Children holding their parents’ hands, tourists on tour buses, and foreign travelers of many different nationalities are now gathering at Cheong Wa Dae, the Blue House. Cheong Wa Dae was used as the presidential residence and office of 12 presidents, conducting state affairs, since the establishment of the Republic of Korea government. Therefore, it has been regarded as an unknown space because access was not available to the general public. However, on May 10, 2022, Yoon Suk-yeol was inaugurated as the 20th President, and Cheong Wa Dae became open to the public because he moved to the presidential office. It opened for the first time in 74 years, and it has received the most amazing attention, causing about 1.58 million people to visit there in 100 days. In addition, Cheongwadae-ro will be operated as a car-free street on weekends and holidays until December 31, 2022, so visitors can enjoy Cheong Wa Dae more conveniently and safely until the end of this year. The Argus aims to explore the major facilities and history of Cheong Wa Dae, and to provide readers with an opportunity to experience a new historical and cultural space in South Korea based on a deeper understanding when they visit Cheong Wa Dae in person.

Before Reading

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Location: Cheong Wa Dae (1, Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03048, Republic of Korea). It takes 15 minutes by walking from Exit No. 4 at Gyeongbokgung Station of Line 3.

Visiting Hours: 09:00-18:00 (Closed on Tuesdays), 09:00- 17:30 (2022.12.1-2023.02.28)

⊙The Presidential Office, Main Building

Entering the main gate of Cheong Wa Dae, Bugaksan Mountain and a grand garden filled with green grass spreads before you. The Main Building covered with Korean-style blue roof tiles shines with reflected light. These Korean-style blue roof tiles consist of 150,000 glazed tiles like baked pottery, so they last for more than 100 years. As the Main Building was a place where the president worked and met foreign guests, it follows the traditional palace style to represent the Korean government and the country. In particular, the hipped-and-gabled roof, which is most commonly used in Hanok, which is a traditional Korean house, was applied to the Main Building. When viewed from the front, the hipped and-gabled roof has a shape in which both ends of the roof flow down like the Chinese character for the number eight (八) giving the sides a triangular shape. Lee Hyung-jae, an advisor who designed the Main Building of Cheong Wa Dae, said in an interview with the Seoul Economic Daily, “If the roof line goes wrong, it can look like a Japanese or Chinese building. When building a Hanok with wood, we looked at a rafter angle from a distance, lifted it up, lowered it, and set the line, but the Main Building was made of steel and assembled on the spot, so we tried very hard to find a proportion from drawings.” He then said, “I hope that visitors can feel the aesthetic of the roof line.” After feeling a sense of nobility of the Hanok in perfect proportion and then turning to the eaves, 11 Jabsang* having various animal features sit in a row on a hipped area. Usually oddly placed on the roof, which has been believed to show the dignity of the royal family and protect from fire and evil, as well as protecting the country. The Jabsang is considered as a mascot of palaces of the Joseon Dynasty* period and can also be seen in Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace.

     Moving to the inside of the Main Building, the interior incorporates modern elements as opposed to the exterior, which follows traditional architecture. The luxurious mood that is created by the light emitted from the golden chandelier and the red carpet caught the eyes of visitors. Kim Hee-sung, a 12-year-old from the city of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, 40 kilometers from Seoul, said after touring the Main Building, “I visited Cheong Wa Dae with my family for the weekend. The Main Building where the president worked is the most memorable, and I am so proud of our country because this area reflects Korean culture well.”

Detached Reception Spaces, Sejong Hall and Chungmu Hall

The Main Building consists of a main space called Bonchae and two detached reception spaces called Byeolchae. In the hallway leading to Sejong Hall, visitors can see a wall lamp reminiscent of a turtle. When visitors arrive at the Sejong Hall, which is on the west side of the Main Building, the venue of the state council, visitors can see portraits of former presidents. 

Sejong Hall is named after King Sejong, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty, who created Hanguel* and developed a spirit of affection. To emulate his spirit, a carpet with the consonants and vowels of Hanguel is on the floor. This means that it is a place to reflect on love for the people as it is where the state council was held. Chungmu Hall on the east side of the Main Building borrowed the name of Admiral Yi Sun-shin* posthumously to honor his patriotic spirit. Chungmu Hall has a high ceiling, so visitors have to look up; this high ceiling seems to express the grand spirit of Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Having a high ceiling and a large space, it was used for Korean traditional cultural performances for visiting foreign guests and for award ceremonies involving large numbers of people. 

