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[Cityscapes] Counting down Seoul s last moon villages
Posted : 2021-03-09 18:02
Updated : 2021-03-09 18:08
A village bus descends the steep road of Guryong Village in northwestern Seoul, June 19, 2016. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun
By Ron Bandun
I feel like there s been an increasing amount of articles and videos lately with sensational titles like Seoul s last shanty town or Seoul s last slum.
Quick, which neighborhood do you think they re all about?
Chances are, you thought of Guryong Village in Seoul s southern Gangnam District. Or Baeksa Village, up in northeastern Nowon District. Both have been given the title of last several times in recent years, even though the presence of both invalidates either s claim to the title. And there is another. Which one will be the last standing?
[Cityscapes] Fire Flower grows at Yongsan Disaster site
Posted : 2021-01-19 17:40
Updated : 2021-01-19 18:12
The Fire Flower during creation, in front of Hyosung Harrington Place next to Sinyongsan Station as seen July 14, 2020, stands about five meters from the former site of Namildang, where a forced eviction resulted in a fire that killed five evictees and a riot police officer on Jan. 20, 2009. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun
By Ron Bandun
If you re in the Sinyongsan area, just east of Yongsan Station, you might notice a red sculpture that wasn t there a year ago. It looks sort of like a tulip, or a red flame, standing in front of the recently opened Hyosung Harrington Place building. A plaque identifies it as the Fire Flower by Han Jin-su, and it seems to be an accidental memorial to a tragic fire that took place almost exactly on the spot.