Incheon’s First Outstanding Architectural Asset: “Eum 1977” House in Songhak-dong Designed by Kim Sukun

Old Chinese-Korean Store "Baeknyeon Ium" Registered as the Second Outstanding Architectural Asset

On January 5, Incheon City announced that it has registered the house "Eum 1977" in Songhak-dong, Jung-gu, and the old Chinese-Korean store "Baeknyeon Ium" in Chinatown, Seonrin-dong, Jung-gu, as the city's first outstanding architectural assets.

Registered as No. 1, "Eum 1977" is a house designed by the renowned Korean architect Kim Sukun (1931-1986) and completed in 1977. It has been highly regarded for its historical, architectural, and artistic value.

Incheon Urban Corporation (iH) purchased the house from a private owner, renovated it, and opened it to the public in 2022. The house is celebrated for its beautiful architectural features, including rough-textured brickwork, Oriental-style arches, and a variety of window shapes that maximize natural light.

The house "Eum 1977," designed by the master of Korean architecture Kim Sukun and completed in 1977. Provided by Incheon Urban Corporation

The second outstanding architectural asset, "Baeknyeon Ium," is considered highly rare, as only a few Chinese-style houses built in Korea between the port-opening period and the Japanese colonial era remain nationwide. iH acquired the building and transformed it into a public cultural space for citizens.

The Outstanding Architectural Asset Registration System allows the mayor of Incheon to register architectural assets deemed to require systematic preservation and management, based on applications from property owners. Registered assets receive special permit exemptions, support for repair and renovation, and tax benefits. The city enacted the "Ordinance on the Promotion of Architectural Assets such as Hanok in Incheon" in 2015 to introduce this system, and this marks the first time two buildings have been registered.

An official from Incheon City stated, "With the registration of the first and second outstanding architectural assets, we will actively discover excellent architectural assets in the region and foster public consensus on their value."

The old Chinese-Korean store "Baeknyeon I-eum" located in Incheon Chinatown. Provided by Incheon Urban Corporation