Daehangno Intro On 28th of July, I had a wonderful walking tour to Daehangno of Seoul as a part of Seoul walking tour scenario contest for students in Korea. Actually, our tour group includes 4 members but one of chief editors from Money Today and one university student also joined us therefore our team became six. Through this tour we got a chance to see and hear the present and past stories of Daehangno area, thank to Suhyeon and Sehee, two Korean university students who guided us in this tour. First, we took Subway Line no.4 and get off at Hyehwa Station Exit No.2 to get there. Daehangno is a leading road from Jongno o-ga intersection to Hyehwa-dong rotary (roundabout). We started our tour around 3:30 pm from Marronnier Park which is located at the former location of Seoul National University (SNU). The name 'Marronnier Park' is based on the fact that marronnier trees imported from the Mediterranean were planted in the Kyeongseong Imperial University, which is now SNU, during the Japanese ruling era. Next to Marronnnier Park, we can still see the old SNU main building which was built in 1931. SNU was relocated to Gwanaksan Campus in 1975 but the College of Natural Science and SNU hospital still remains there. In the middle of the park, we can see a former Seoul National University model and also a statue of the patriot named Kim Sangok who fought Japanese back and sacrificed his life against Japan’s invasion to Korea.
Because of SNU’s present in this area, this place is well known as University street. With moving of SNU campus the atmosphere of Daehagno was changed. It was street for the 'intellectuals' and a centre of learning but after relocation of campus, the buildings for culture and arts and theater have been built in this area so it became a place for current cultural events, exhibitions and theater performances. College students play street performance and choose Daehangno as a meet up place to hang out around therefore the space for youth culture and arts was boomed as Korean version of Broadway in this area since 1980's.
To Naksan Mt.
After looking around the Marronnnier Park, we walked down the street leading to Naksan (Mt.) in Chungsin-dong·Ihwa-dong area. The residential area is filled with many houses, bars, coffee shops and restaurants (both Korean and Western). 
This place is a quiet residential area which is contrary to Daehangno with young people and artists making a buzzing sound. I found it is interesting to check on each side of the street while we are walking. The old buildings of SNU such as college of Medicine (SNU) were seen on the right side of the street and I started to notice paintings on the walls of houses and buildings. In one place a shop is found with signboard “Hair Centa”, the old Korean pronunciation for barber shop. After walking a few steps we found a container house which is fully painted. Suhyeon and Sehee explained that the people from this area earned their living from sewing factory or doing small manufacturing (i.e, Doll eye, paper bag making, etc.). One of the paintings on the wall “dressmaker, wall of respect” retold the memories of the village regarding over 2,600 sewing factories and the living of inhabitants.
Before, this area was totally separated from lively and crowded atmosphere of Seoul's theater district, Daehangno. Daehangno Naksan public art project started in 2006, aiming to improve the lives of the underprivileged changed this area to become an open gallery, people who stayed at the Daehangno began to bring back to Ihwa-dong after that. In Seoul, many people visited Ihwa-dong to feel new attraction of an analog feeling of warmth rather than 'city'. Young couple walks in the park, watching beautiful works of Ihwa-dong and having a date. Photo hobbyists came here to take photo of installation art and wall painting.The people staying there saw the works of art in passing and come to have room in the middle of busiest life.
Artworks along the street
Continue walking along the Korea National Open University, we saw a lot of mural paintings.This work was drawn by cartoon circle students in Dongseong high school, containing scenes of people in Dongsungdong. I love their paintings as their work includes not only people but also many themes like nature, lives and emotions etc. 
In one of the points towards Naksan Mt., Baekminjun’s work, a most popular piece 'man with the bag and dog' can be seen. Looks like the workers, wearing a suit, a man with a briefcase walking down the street stretches toward the sky, and a dog nearby is accompanied. Depending on composition and photo shooting directions, this piece has many meanings and become a very popular subject.
Naksan Gallery
Then we arrived to Naksan Gallery where the historical wall photos and background contents are displayed. We learnt that Hanyang (Seoul) was chosen as the new capital of Joseon after Gaeseong following the Chinese geomantic principles (the rear side of mountain and front side of water in topography) to build. By utilizing the topography of mountains and hills, the natural walls were to help prevent the intrusion of outside forces. Seoul is decided on Baegaksan (Mt.) according to the theory of Blue Dragon, White Tiger, Tortoise and Phoenix for 4 directions, the palace was built with rear side of Baegaksan (Mt.) and facing south direction. The shape of a dragon and castle, Seoul Fortress Wall, left with Naksan(MT), right with Inwangsan(Mt), front with Mokmeoksan(MT) , which had the military capabilities of protecting Seoul. In the Joseon Dynasty, Hanyang was inside the castle, however the city gradually expanded several times bigger than in the past.
Walking to Seoul Castle
The beautiful alley and walking trails make a connection from Naksan gallery to Seoul castle. We walked along the alley and finally arrived to the base of Seoul castle. Along the top of the castle we can see 2 types of holes for shooting arrows; the short and narrow hole which was used to shoot to enemies far away from wall and the long one to enemies who are close to wall. Started construction in 1936 the castle has been mobilizing the 110 thousand people for 49 days to finish it. Since First Emperor, Taejo, even Sejong and Sukjong generation, there has been a maintenance construction, and maintained the original by the latter era of the Joseon. Depending on maintenance times, construction methods used on the bricks of the castle were different. So we can see the historic difference there for 600 years, like tree rings. Unfortunately, due to urban development made in Japan’s ruling period, a large part of the castle was pulled down, and let the form even not looked up in some places, but the castle restoration project is currently underway in Seoul. After construction of trails and parks, it becomes the place loved by many people. As Naksan Mountain is not so much high, there are many people to come there. In the morning, the majority of the people are to come for the exercise. As Naksan Mountain is not too high, there are many people to come there to escape crowded place and to play sports such as badminton etc. In the morning, the majority of the people are to come for the exercise. 
Since the spacious and scenic place is available near the Seoul castle’ wall, this place is very popular for shooting scenes of many Korean dramas. In the evening, to see the night scene of Seoul and the place is full of people at that time. As this mountain is not high, the view at night time seemed to be likely to reach in front. With a simple food such as cans of beer, you can find outdoor dating couples easily on top of the castle.
End of tour, Hyewha Station
From top of Naksan Mt. to Hyewha station, we climbed down along different route named Dongsung-gil·Daehak-ro-10gil. 
On that route also, we can see the artworks along the street again. One of house is found very different from others, a very well-decorated house designed by an artist. We had a stop in one of coffee shops in Daehangno to eat빙수(ice and fruits salad) there. When we went out from coffee shop about 6:30 pm, night time of Daehangno came to alive with young people together with colorful lights of the shops. In summary, our tour gave me a chance to know how Daehangno came across in his life from time to time to become a dynamic place that is full of youth, arts, and entertainment.Daehangno was solely existed for long as a place for intellectual people, but nowadays we can see it has turned to be a life-style mixed and colourful place where education, youthfulness, arts, entertainment and business are alive.
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