The Presidential Office

Going up the red-carpeted central stairs to move to the second floor of the Main Building, the Geumsugangsando, which embodies the Korean Peninsula by painter Kim Shik, is on the wall. The magnificent size of more than 11 meters wide and 5 meters tall overwhelms visitors viewing it.

The painting with green-colored mountain ranges and beautiful places, including Dokdo,* represents peace on the Korean Peninsula. Arriving at the presidential office, many visitors are taking pictures behind the desk where the president worked against the backdrop of the presidential symbol, the Bonghwang* and Mugunghwa (the rose of Sharon), the Korean national flower. How about looking for elements that harmonize with the East and West, after taking a photo? Unlike the Western-style chandelier in the lobby of the Main Building, the president’s office has traditional golden crown wall lamps. Also, the windows were finished with Hanji* on the wooden window frames, a traditional Korean style. The combination of twinkling lights and wood materials seems to warm up the large space.

Stepping Outside the Main Building

Stepping outside the Main Building, and turning visitors’ eyes toward the main gate, the Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) is raised alone. Before relocating the presidential office, the blue flag with two Bonghwang and Mugunghua was hoisted when the president was present or attended meetings at Cheong Wa Dae. If the president goes on an official trip or is away, the blue flag will go down. And when the heads of state from each country visited Cheong Wa Dae, the flags of the other countries were raised. However, now that President Yoon Suk-yeol has relocated the presidential office to Yongsan Ward in Seoul, the blue flag can be seen there.

*Jabsang: The ornamental animals-looking on the four corners of the roof of a palace or pavilion.

*Joseon Dynasty: The Joseon Dynasty lasted 518 years with 27 Kings ruling based on confucian ideas.

*Hanguel: Hanguel is the Korean alphabet, the only characters in the world with the name of the creator and time of dissemination known, including the principles on which the making of the characters is based.

*Yi Sun-shin: Admiral Yi Sun-shin was active during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 in the Joseon Dynasty period.

*Dokdo: Dokdo is a Korean territory and was designated as a natural monument in 1982.

*Bonghwang: It is a mythological bird that brings good luck.

*Hanji: It is a Korean traditional paper made of mulberry bark.

⊙Welcoming Guests of State, Yeongbingwan Hall

The Yeongbingwan Hall, nicknamed “Welcome-Guest House,” was used as an official event hall when state guests visited. If the Main Building depicts a traditional Korean house, Yeongbingwan Hall is carved out of granite, making it splendid and majestic. The stone pillars supporting the hall are said to have been carved out of granite quarried in Hwangdeung township, in the city of Iksan, North Jeolla Province, 190 kilometers from Seoul, which is the highest quality among Korean granite sources. The four central stone pillars, which extend to and are connected to the second floor, express the grandeur of Yeongbingwan Hall.

     The first floor of Yeongbingwan Hall is a reception room, with Mugunghwa, laurel, and Taegeuk patterns symbolizing Korea on the wall. In the reception room, the dining table served to Bolivian President Evo Morales, who visited Korea as a state guest on August 26, 2010, is recreated. Tableware is set on a clean round table with a white tablecloth, which is surrounded by a green band engraved with a Bonghwang pattern and the Sipjangsaeng, which means 10 traditional symbols of longevity, on a white background. The chairs, which are upholstered with a flower pattern and a gold band, were used only for state dinners. It is elegant but understated. Red, yellow, and green flower decorations are placed in the center of the table, which refers to the color of the Bolivian flag. Through this, visitors can get a glimpse of the delicacy of Korea when greeting state guests. Kim Sung-soo, a 70-year-old from Gwangju, 296 kilometers from Seoul, said, “This place is the most memorable. I didn’t know I would visit Cheong Wa Dae during my life; it is exciting and meaningful.”

