakes.

The last place to visit today is Incheon Station. Built together with Dongincheon Station, it is the terminus of the Gyeongin Line. Being a terminus, it is a unique station where the Line 1 platform is a 'two-ended platform,' meaning the end of the platform is completely closed off. In 2016, the Suin-Bundang Line was extended to Incheon Station, making it more convenient for residents of western Gyeonggi areas such as Ansan and Suwon to access Incheon Station.