These photos were taken a little over 2 months ago but I wanted to post some images of a hanok, Korean traditional home. This type of home is rather rare now and, in Seoul, you can find clusters of hanok in certain areas. Our friends Peter and Aruna live in a hanok neighborhood in Seoul. The house is absolutely beautiful and I am afraid the photos do not do it justice. The home was actually part of an aristocrat's dwelling but since has been divided into several houses. The push for development has meant that many of these homes have been destroyed and now there are activists (ironically, the most vocal one a man from England) protesting 'renovations' that work against the original construction of the homes. In a hanok, the emphasis is on airflow and making sure the ceilings are not too high. Also, a hanok must face the south. Many of the newer constructions don't abide by these ideas. Some people believe that as long as you keep the sloped shape of the roof and a general exterior facade of a hanok then any other types of changes are ok. Anyway, there are people who can be labeled activists and those who believe in preservation of the hanok but also believe that renovations are necessary and have looser ideas as to what kinds of changes are ok. There are special rules about telephone and electric lines--for the most part they try to hide these to lend 'authenticity' to the neighborhood. Above and below, we took a walking tour of the neighborhood before paying a visit to the family at their home.
Below, we find the gate and front door to their home.
Continuing the walking tour, I took a few detailed photos of some tiles and the winding streets. Each house is surrounded by a wall.
The house below--the boys are slowly make their way up the wall--is the house of the former mayor of Seoul and current South Korean President, Lee Myeongbak. Living in a hanok has become trendy; something that artists and foreign residents do, for the most part, as most average Korean citizens do not want to live in a hanok. Many believe that a hanok would be uncomfortable (parking and shopping are issues). Because living in a hanok has become trendy, it can be pretty pricey. A lot of the hanoks, owned by families for generations, sit empty. Many hanok owners have taken government grants to renovate their homes and then rent them out for a pretty penny to people who want to live in them.
Peter and Aruna's house is L-shaped. Once you enter the gate, you see a little courtyard in the middle. The wall behind the table is the wall to the bathroom; a room that sits apart from the main part of the house. You have to walk outside and along the brick porch to get to it (would bite in winter). In addition to a shower area, sink and toilet, they've fit a washing machine and laundry area inside the bathroom. Hanok are certainly a study in space efficiency. Shoes are left outside in the courtyard as the porch is treated as if it is inside the house. Peter and Aruna have created a little dining nook in their courtyard, with a table and chairs. The doors to the middle room and the kitchen slide open while the large windows of the room nearest the bathrooom (behind Aruna) open like French windows.
Below, a detail of their bamboo tree, wall, and the sloped roof of a neighbor's house.
Jack sits on the porch and enjoys the view. Behind him, you can see the door to the kitchen and to his right the entrance to the middle room. In the room closest to the kitchen (which you can see through the open door) you can see the windows that they push open to let air in. The doors and windows are covered with rice paper, but for summer Aruna replaced the thick paper of the inner doors (most Korean houses have two or more sets of sliding doors for insulation--even our home has three sliding doors/windows per room) with linen. It really lets the breeze in without exposing the family to mosquitos.
Below, Aruna, a master chef who can make several meals at one time with minimal ingredients, emerges from the kitchen. The kitchen is at a lower level than the rest of the house. The reason for this is that the heating system is ondol heating--bricks under the house carry heat from the kitchen to the rest of the house. Years ago, the kitchen stove warmed the whole house (basically, the floor is heated). For a better explanation of ondol heating, you can go here: As an academic, Wikipedia is my sworn enemy, tempting students to the dark site with easy citations; but, what the hell people--this is a freaking blog. Check out the cite if you want to know more about how ondol works. Our apartment has a version of ondol heating, but it is run by electricity that heats up water in pipes under our floor. Super cozy in winter.
Below, the boys play in the room closest to the kitchen. Each room is divided by a set of sliding doors. For this photo (and the others) the sliding doors are open. To close the doors, you pull one from each side and they meet in the middle. In the space above the kitchen (to the right of this room) is an attic-like space where they can store lots and lots of stuff. Within reach, they keep bedding and some clothes. At the far side of the room, the papered panels slide to and fro to reveal more storage space where the family keeps clothes on hangers.
I've dubbed the room below the 'den' due to its plethora of books, cds, dvds, lounge beanie chairs, and television. It's the spot where the family can enjoy a movie together as well as storytime.
Below, Dahin demonstrates that even a hamster has a place in a hanok. Rainbow the hamster is a cute little fellow who does not try to escape his cage (imagine that).
The house is tiny, but grownups and kids can have their own space. While the kids watch a movie, the grownups enjoy Nutella spread on french bread and drink cappuccinos--yum!
Below, Jack admires the beauty of the middle room of the house. It serves as the guest reception area. Aruna, being a former Buddhist nun, is a master at tea making and pouring. We enjoyed some tea that she prepared for us. Peter's photos adorn the walls. While you can't see it, the ceiling is cathedral-style (it slopes up to a point--don't know how else to describe it) with exposed roof beams. Track lighting has been installed along the roof beams to lend a nice, relaxing glow to the space. Needless to say, I love spending time in their home. When the invitation is extended, I don't hesitate to make the drive north of the Han River to hang out in their lovely hanok.
Below, the boys play in the room closest to the kitchen. Each room is divided by a set of sliding doors. For this photo (and the others) the sliding doors are open. To close the doors, you pull one from each side and they meet in the middle. In the space above the kitchen (to the right of this room) is an attic-like space where they can store lots and lots of stuff. Within reach, they keep bedding and some clothes. At the far side of the room, the papered panels slide to and fro to reveal more storage space where the family keeps clothes on hangers.
I've dubbed the room below the 'den' due to its plethora of books, cds, dvds, lounge beanie chairs, and television. It's the spot where the family can enjoy a movie together as well as storytime.
Below, Dahin demonstrates that even a hamster has a place in a hanok. Rainbow the hamster is a cute little fellow who does not try to escape his cage (imagine that).
The house is tiny, but grownups and kids can have their own space. While the kids watch a movie, the grownups enjoy Nutella spread on french bread and drink cappuccinos--yum!
Below, Jack admires the beauty of the middle room of the house. It serves as the guest reception area. Aruna, being a former Buddhist nun, is a master at tea making and pouring. We enjoyed some tea that she prepared for us. Peter's photos adorn the walls. While you can't see it, the ceiling is cathedral-style (it slopes up to a point--don't know how else to describe it) with exposed roof beams. Track lighting has been installed along the roof beams to lend a nice, relaxing glow to the space. Needless to say, I love spending time in their home. When the invitation is extended, I don't hesitate to make the drive north of the Han River to hang out in their lovely hanok.
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