Three sessions on Nov. 14, 21 and 28 offer expert-guided tours of Seochon's architectural heritage, art, literature and lifestyle culture; Hongik University Professor Jo Han, Seoul National University Professor Bang Min-ho and creator Seol Jae-woo lead sessions of 20 each
Jongno-gu will run its 2026 Park Roh-soo Museum Field Program this month, offering a series of guided tours centered on the Jongno-gu-run Park Roh-soo Museum of Art that explore the history and culture of the Seochon neighborhood.
The program runs on three Saturdays — Nov. 14, 21 and 28 — and is designed to help participants understand the historical and cultural value of the area by visiting modern architectural heritage sites, tracing the footsteps of artists and exploring the alleyways and everyday spaces of the neighborhood.
Each session features expert commentary, guiding visitors through the changes Seochon has undergone and helping them discover the significance of the cultural heritage woven into daily life there.
Each of the three sessions takes up a different theme — architecture, art and literature, and lifestyle culture — to showcase the many facets of Seochon.
Participants will also view two exhibitions at the museum, which marks its 12th anniversary this year: "Sansu·Gyeongmul," a landscape and still-life exhibition, and "Fragrance, Dyeing the Landscape," a collaboration with scent artist Han Seo-hyeong — both held in the space where painter Park Roh-soo once lived and worked.
The first session, "Walking Modern Architectural Heritage," runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Hongik University architecture Professor Jo Han will explain the architectural features and spatial layout of the Park Roh-soo house before leading the group to the Yi Sang-beom house, the Hong Geon-ik house and Sajikdan, tracing the evolution of the hanok during the modern era and examining how historical spaces function within the city.
The second session, "Following the Traces of Artists," takes place Nov. 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Seoul National University Korean literature Professor Bang Min-ho will guide participants through Suseongdong Valley, the former site of Lee Jung-seop's home, the Yi Sang-beom house and the Yi Sang house, placing the lives and creative work of artists and writers in their spatial and historical context. The life and artistic world of painter Park Roh-soo will also be explored.
The third session, "Today's Seochon, Found in Its Alleyways," runs Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon. Cultural content creator Seol Jae-woo will guide participants through the residential lanes and everyday spaces of Nuha-dong and Tongin-dong, walking past Tongin Market, the surrounding commercial district, the stone wall path west of Gyeongbokgung and Hyoja-ro to experience the cultural value of a neighborhood where old residential life and the present day coexist.
The program is open to adults. A total of 60 spots are available — 20 per session — on a first-come, first-served basis. The participation fee is 10,000 won ($7), and registration is available through the Jongno Cultural Foundation website, the QR code on the program poster, or directly at the Park Roh-soo Museum of Art.
"Seochon is a neighborhood where layers of traditional and modern architectural heritage, the traces of artists and writers, and the everyday lives of its residents have accumulated over time," District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong said. "I hope this program gives participants a chance to deepen their understanding of the history and spatial value that Seochon holds."
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