⊙Sangchunjae Hall

Before Sangchunjae Hall was built, there were no traditional Hanok-style buildings in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts, so for foreign guests, a traditional Hanok-style building with Ondol* rooms and Daecheongmaru* was built to introduce traditional culture. Meaning a house where spring continues, Sangchunjae Hall always makes people feel warm. The heads of state who visited Sangchunjae Hall praised the neat and beautiful appearance there. If visitors walk in the yard in front of Sangchunjae Hall, it is possible to see camellia and Pinus bungeana, which are trees to commemorate tree-planting day. In addition to those in the Sangchunjae yard, there are 24 commemoration plantings in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts, so it will be fun to find the commemoration planting of previous presidents.

*Ondol: An underfloor heating system used in Korea by laying a hypocaust that transfers direct heat from firewood on the floor.

*Daecheongmaru: The old version of the living room, the outer wall is easy to open and close, making it the coolest in summer.

⊙Nokjiwon Garden

Nokjiwon Garden is considered the most beautiful place in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts. The vast lawn garden measures 3,305.78512㎡ with 120 kinds of trees and some commemoration plantings of former presidents. Among them, pine trees located in the center of Nokjiwon Garden are representative. This pine tree is called Bansong because its branches look like a small round dining table, called Soban. Bansong, which is 16 meters tall and 177-year-old, goes well with Sangchunjae, a wooden building behind it. This place is peaceful and spacious with various trees, and it is also the place well known for where the 14th President Kim Young-sam and the 42nd President Bill Clinton of the United States (U.S.) jogged together.

When the heads of South Korea and the U.S. served as president at the same time in 1993, President Bill Clinton visited South Korea and conducted a new type of diplomacy after the summit meeting. It is said that this jog, which both presidents’ aides and security staffs thought would be over in one or two laps, ended only after 12 laps. Nokjiwon Garden, which was also in the middle of diplomacy, had actually been a place where scholars of the Joseon Dynasty took Gwageo,* in the backyard of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is large enough to hold Gwageo, so former presidents invited the people here every year on Children’s Day, Parents’ Day, and Disabled Day to enjoy cultural events. Nokjiwon Garden played a role as a diplomatic location, also providing new experiences to the public.

*Gwageo: A state examination to hire officials in Joseon Dynasty period.

⊙Presidential Residence and Cultural Heritage

On the signboard at the entrance of the presidential residence, it says “Insumun (仁壽門).” It means the people passing through this gate will live a long life, being blessed with friendly people. Like the Main Building, the presidential residence is decorated with blue tiles on the hipped-and-gabled roof. Meanwhile, visitors are not allowed to enter inside the residence, but can look all around the living room, bedroom, restaurant, beauty salon and other areas through the open windows. Passing the hiking trail next to the residence, Ounjeong Pavilion appears. Ounjeong Pavilion was designated as Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 102 and was built for rest in the backyard of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Looking down on the city of Seoul from Ounjeong Pavilion, visitors can feel like they are floating on clouds, as if the scenery of nature is like an immortal world. Going up from the Pavilion, another cultural heritage site, The Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal from Gyeongju comes into sight. The Buddha has a benevolent face, a confident and balanced body, and an abundant sense of volume, and so has the nickname “Minambul (美男佛),” meaning handsome Buddha.

Looking down from it, the Gwanghwamun Square* and N Seoul Tower,* a landmark of Seoul, spread out below. As such, Cheong Wa Dae has modern and contemporary history along with old cultural heritage. It is a place where visitors can experience Korea in the middle of Seoul, hoping to finish their visit to Cheong Wa Dae while looking down from Ounjeong Pavilion.

*Gwanghwamun Square: A central place of South Korea for bringing people together, and also holding festivals or events.

*N Seoul Tower: The first integrated transmission tower in South Korea located in the center of Seoul, and has used complex cultural space because the night view looking down at N Seoul Tower is so beautiful.

Cheong Wa Dae penetrates the past, present, and future of the Republic of Korea. This is because it is where all the affairs of the state had been conducted. In other words, Cheong Wa Dae was a place of discourse where the stories of a lot of people protecting the country and the people unfold. And today, Cheong Wa Dae has fully opened to the public. This opening stands for the will to return the presidential office to the public, the real owner. A new narrative is written at Cheong Wa Dae, bringing together the laughter, animated conversations, and memories of visitors. Why do not readers also visit Cheong Wa Dae, which was once called an unknown space, to see the scene of becoming a new historical and cultural space? The Argus hopes that readers will be able to experience Cheong Wa Dae, a symbolic space that combines the modern and political history of Korea.