You Can’t Buy History, but You Can Rent It

What if you were walking in the diverse, multi-use neighborhood behind Lotte Department Store: a place with great restaurants, the best in hair care, a cultural non-profit institution funded by Bo Hae Soju and even Dae-In Market? And if on this stroll you came across a walled estate, replete with 300-year-old trees, broad courtyard, but also a sadly dilapidated brick house remotely shaped like a traditional Korean hanok, what would you do?

Most would walk right by to their desired errand, but not the curious, elegant Oh Ok-son. This Gwangju native, who has spent many years living in Seoul, returned here on a trip, fell in love with the urban site and bought it.  Few have ever had such lucky instincts. The rest is already a legend in historical architectural restoration circles. After purchasing the land and the shabby brick building, but before tearing it down, Oh meticulously knocked out one brick at a time to see what was underneath.

Perhaps the cross beams and interior floors were a clue, but she had no idea how impressive the treasure was when she fell in love with the space. The brick house had been built directly over an 1866 hanok (the L-shaped wooden structures that remain much sought after in Korea, since few survived the wars) and is now back to its original glory, and beyond that, thanks to Oh’s commitment to a full restoration. Remodeling took from 2009 to 2012 to complete.

The dwelling was originally built by an iron-industry owner named Choi Won-taek who entertained early Korean movie stars, and notably, the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal winner in the Marathon, Son Gee-jeong. Jeong’s fame continues because when given flowers after his triumph, he hid the Japanese flag on his uniform with them, in defiance of Japan’s colonial rule at the time. Jeong visited Choi’s mansion in 1938.

“Three families over seven generations have owned this hanok,” Oh said. Oh’s own collections that have taken decades to amass include coffee grinders, brass bowls, tea sets and the hardware needed to continue ancient traditions, like drying persimmons, gam.

In the wrong hands, such a prize might not have ever been more than a dwelling with an old wooden interior.  It has now been converted, restored and augmented by two more structures of exact architectural resemblance. These make a perfect setting for magnificent weddings, large meetings, receptions of the finest type, or to leave modern stresses behind with a simple afternoon tea. Courtyard gardens, traditional rice paper walls and doors and gleaming freshly varnished wood invite visitors to take calm reflection, or partake in one’s natural creative urges, be it calligraphy, painting or poetry.  Completely stocked with antiques, this sanctuary is also fitted with two modern kitchens and contemporary bathrooms. It also gives newlyweds a chance to drift far into the past, while pondering the future as hanbok-attired by day, surrounded by family and friends, becomes a moonlit night in a personal palace.

The Korean Bed and Breakfast is fastidiously complete with all the items needed to continue old-style crafts: rolls of dyed cloth waiting to be tailored, flowers to be arranged and vegetables to be made into salads.

Now known as Oh Gu Han and located in Dong-gu at 194-24 Gusong-ro, Oh can be reached at 062-227-5557 to book reservations.