The 130-Year-Old British Embassy building will be open to the public during Jeongdong Culture Night

A view of the British Embassy in Jeong-dong, Seoul, which will be open to the general public during Jeongdong Culture Night on October 13-14

Near the end of the stone-wall road on the east side of Deoksugung Palace in Jeong-dong, Seoul lies the British Embassy in South Korea. When you enter the main gate topped with a giwa (tile) roof, pass the office building and a brick building and head deeper inside, you can see the British Embassy building. The number “1890” is written over the entrance. It was the year the construction of the building was completed. From 1890 until now, more than 130 years later, the building has been used as the embassy. In the garden that stretches out in front of the building, you can see the cherry tree, which the late Queen Elizabeth II planted when she made a state visit in 1999.

Colin Crooks, the British ambassador to South Korea, expressed his pride in the building, for in South Korea, particularly in Seoul, there are not many buildings used for the same purpose for so long. In 1883, when Britain established ties with Joseon, the British diplomat who signed the treaty purchased the land in this location to turn the hotel near Deoksugung, where he was staying at, into the embassy building. According to Ambassador Crooks, at the time, they purchased the land for 750 nyang, approximately 200 pounds. He explained that it was a rather expensive purchase at the time, but that it turned out to be a good choice when considering the current market value.

The British Embassy building, which holds the long history of Seoul in its walls, but provides few opportunities for the public to enter due to the nature of the space, will open its doors this autumn.

On October 4, the Jung-gu Office announced that they would hold the Jeongdong Culture Night, during which historical and cultural facilities in the Jeong-dong area open their doors to the public, for two days from October 13. Thirty-three buildings including Deoksugung Palace, the Seoul Museum of Art, the Chungdong First Methodist Church, the National Jeongdong Theater, the Seoul History Museum, the Seoul Anglican Cathedral, the Ewha Museum, the Canadian Embassy in Seoul as well as the British Embassy will open their doors at night and hold performances, exhibits and lectures.

These buildings hold the modern history of the nation in their corners. Paichai Hakdang (1885) was the first modern educational institute and Ewha Hakdang (1886) was the first private school for women. Chungdong First Methodist Church (1887) was the first Protestant church and Seokjojeon (1910) in Deoksugung Palace was the first Western style building in Korea. Thus, the neighborhood was a “hot spot” at a time when the nation faced dramatic changes at the turn of the century, a place where everything new was introduced for the first time.

The Chungdong First Methodist Church was also the venue of the first modern wedding and the funeral of the independent activist, Yu Gwan-sun. It also houses South Korea’s first pipe organ installed in 1918. In the hidden space behind the organ, independence activists are said to have secretly copied the Declaration of Independence.

During Jeongdong Culture Night, a team of cultural commentators composed of Jung-gu residents will tell such unknown stories of Jeong-dong to the public. A tour of Jeong-dong will start at every hour and every half hour from 6pm-10pm October 13 and 2pm-10pm October 14.

Jung-gu first launched the cultural night festival with the participation of public cultural facilities and embassies in the area in 2015, and the event attracted over 200,000 visitors every year. Until 2019, the Seoul metropolitan government hosted the event, and this year Jung-gu will host the event for the first time in five years. Now, similar events are held in 42 local governments nationwide.

People can freely enjoy most of the facilities, but prior reservations are required to visit embassies and to explore Jeong-dong with a cultural commentator. For more information, you can refer to the Jeongdong Culture Night website (jeongdong-culturenight.kr).