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Daehangno: Seoul's Colorful Theater District
2006-09-27 VIEW : 1205
| Youthful vibes and artistic endeavors merge in an area that never sleeps Written by Una Wilson Photos by Ryu Seunghoo | |
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Non-verbal performances "Sa Choom," which means, "Loves to Dance" | |
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| Directly behind Marronnier Park is a street packed with cafes, bars, restaurants and small theaters. If you can read Korean, no problem! Each theater has plastered posters around advertising their particular show, be it musical, play or comedy. Look for these ads directly outside each theater and at the streams of posters lining sidewalk flower boxes and trees. Some tickets can be purchased directly outside the theater at manned ticket booths. Of course if you don't understand much Korean, your choices are somewhat limited. However, a non-verbal performance would be an option for you. I will cover one such show later in this article. Continuing along this street I notice a small boutique, Rainbow Hill 3 which, apart from being a nice respite from the heat, also has a good selection of tops at reasonable prices. Among the myriad of watering holes to be found back here, one café stood out to me. Art Book Café, which has indoor and outdoor seating, is just that! You can choose to buy or a just read from a wide selection of coffee table style books on artists such as Dali, Rembrandt or Monet. The cool dark setting was very inviting on a hot day and apart from coffee and tea, a handy selection of wine and champagne was also available. | |
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Past the Art Book Café is Hot Tracks, an Alpha Store meets Kosney meets Art Box. Further along on the right is the Dongsung Arts Center which features musicals, movies and concerts. I recall having gone to see a movie here a few years ago. A Holly's coffee shop is in the complex, which is convenient for a bite before a show. Dongduk Women's University's Performing Arts Center is here as well. All shows are advertised outside the premises. Once you are back out on the main street, head towards the rotary end of Daehangno. The Hyewha Catholic Church is located here and is a big draw for the local Filipino population of Seoul. Every Sunday morning a Filipino market is held on the sidewalks just outside the church and the day I was there it was in full swing! Street vendors were selling everything from clothes and phone cards to canned and fresh Filipino food. I sampled a dish of beef stew served in a small bowl accompanied by a plateful of rice. The vendors were good-humored and friendly and spoke English to boot! I sampled a Filipino cheesecake and some more-than-refreshing iced coconut milk. I can imagine the market must be a source of joy for these people far from home. |
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| I continue walking towards Sungkyunkwan University. At the entrance gates to the university is Munmyo Shrine. This was the Royal Confucian Academy and National Confucian Shrine during Korea’s last royal dynasty, the Joseon (1392-1910). The academy housed and educated some 200 students yearly to prepare them for the upper level civil service examinations, the key to lucrative government jobs and the shrine housed the memorial tablets of various Korean and Chinese sages. My first impression of course upon entering the shrine is how calm and peaceful it is after the crowded street scenes in Daehangno. I was not far away at all and yet the only sounds I heard were the voices of a couple chatting under a tree, the cicadas and a dog barking in the distance. The shrine has an old-world air and is slightly dilapidated. A massive 600 year-old gingko tree is a proud sentinel in the center of the courtyard. Despite its trunk having been split into seven sections during the war, it has grown together again. I wonder if this be a symbol for Korea's future? Gingko trees have traditionally been planted at Confucian shrines and temples in Korea, and hold a status of importance. The Munmyo gingko trees were designated as a national monument. Memorial rites are still held here every spring and summer. I gave the university itself a pass as it is a long way's in and it is hot! Once out of the gates again I turn right and walk back towards Daehangno. At the end of this street and across it again is a short bona fide pedestrian zone. It is lined with coffee shops, boutiques, make-up shops and cafes and has a lively atmosphere this Sunday with magicians and musicians performing on a stage set up at the end of the street. I cross over Daehangno again and go right. This side of the street has an inlaid rubber winding path on the sidewalk as well as street sculptures to amuse you as you walk along. | |
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The ever-present KFC, Pizza Hut and Bennigans can be enjoyed but I head for Paris Croissant further down towards Marronnier Park for a quick iced coffee and sandwich. The upstairs seating boasts cushion-filled sofas along two of its walls and huge windows overlooking Daehangno. If you are looking for a more substantial meal, Il Pino across the street looked inviting as well as several galbi and samgyeopsal restaurants. I would suggest you come and see for yourself. The restaurants are too numerous to mention! Shows in Daehangno are of course in Korean. The theaters are numerous and shows here are often first runs but a successful show will often be picked up by a larger theater where it go on to do great things. If language is a problem why not catch a performance of "Sa Choom"? It is a spirited non-verbal dance performance. I attended a show last week and would rather say that instead of "Love Dance" "Sa Choom" loosely means "Love to Dance" as these performers certainly did. This dance musical combines various dance genres such as hip-hop, jazz, techno, break dance, pop dance, modern ballet and more. The performers themselves obviously love to dance and want to pass some of that enthusiasm on to the audience. |
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| You are reassured at the beginning via a slide show (in Korean, English and Japanese) that clapping, dancing and making noise are all more than allowed; your mobile phone need not be turned off and that audience participation is a must. The musical tells the story of three friends from birth to adulthood. "Sa Choom" will be running from now until December 31, 2006. It is playing in the Theater Egg and Nucleus (Algwahaek). Exit 2 from Hyewha Station, Line 4. Walk straight ahead and take the first left after Marronnier Park. The theater is located on the corner of the first street on your left. Tickets are 45,000 won. For more information call: (02) 2128-7616 or www.lovedance.com. Daehangno struck me for its liveliness, diversity and sense of tradition all in one. The next time you have a free Sunday morning I'd recommend a stroll around Marronnier Park, the Filipino market, Munmyo Shrine followed by a good meal at one of the numerous restaurants dotting its streets and top it off with a foot-stomping performance of Sa Choom. Daehangno is most-easily reached by the blue Subway Line #4. Get off at Hyewha Station. Exit #2 brings you out at Marronnier Park and near the "Sa Choom" theater. Exit #1 brings you out at the main intersection. Lots of restaurants and chain stores are here. Exit #4 across the street brings you out onto the pedestrian street. You can also walk to Munmyo Shrine from here. Go to the upper end of the pedestrian zone, cross the street and walk straight until you see university gates on your left. | |
