From the 30th, “A Hundred Years and a Day: From Memory to Imagination” Exhibition
Reflecting on 100 years of the old Seoul Station and imagining the next 100 years
Plans to open the pathway connecting the old and new Seoul Station regularly next year, [Edaily reporter Jang Byung-ho] The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST) is hosting a special exhibition “A Hundred Years and a Day: From Memory to Imagination” from the 30th of this month to November 30th at the entire Culture Station Seoul 284 and the outdoor space of Connect Place Seoul Station, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the completion of the old Seoul Station.,
The old Seoul Station, completed in 1925 as “Gyeongseong Station,” is the oldest railway architecture in Korea. After being renamed “Seoul Station” in 1947, it served as a central hub for transportation and logistics. Following the opening of the high-speed rail (KTX) in 2004, the railway functions were moved to the new Seoul Station, and currently, it has been restored to its 1925 appearance and is operated as a complex cultural space called Culture Station Seoul 284.,
This exhibition is structured into three themes, reflecting on the past 100 years of the old Seoul Station, reinterpreting it from a contemporary perspective, and imagining the future of Seoul Station. In the 3rd class waiting room, significant photographs highlighting the historical significance of the old Seoul Station and artworks by contemporary artists such as Kim Soo-ja, Shin Mi-kyung, and Lee Soo-kyung are displayed.,
In the 1st and 2nd class waiting rooms, tasting events and sales of beer, coffee, and snacks, reminiscent of those sold at the old Seoul Station, are held. The VIP room and VIP waiting room reinterpret the aesthetic spaces of the old Seoul Station through modern furniture and fashion. In the women’s waiting room, visitors can listen to music reimagined by Oasis Records and producer Park Min-jun, themed around Seoul Station. The Stationmaster’s room features an interview with Bae Jong-kyu, the last stationmaster of the old Seoul Station, and stories of historical figures who passed through Seoul Station.,
The grill and grill preparation area are interactive spaces allowing visitors to imagine the future of Seoul Station through writing. The exhibition displays a manuscript of the “Comprehensive Korean Dictionary” discovered at Seoul Station, reflecting on the value of the Korean language. Various literary works set against the backdrop of Seoul Station are also introduced. As visitors exit through the small dining room, they are presented with a vision of Seoul Station as an international railway station connecting the currently severed inter-Korean and trans-Eurasian railways post-unification.,
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the old Seoul Station, in cooperation with the Korea Railroad Corporation, the previously unopened pathway connecting the old Seoul Station to the new KTX Seoul Station will be opened for the first time. During the exhibition period, the usage of the connecting passage will be analyzed, and based on the results, plans are in place to permanently open the pathway between the old and new stations starting in 2026.,
Kim Young-soo, the first vice minister of the MCST, stated, “Through this exhibition, we hope to revisit the architectural and social value of the old Seoul Station, a precious heritage that has participated in the development of modern and contemporary Korean history as a center for transportation and logistics, and to confirm its potential for development as a cultural asset.”