Chairman Yoon Do-jun of Dongwha Pharm Tells the 600-Year History of Namsan

Essay Publication: "Peaks Like Blue Eyebrows, Beautiful Namsan"

Cover of the new book "Peaks Like Blue Eyebrows, Beautiful Namsan".

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Namsan, which has become a symbol of Seoul today. Yoon Do-jun, chairman of Dongwha Pharm, has been climbing Namsan every day for the past 10 years. Since 2017, he has shown extraordinary affection for Namsan by planning historical explorations of the mountain.

Chairman Yoon, who loves Namsan more than anyone else, has now published an essay directly examining the history of Namsan titled "A Ridge Like Blue Eyebrows, Beautiful Namsan." The phrase "a ridge like blue eyebrows" in the title is a line describing Namsan by Lee Deok-mu, a scholar-official of the Joseon Dynasty during King Jeongjo's reign, evoking how beautiful Namsan was in the past.

Namsan began to be gradually damaged after the 1876 Treaty of Ganghwa, when Joseon opened its ports. Japan built religious facilities and major administrative institutions such as Joseon Shrine, the Joseon Military Police Command, and the Resident-General's residence throughout Namsan. Even after liberation, Namsan suffered damage in various places for purposes such as economic development.

Later, starting with forest greening projects, Namsan became a must-visit tourist destination and a representative resting place for citizens when visiting Seoul, but it became difficult to find traces of its history from past to present. Chairman Yoon, feeling regretful about this, informs about the trials and changes Namsan has undergone and suggests directions for the future.

The book includes photos to provide an overview of the history and transformation of Namsan over 600 years since the Joseon era, along with a current map of Namsan, a timeline summarizing changes in facilities and zones, making it easy for readers to understand the history. Chairman Yoon narrates the history comfortably as if telling readers during an actual exploration of Namsan.

Chairman Yoon said, "I published this book to share not only Namsan's image as a tourist attraction but also its long-standing history with more people," adding, "My dream is to continue to inform more people about the beauty and history of Namsan."

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