Did Architect Kim Swoo-geun Really Disrupt Namsan's Green Axis?
Creatrip Team
a year ago
A debate over connecting Jongmyo (a Confucian shrine in Seoul dedicated to the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty) to Namsan Mountain has been a prominent urban development issue in Seoul for over half a century. Although these sites are 3 kilometers apart, the idea is to create a 'green axis' that spans from Bukhansan Mountain through Jongmyo and Namsan to Gwanaksan Mountain. Former and current Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been involved in plans to demolish the Sewoon Sangga area—a once notable electronics market mall complex built after the Korean War—to create this axis. Urban planning discourse cites this connection as part of a historical 'restoration.' However, the area's original designer, 1st generation architect Kim Swoo-geun, seemed to have envisioned it differently, raising questions about the authenticity and practicality of such a project. Critics argue that this urban myth may overlook the actual historical context and may not bring the anticipated urban revival.
