CreatripTeam

Seoul’s only intact Japanese-era residential building, the former Chosun Savings Bank executive house (조선저축은행 중역사택), will be open to the public from Oct. 28 to Dec. 7. Located within Deoksugung’s Seonwonjeon precinct — historically a royal shrine area — the 1938 building survived while much of the original Seonwonjeon complex was damaged during the Japanese colonial period and later developments. After serving as land related to the nearby U.S. ambassador’s residence following liberation, the site was returned to Korea in 2011. The Cultural Heritage Administration spent around 1 billion won since 2020 on repairs, landscaping, and pathways to preserve the house, which sits along the “King Gojong’s path” (고종의 길) from the Russian legation to Deoksugung. During the special opening, the first floor will host four rotating exhibitions: student research and design works from Korea National University of Cultural Heritage’s traditional architecture department (Oct. 28–Nov. 2); ideas for reusing modern architectural heritage (Nov. 5–9); traditional Korean landscape design projects (Nov. 18–28); and restoration trainees’ works in December.