'Samcheonggak' Reopens to the Public After 50 Years of Renovation... Oh Se-hoon Attends Opening Ceremony

Hanok Beauty Reborn as a 'View Hotspot' to Feel the Charm of Bukaksan
Weekly High-Class Performances... Diverse Events Held in Detached Buildings like Cheongcheondang and Cheonchudang

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City is fully renewing ‘Samcheonggak,’ built in 1972, after 50 years and will begin full operation of all facilities starting from the 27th. It will be reborn as a landmark where visitors can experience the taste and beauty of Korean tradition through various performances, exhibitions, conventions, and traditional food culture experiences, attracting both domestic and international tourists.

Seoul City has renewed all the aging facilities inside and outside the building to create a distinctive ‘traditional cultural tourism attraction’ that maximizes the beauty of hanok harmonized with the beautiful mountain scenery of Bukaksan. Samcheonggak is a unique space where the ‘beauty of Korea’ is alive, which is hard to find in the city. On a 21,115㎡ site set against the beautiful backdrop of Bukaksan, it includes the main building ‘Ilwhadang’ with a performance hall, five annexes (Yuhajeong, Cheonchudang, Cheongcheondang, Chwihandang, Dongbaekheon), and two outdoor gardens.

The main building Ilwhadang houses a performance hall equipped with the latest facilities, a Korean restaurant where traditional Korean cuisine can be enjoyed, and a terrace caf? with a panoramic view of Bukaksan and the Hanyangdoseong Fortress. The performance hall on the second floor of Ilwhadang (422㎡) has 150 seats and can host performances, international conferences, and conventions using both indoor space and the outdoor lawn.

Among the annexes, Chwihandang is dedicated to exhibitions, Dongbaekheon serves as a hanok caf?, and the Samcheonggak walking trail is open at all times, operating as a cultural space open to citizens. In the exhibition-only space ‘Chwihandang,’ an exhibition celebrating the opening of Samcheonggak titled ‘Simple Festival’ is being held. In collaboration with Seongbuk-gu, carefully selected works from the Seongbuk Art Museum’s collection are showcased. Eighteen works by artists such as Seo Se-ok, Son Jae-hyung, Song Young-bang, Choi Man-rin, and Jo Mun-ja, who made Seongbuk their artistic base and were actively engaged, are exhibited. Starting with this exhibition, various art pieces will be continuously presented, making ‘Chwihandang’ a space that enriches citizens’ hearts with art.

Yuhajeong, an octagonal pavilion where the sound of a stream can be heard, is used as a place for educational experiences. The ‘Korean Traditional Food Making’ experience program and wine lectures are held every Thursday. Cheongcheondang, connected to the outdoor lawn, can host traditional weddings and MICE events utilizing both indoor and outdoor spaces. Samcheonggak, designated as a unique venue in 2014, plans to further solidify its status as a landmark for exhibition and convention events through this renewal.

Meanwhile, an opening ceremony marking the new beginning of Samcheonggak will be held with the attendance of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The ceremony will be attended by domestic and international dignitaries including Ersin Er?in, Ambassador of T?rkiye to Korea; Edgar Gaspar Martins, Ambassador of Angola to Korea; Bakyt Dusenbayev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea; Jung Mi-sook, Director of the Korean Furniture Museum; Han Bok-ryeo, Director of the Royal Cuisine Research Institute; Jo Mun-ja, Western-style painter; and Lee Il-soon, CEO of Geumdanje. Celebratory performances such as ‘Kim Deok-su Samulnori,’ pansori by Oh Jeong-hae, and a hanbok fashion show harmonizing well with the hanok will be held.

Joo Yong-tae, Head of Seoul City’s Culture Headquarters, said, “Samcheonggak, where six hanoks harmonize with the beautiful scenery of Bukaksan, is a distinctive space hard to find in the city,” and added, “We hope Samcheonggak will receive great love from domestic and international tourists as a representative traditional cultural tourism attraction of Seoul.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.