KOREA ON CUE · ISSUE 05 · GWANGHWAMUN

Gwanghwamun, Where the Palace Meets the Square

Inside the gate, the courtyard of the throne hall; outside it, a square 340 metres long with a statue, a gate and a mountain on one line. Maya and Noah take Gwanghwamun one place at a time, from Gyeongbokgung to the square and on to the stream.

Read the first story
Across a wide stone courtyard, a red timber hall with a two-tier roof stands on a stone platform, with low stone posts in lines on either side. Editorial image.

Recommended reading order

  1. The Wide Courtyard Before Geunjeongjeon01The Wide Courtyard Before GeunjeongjeonThree minutes from Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station brings you to Heungnyemun, and two gates later you are in the courtyard of Geunjeongjeon.SEOUL · 8 min read
  2. Walking Gwanghwamun Square, from Statue to Gate02Walking Gwanghwamun Square, from Statue to GateFrom King Sejong’s statue to Gwanghwamun is a 340-metre walk.SEOUL · 8 min read
  3. Gyeonghoeru from the Pond Edge: Reading a Pavilion You Climb Only on Certain Days — Maya walks 226 metres from Geunjeongjeon, past Sujeongjeon, to the edge of the water — in the second half of 2026, the upper floor is part of booked special viewings on Wednesdays and Fridays03Gyeonghoeru from the Pond Edge: Reading a Pavilion You Climb Only on Certain DaysThird in the Gwanghwamun series, second place inside Gyeongbokgung.SEOUL · 7 min read
  4. Hyangwonjeong from the Water’s Edge: A Six-Sided Pavilion with Its Bridge Behind It — Maya walks 377 metres north from Gyeonghoeru to the south bank of Hyangwonji — the bridge laid on the south side in 1953 went back to its original place on the north in 202104Hyangwonjeong from the Water’s Edge: A Six-Sided Pavilion with Its Bridge Behind ItFourth in the Gwanghwamun series, third place inside Gyeongbokgung.SEOUL · 8 min read
  5. The National Folk Museum’s Forecourt: An Afternoon Between a House That Was Moved and a Street That Was Rebuilt — Maya walks in through the museum’s gate on Samcheong-ro and sorts every label into “rebuilt” or “moved” — Ochondaek, built in 1848, came here from Yeongdeok in 201005The National Folk Museum’s Forecourt: An Afternoon Between a House That Was Moved and a Street That Was RebuiltFifth in the Gwanghwamun series, and the last of four places at Gyeongbokgung.SEOUL · 7 min read
  6. Gwangtonggyo Bridge, Above and Below — A late-afternoon walk with Noah from Jonggak Station, over and under Gwangtonggyo, then downstream to Gwanggyo06Gwangtonggyo Bridge, Above and BelowGwangtonggyo is a 12 m stone footbridge over Cheonggyecheon.SEOUL · 18 min read
  7. Cheonggye Plaza: Where the Stream Begins, from Late Afternoon to Dusk — Maya walks out of Gwanghwamun Station, stands before the sculpture Spring and the two-tier falls, follows the water down to the first bridge, and stays on until the light goes07Cheonggye Plaza: Where the Stream Begins, from Late Afternoon to DuskAn added piece in the Gwanghwamun issue.SEOUL · 9 min read
  8. Beneath Gwanghwamun Square: Two Halls Down the Stairs Behind the Statue — A Thursday afternoon as Lulu goes down through the entrance behind the King Sejong statue, through the Story of King Sejong and the Story of Admiral Yi Sunshin, and back up to the square before last entry08Beneath Gwanghwamun Square: Two Halls Down the Stairs Behind the StatueA new piece for the Gwanghwamun issue.SEOUL · 9 min read

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