The Most ¡°Korean¡± of Spaces

European architects and professional artists visited E UM The Place while they were searching for motifs for a Hanok they were going to build in Basel, Switzerland. Because Hanok represents the ¡°essence¡± of Korean culture, the experts had visited a great number of Hanok, and after carefully examining E UM The Place, they had high praise for it as a ¡°Hanging Garden¡± with three distinctive features.

The three distinctive features of E UM The Place included the fact that, Gyeongbokgung Palace―the main palace for a past Korean dynasty―seemed to serve as its yard; the Hanok¡¯s roof rather than walls acted as a wall, shifting the flow of air to give it a peacefulness that seemed to separate it from the outside world; and, finally, the heights and positions of the buildings were so well selected that it gave visitors a sense of calm akin to being hugged within their mother¡¯s bosom.

The history and architectural background of E UM The Place can be explained better when examining the three features observed by the foreign experts, who did not have much experience with Korean culture.

On the wall of the Hanok is the work of artist Kang Mok, and inside the room is the work of artist No Eunhee.

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main palace that signified the authority of the royal court, and its borrowing of the natural environment and surrounding beauty to add to the beauty of the structure was awe inspiring. Moreover, Bukchon, nearby Samcheong-dong, has gardens where flowers and trees were cultivated by the royal families of the Joseon Dynasty. Samcheong¡¯s mountains, water and general good vibes likely led to its naming. Amid the intense changes in international affairs in the late Joseon Dynasty period, the power of the royal court waned, leading the nobility to take up residence or construct villas in the Samcheong-dong area. E UM The Place was born from the traces of that history when the structures there were built there in 1908, a time when there was a new trend of living in Hanok.

When the children living in the Hanok began to leave home, its owner opened it up to the public to share its atmosphere with the greater public. From 2006, construction was started to combine the main house with a nearby Hanok and to combine two Western-style houses.

The annex hosts the work ¡®The Hart Motaru¡¯ by ARTNOM ©E UM The Place

There was a great deal of discussion between the owners of the space and Hanok architects about how to repair the Western-style homes. The Western-style houses were finished to serve as the fortifications of the Hanok castle in consideration of the zeitgeist at the time of their construction of empowering the nation¡¯s power, promoting a sense of national spirit, and implementing a proactive response to international changes. In a dramatic move, the external stone walls were constructed with material that reflectively diffused sun and water and could tolerate changes in the four seasons. Of course, in contrast to the external walls that give off a strong sense of being the walls of a fortress, the courtyard has a pond with a pavilion to bring a sense of harmony between yin and yang.

The space¡¯s name, E UM, was also part of an effort to meld Hanok¡¯s past and future. If you carefully examine E UM¡¯s space, you can find the modern-day efforts to creatively succeed the atmosphere created 100 or so years in the past and realize that it is space of living full of warmth.

Persimmons picked from an old tree in the yard ripen.

Connecting the Heart with Culture

E UM The Place is a bridge between the past, today and the future. It aims to be an appealing cultural hub that adheres to Korea¡¯s unique sensibilities while also expressing a flexibility with various genres of modern art.

Up until this point, E UM has played a myriad of roles, including as a provocative gallery that allows for dynamic artistic attempts unable to be placed in a white cube; a space for collaboration between Korean culture and world brands such as Gucci, Cartier, and Burberry; a space to show off Korea¡¯s soft power through international events that gather Korean and international innovative leaders; a place for architects and scholars to visit and explore the beauty of Hanok built in the late Joseon Dynasty era; and as a space for celebrities to communicate their important life memories at Hanok.

Recently, the pairing of exhibitions for visitors and refreshments from traditional culture has made E UM The Place a space to satisfy all five senses as it attempts to shift to become a new landmark in the Bukchon cultural experience.

A geomungo (long zither) player performs in the yard. ©E UM The Place

Preserving the Humor, Wisdom and Value for the Future Generation

E UM The Place is a particularly interesting place to behold.

There are five yards intertwined between the main house and the annex. This interesting structure gives the space a true openness that allows someone sitting at the corner of the main house the ability to see a corner of the annex; yet it is so divided that visitors can be confused about where the entry is.

Rather than showing off a structure made through human-made technical skill, the space maintains as much as possible the characteristics of original Hanok with intention at a minimum and its bold and strong expression while its pond, which exudes elegance spread out wide in the yard, radiates modesty and class.

The space was created to reflect the wisdom of the ancestors of modern-day Koreans. Inside the structure are upper floors and ondol in each room to allow visitors to feel the atmosphere of the changes in nature and the seasons. Outside, the trees, stones and soil are arranged in a confrontational yet harmonious way that allows visitors to feel a sense of tranquility rather than a sense of displacement from the completely different natural elements.

Artist Cho Sung Hyeoun¡¯s white porcelain and black porcelain are displayed naturally.