Yoo Hong-jun "Disappointed by Insufficient Preparation for Cheong's Opening... Hope to Host a Daejeon of World-Class Architects"

My Cultural Heritage Exploration - Seoul Edition Parts 3 & 4 Published
Written with the Heart to Share with People 100 Years Later
Hope to Complete the Series with 15 Volumes... "If Possible, Also the China Edition"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] “Opening the Blue House itself is a good thing, but it would have been better if more preparation had been made before opening it.”

At the press conference for the publication of ‘My Cultural Heritage Exploration - Seoul Edition 3·4’ held on the 25th at the 50th Anniversary Hall, Basement 2, Changbi Seogyo Building, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Yoo Hong-jun, Chairman of the Academy of Korean Studies, did not hide his regret.

Chairman Yoo said, “The ideal way is to hold an international architectural design competition,” adding, “It should not be done based on the ideas of someone in a high position, but by appointing real experts and gathering public opinion so that it can proceed in the right direction. If you meddle rashly, it will be impossible to fix it later.”

He also said, “There are talks about using the Blue House as an art museum, but an overall utilization plan must come first. There are probably many ideas, such as exhibiting gifts received by past presidents from foreign envoys or displaying presidential records,” and expressed hope that “the Blue House will be well reorganized and remain as a cultural heritage of our era.”

This book contains various aspects of today’s Seoul. Chairman Yoo said, “Since it is an area where urban residents live, I hesitated to write because I thought it might be okay not to cover it under the concept of cultural heritage, but I wrote as I felt, thinking that it would serve as a good record and testimony for people 100 years from now,” and added, “I wanted to share how what we see now has changed and come to be as it is.”

The book also includes stories from Chairman Yoo’s childhood. He seasoned them appropriately to avoid turning it into an autobiography. It tells the story of his hometown ‘Seochon,’ where he was born at 130 Changseong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and attended middle school, high school, and university, as well as memories of attending classes in a tent classroom at Maeng-a School two years after the Korean War.

He hesitated to write about Bukchon because he had nothing particular to say, but that very point moved him. He said, “When people think of Bukchon, they vaguely imagine a hanok-dense area where Joseon Dynasty aristocrats lived, but in fact, it was all created during the Japanese colonial period,” and added, “I wanted to clearly establish how it was formed and how it became a symbol of traditional houses.”

Regarding Insadong, Chairman Yoo explained, “The short distance of about 500 meters is very pleasant to walk. As the stream was paved, the road curves in an S-shape, so you cannot see the end of the road and the scene keeps changing,” and said, “It gave great ideas to urban architects. The curves exude a human touch.”

The ‘My Cultural Heritage Exploration’ series, first released in 1993, marks its 29th year this year. Twelve volumes have been published so far, and Chairman Yoo’s goal is to publish up to 15 volumes. Currently, he is writing a sequel covering UNESCO-designated relics that have not yet been addressed, from the prehistoric site of Jeongok-ri in Yeoncheon to Dokdo, through a pilgrimage to the National Land Museum. Chairman Yoo said, “I am not young anymore. I am 73 years old this year,” and added, “I plan to finish with the 15th volume, but if possible, I would like to publish a China edition as well.”

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