Hanok Library in the Woods
Chungwoon Literature Library is housed in hanok nestled in the woods not all that far from the center of Seoul, Gwanghwamun.
Mt. Inwang is a famous one. It’s easily reachable by public transit, and though it’s not a huge mountain, it offers a great view (from the top, you’ll get a panoramic view of Gwanghwamun, Namsan Seoul Tower and other major landmarks of Seoul). Follow the path along the fortress, and it’s a relatively easy path to the peak, making Mt. Inwang a popular destination for novice hikers. But few people know that there is a library nestled in the woods at the foot of Mt. Inwang. And the library is housed in hanok, to boot. You’ll see restaurants and cafés inside hanok in Bukcho and Seochon areas in Jongno, but Chungwoon Literature Library is the only hanok library. Grab a seat on the hanok floor and read in the cool autumn breeze or under the lazy autumn afternoon sun. It will feel as good as being on the top of the mountain.
Two Faces of the Library: Hanok and Contemporary Building
The library is now housed in the management office for Chungwoon district of Mt. Inwang Park. Chungwoon Literature Library is the resting spot for visitors to the park and also the cultural place for the locals. And the library in the woods isn’t entirely out of place in this neighborhood, given its proximity to other literature-themed places such as Yoon Dong-ju Literary Museum and Poet’s Hill. Chungwoon Literature Library has one story each underground and above the ground. Interestingly, the basement floor, with the reading room for borrowing and returning and the children’s room, is built in contemporary style. The ground floor, which has the seminar room and the creative room, is in hanok.
And these two contrasting spaces are connected at Chungwoon, with a small hill in between. If you go to the basement first, then take the elevator up to the ground floor. As the door opens and the hanok comes into your view, you’ll feel as though you have taken a time travel to the past.
The ground floor consists of two units of hanok: bonchae (the main unit) and nujeong (annex). Past the windows of nujeong is a small pond with a tiered waterfall. Nujeong is the most Instagrammable spot at Chungwoon Literature Library, with the windows and the waterfall beyond them serving as the perfect backdrop. Readers also become the central characters at this hanok library. Reading while seated at nujeong, amid the scent of flowers, sound of the breeze and songs of birds, is quite therapeutic.
The ground floor consists of two units of hanok: bonchae (the main unit) and nujeong (annex). Past the windows of nujeong is a small pond with a tiered waterfall. Nujeong is the most Instagrammable spot at Chungwoon Literature Library, with the windows and the waterfall beyond them serving as the perfect backdrop. Readers also become the central characters at this hanok library. Reading while seated at nujeong, amid the scent of flowers, sound of the breeze and songs of birds, is quite therapeutic.
Chungwoon Literature Library has some architectural merits, too. It was the grand prize at the 2015 National Hanok Competition. The library inside hanok with roof tiles isn’t just an eye candy. Painstaking attention has been paid to every little element of the building. On the roof are handmade tiles that were built using the same process as the ones for the restored Sungnyemun. The fences that surround the front yard were built with some 3,000 pieces of tiles collected from the Donuimun area when old homes were demolished for a new development project. To visit Chungwoon Literature Library is to appreciate our traditional hanok in ways that we don’t normally get to see.
Library Filled with Literature
What type of books would be the best fit in hanok? The answer has to be literature. And Jongno was once home to great literary minds. Chungwoon Literature Library holds some 20,000 works of literature or ones that are related to literature. There’s a particular focus on the Korean literature, covering poetry, fiction and essays. The library also keeps some 2,000 pieces related to art donated by curator Kim Seung-deok, including special art brochures and art magazines that have been exhibited across Europe. To accommodate family visitors, the children’s reading room is quite well organized.
Back in the days, scholars would retire to the countryside, befriended nature, and enjoyed literature. Some great works of poetry came from them. Even today, many of us want to leave it all behind and become one with nature. And in just a short distance from the heart of Seoul, you can find your solace in hanok with books. How about pretending to be an ancient scholar, and enjoy the tranquil nature inside the romantic setting of hanok? Autumn is a perfect season for reading, and Chungwoon Literature Library is at its most beautiful in autumn.
Chungwoon Literature Library
Address 40 Jahamun-ro 36-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-70-4680-4032
Hours Tuesday~Saturday 10:00~22:00, Sunday 10:00~19:00, Closed Mondays
Website Chungwoon Literature Library
Address 40 Jahamun-ro 36-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Phone +82-70-4680-4032
Hours Tuesday~Saturday 10:00~22:00, Sunday 10:00~19:00, Closed Mondays
Website Chungwoon Literature Library
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