[Walking the Exile Sites with "The King and the Man"] Embracing Warmth in a Bowl of Soup... The Unpolished Affection of Namdo That Awakened the Exiled

Revisiting the Sites of Exile in the South Amid the Craze for "The King and the Man" <5. Jeong Yak-yong>

The Comforting Hands of the Gangjin Innkeeper Grandmother and Hyejang

Devotion That Lifted an Isolated Genius

The Essence of Jose

Editor's NoteThe film "The King and His Companion" has surpassed 15 million viewers, sparking a "culture of exile" phenomenon across Korea. The isolation and despair experienced by those driven from the center of power to the periphery paradoxically gave rise to great scholarship and art within the broad embrace of the Namdo region. The Asia Business Daily Honam Reporting Bureau goes beyond the cinematic narrative to closely examine major sites of exile in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, where the breath of real history still lingers. Over the course of six installments, we will focus on the value of the culture of exile—the spirit of scholars who transformed barren land into grounds of hope, and the very roots of today's "Land of Arts, Namdo."

On the afternoon of the 26th, group visitors were lined up entering Saejae located in Gangjin-eup, Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Min Hyunki

Behind every great achievement, there have always been steadfast supporters. Just as the protagonist in "The King and His Companion" (hereafter "The King and His Companion") found the strength to rise again in isolation thanks to the warmth of those around him, it was the old innkeeper in Gangjin and relatives in Haenam who made the great Confucian scholar Jeong Yak-yong, also known as Dasan, who he was.

"How could you abandon your studies?"... The Miracle of Saejae Created by the Innkeeper Grandmother

In Dongseong-ri, Gangjin-eup, Gangjin County, Jeollanam-do, when you stand in the neatly restored courtyard of "Saejae (四宜齋)," you can imagine the bleak landscape of the winter of 1801. No one dared offer a room to Dasan, who had been thrown into Gangjin as a convicted traitor. It was then that an unnamed grandmother who ran an inn outside the east gate extended her hand.

The grandmother, seeing Dasan lost in despair and skipping meals, offered him a bowl of soup and scolded him. "How could a scholar abandon his studies?"—this reprimand from a simple, uneducated woman struck Dasan to his core. At this place, Dasan built Saejae, meaning "the room where four things—thought, appearance, speech, and action—must be properly kept," and finally reconnected with his scholarly pursuits. What awakened the isolated genius was not lofty philosophy, but the unrefined yet passionate affection ("jeong") of a woman from the Namdo region.

On the afternoon of the 26th, a married couple of visitors are freely viewing at Saijae, Gangjin-eup, Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Min Hyunki

"The Torch of Learning That Began at the Inn Outside the East Gate"... The First Disciples and Hwang Sang

Saejae was more than just a place of exile; it became Dasan’s "first school," where he, mired in despair, began to reconnect with the world. Encouraged by the innkeeper grandmother, Dasan pulled himself together and, for the first time, accepted six disciples here, including the young Hwang Sang from Achisil, Gangjin. Entrusting a child to a disgraced traitor who had been cast out of the political center required extraordinary courage from the people of Gangjin.

In the cramped rooms of Saejae, Dasan taught his disciples the "Three Diligences"—"Be diligent, be diligent, and be diligent again"—instilling in them the rigor of scholarship. In particular, Hwang Sang, who would later become Dasan's most faithful disciple, made Dasan's teachings from Saejae his lifelong vocation, even after his mentor moved his residence to Chodang. The questions and answers exchanged under the candlelight in the small inn room between the exiled scholar and the young boys of Namdo became the starting point for what would eventually become more than 500 volumes of extensive writings.

"We Came to Absorb the Spirit of Study"... The People Cultivating a Mecca of Humanities

On this day, Ms. Lee (49) was carefully looking around Saejae’s courtyard with her son. As the mother of a son who is about to enter his final year of high school, she said, "I came because I thought this place, where Master Dasan bloomed in scholarship despite adversity, would have a special energy," adding, "Just as the innkeeper’s warm heart saved Dasan, I hope my child is blessed with the innkeeper’s generosity and the spirit of study, and that he will do well in his entrance exams," she said with a smile.

The response to the surrounding attractions centered on Saejae was also enthusiastic. In particular, the nearby "Memory Theme Street" was very popular among middle-aged visitors. Mr. Jeong, a visitor in his 50s who came on a group trip from Busan, said, "After learning about Dasan’s history at Saejae, I found a street right next door displaying famous movie quotes and themes from the past, and I lost track of time," adding, "There were so many nostalgic attractions our generation could relate to. I took pictures with my classmates and had a truly enjoyable time."

"Rich in Content, But... The Challenge of Establishing a 'Gangjin-Style Exile Brand'"

The 'Memory Theme Street' and hanok cafes located near Saejae in Gangjin-eup, Gangjin County, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Min Hyunki

However, on site, some voiced disappointment over the lack of a "powerful signature appeal" to maximize Saejae’s potential. In contrast to Yeongwol—the setting of the recent film "The King and His Companion"—which has rapidly emerged as a national attraction by embracing the concept of "exile and isolation" as a grand, narrative-driven brand, Gangjin is seen as lacking in this area.

Although Saejae and the Memory Theme Street are both excellent attractions in their own right, some analysts note that the brand power to tie them together as a unified "exile narrative unique to Gangjin" is still insufficient.

Jung Jiseon (46), who acted as a guide for a group of visitors that day, advised, "Just as Yeongwol popularized the culture of exile through cinematic imagination, Gangjin should also reimagine the human connections among Dasan, the innkeeper, and his disciple Hwang Sang as a modern, emotionally resonant brand." She emphasized the need for immersive branding that enables tourists to feel as if they have "stepped into Dasan’s life," rather than simply visiting a "well-decorated space."

Gangjin County is humbly accepting such feedback and is accelerating efforts to expand the popularity of historical tourism centered on Saejae into a unique brand of exile culture.

An official from Gangjin County stated, "We are continuously expanding spaces where visitors can learn from Dasan’s spirit at Saejae and reminisce in the theme street," adding, "Moving forward, we plan to actively develop content that infuses historical assets with contemporary sensibility."

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