Donhwamun-ro is the name of the street from Donhwamun to Jongno 3-ga, located between Jongmyo and Changdeokgung which are listed as World Heritage Sites, now it’s becoming a historically valuable region.
Donhwamun-ro to Changdeokgung, which was used as the palace of the Joseon Dynasty, had a road reference point that became the standard for the national road network in the Joseon Dynasty, and is the only road in the Joseon Dynasty that maintains its original width and structure.
The story of Donhwamun-ro history
The Donhwamun-ro, which stretched south from the center of Hanyang, was an important road that served as Jujak-daero, the main central boulevard in the city. In the Joseon Dynasty era, it was the street where the king had come to, and because of this, ‘Sijeonhaengrang’ the government operated market, ‘Pimatgol’ small alleys where horses and high officials can be avoided, and ‘Sunra-gil’ patrol paths for the patrol guards were naturally developed.
Donhwamun-ro was the king's way to Jongmyo and annex of the palace as well as to meet the ambassadors. It was also a place of communication where the people could appeal to the king directly with a large or a small hand gong when the king was out of his palace. It was also the road where the Emperor Sunjong had ridden the first automobile of Korea.
In addition, the Donhwamun-ro was the place where the market stores (stores of merchants) prospered, and it was also the site of Yiwangjik-Ahakbu (李王職雅樂部, Royal Music Institution) the predecessor of National Gugak Center, and the Joseon Music Research Institution.
Fortunately, despite the Japanese occupation, the Korean War, and the industrialization, Korean traditional music continued and never stopped. Even now, there are many Korean musical instruments shops and Korean traditional music institutes concentrated in the area, as well as many traditional clothing and traditional culture related shops.
Until Donhwamun-ro became Gugak-ro
Yiwangjik-Ahakbu (李王職雅樂部), the successor of Jangakwon, who was in charge of court music in the Joseon Dynasty, moved to Unni-dong in January 1926 and was transferred to the National Gugak Center after liberation. Until the move to Jangchung-dong in 1967, the National Gugak Center played a central role in Korean traditional music.
The Joseon Music Research Society was founded in 1933 with the aim of performing and transmitting Korean traditional music such as Pansori (storytelling performance), Namdo japga (Southern untold songs), Changgeuk (opera), Sanjo (scattered melodies), folk dance, and Gyeongseodo sound, with Kim Cho-hyang, Song Man-gap, Lee Dong-baek, Han Sung-jun, and Park Nok-ju as the backbone of the society. Since then, a Changgeuk (opera) group was organized and toured all over the country, leaving a lot of work in the development and dissemination of Changgeuk, Pansori, and folk instruments.
National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 23 Gayageum Sanjo and Byeongchang Holder Park Gwi-hee had been running Undang Inn in Unni-dong since 1951. The disciples were trained here, and the Undang Inn was the place where many Korean musicians stayed and exchanged. Park Gwi-hee founded the Korean Folk-Art Academy in 1955 and the Gugak Art School in 1960. In 1989, Undang Inn and her entire properties were donated to the school, which is now a National Traditional Arts Middle and High School.
Donhwamun-ro, the foundation of Korean traditional music, was designated as Gugak-ro in 1994 in order to continue the tradition of Korean traditional music, and is now preserved as a street where we can feel our own intrinsic emotions, including public institutions such as Seoul Donhwamun Gugakdang and Seoul Museum of Korean Folk Music.
Representative Gugak Public Institution on Gugak-ro
