Overview
Bukjeong Village is one of the last remaining villages within the Sadaemun Gate of Seoul, often considered a mountain and hill neighborhood. Bukjeong Village is shaped like a large oval. Next to the village is a fortress, which directly showcases the stilted village that developed around the walls. Originally, settlements could not be formed within a certain range inside and outside the city walls of Hanyangdoseong. In particular, due to the nature of the capital built along the curves of Naesa Mountain, there were many geographical constraints in building houses. However, urbanization during the Japanese colonial period and around the Korean War led to rapid population growth and housing shortages in Seoul, and people began building and living by relying on fortress walls. Bukjeong Village is a village where people who flocked to Seoul carved and cultivated the rough land, built their own houses, and gathered in alleys to become neighbors. Seongbuk-dong, outside the restricted area overlooking the mountains, is lined with houses and apartments. However, Bukjeong Village, which has been restricted due to development restrictions due to Hanyang Fortress, remains a modest shanty village. Bukjeong Village is also famous for having 'Simujang,' the home of Manhae Han Yong-un, a renowned independence activist. In addition, the 'Bukjeong Art Museum' and the adjacent 'Bukjeong Cafe' add to the village's atmosphere. The unique landscape of Bukjeong Village, integrated with the fortress walls and hilly terrain over many years, has become a heritage that must be preserved and nurtured alongside Hanyang Fortress. (Source: Seoul Future Heritage website)
