Reviving Seoul Station as Cultural Hub
Long before the arrival of high-speed KTX and airplanes, Koreans used regular trains as their main vehicle for special trips holidays and journeys. Seoul Station was at the center of the excitement and has witnessed the ups and downs of the public over the years.
Travelers who visit the station nowadays may be well acquainted with the busy and high-tech station connected to subway line 1, but right next to the modern station stands an antique building that bears the name “Seoul Station.” This was the original station our ancestors used, and despite the historic meaning it holds, many visitors don’t appreciate the now-deserted building, as the train tracks skip the original architecture and connect directly to the fancy platform and the newly built station nearby.
There is no doubt that Seoul Station is a hallmark station in Korea, but it’s not modern or traditional enough to be one. I think it should be upgraded to represent Korea,” Lee Jae-young, a 26-year-old student, told The Korea Times.
In order to do so, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last June that the station would be reconstructed into a representative cultural space. The ministry has been taking charge of the station from 2007 after the construction of the KTX station, and is determined to transform the area into a cultural hub.
Future Plans
In order to revive the Seoul station that just sits there with no purpose, the ministry has plans to revamp the area altogether and transform it into a cultural hub, similar to that of France’s Musee d’Orsay.
Ever since the ministry took over the old building, there have been various cultural events held around the area ― including fashion shows, art performances, festival and music concerts ― attracting spectators and foreigners.
The numerous events held around the old station have proven that it has potential as a cultural space,” an official from the ministry said through a statement.
The ministry announced that it would take approximately 20 billion won to reconstruct the building and also add other cultural facilities such as exhibition halls, museums, restaurants and concert halls. It would take three years and be able to greet the public for the first time in March, 2011. With plans of opening a railroad to the Incheon International Airport in 2010, the ministry is expecting to attract visitors here and also from abroad to the station and offer the essence of Korean culture and history.
Visit the reconstruction site now and you can find an interesting photo exhibition surrounding the whole construction area. The photos date back to the 1900s, when the station began as Namdaemun station, to the days after Independence and the Korean War.
Along with the photo exhibition, the ministry also set up transparent acrylic boards for passers-by to examine the progress of the construction.
Seoul Station summarizes Korean history. It was not just a train station, but the face and gate of Seoul. It has seen so much throughout the years and it’s important and meaningful that we are reviving the station as a place that
Koreans can enjoy and appreciate,” Chung said.