Track 1. Kilsangsa

When you meet a peaceful world,
Take a walk as it is.
So the heart flutters.

Zelkoba tree by a yard
Stone tower of a span tall
Pond lily bloomed upon a water
Murmuring narrow valley
Tiles’ shadow forest
Eyelevel stonewall
Wooden bench under shade of a tree
Little bamboo grove
Wooden porch that the sun lays over

Simply by picking a place to sit
relax will come in mind.

Clear and fragrant Kilsangsa,
It’s in Seoul.

Track 2. Explanation about Seongbuk

Coming down after Kilsangsa
Mansions which of wall raised high and foreign embassies
widely catch the eyes.

It’s lonesome, in spite of a noon,
sound of footstep is very clear to listen.
Soon, coming down and cross a road
As if Scene before eyes are the same as before
Those are changed to small houses huddled around.

Seeing the sky which no building blocks your sight
and Fortress wall enclosing Bugaksan mountain,
makes me confused if it’s real Seoul.
Cozy village landscape below gives a feeling of
being far away from a city.

In our life, we need refresh
But there is uncertain time to go on a trip
If you want to bail off from stuffy city,
What about near Seongbuk?

Starting point of Seoul Fortress Wall,
When you see the wall, you see Seongbuk.

Track 3. Ssangdari

Where do you think Seoul’s hot place nowadays?
The hot place of Joseon dynasty’s era is here, Ssangdari.
(Ssangdari means twin bridges)

Today only mark of site is there.
At the era, lots of trend leading culturati
came to brawlingly visit around this Ssangdari.

Rainwater from rocks of Bugaksan Mountain gets together into a brook
In spring, power pink peach blossoms bloom and fall all around there.
That’s the reason, So-called romantic modern boys
moved their steps here Seoungbuk brook.

So there were many writers transferred their home.
If their achievement and work doesn’t exist in the modern culture history,
A flow of Korean culture history could be cut off
What a historic brook it is, I think.

In all ages, culture and art is
Flowing along youth and romance.

Footsteps of artists is still lasted.
It is Seongbuk’s Ssangdari

Track 4. Simujang

Walk on a road across Seongbuk museum of art for 5 minutes.
Bronze statue of Han Yong-un wearing Korean dress is sitting on a bench.
On one side, there is memorial stone written the poem “lover’s silence”.

Going up a bit along wooden stairs
A narrow and sloping alley is there.
Following the road, Simujang is there.

Han Yong-un was a Buddhist monk,
poet and activist for Korean independence.
He compared a process of enlightenment as finding out a cow
and spent the rest of his life in this Korean style house.

It’s small but requires your respect and care.
Simujang is built facing north
Turn its back against Japanese colonial government building in south.

Han Yong-un who turned his back but for the light of his country.
behind his stubborn look,
Glittering halo is shining so far.

Inside of house is an exhibition area.

Brilliant northerliness,
Simujang

Track 5. Choi Sunu House

Hanok(Korean style house) demands not only appearance
but also view and mood from the house
for dignity of the house.

In Seongbuk,
An art historian Choi Sunu was living,
who looked Korean cultural beauty with unique discernment.

If you want to feel the beauty of Hanok more,
Why don’t you take a walk and look?

But, it’s a little bit far from Simujang.

Entering deep backwoods,
Choi Sunu house.

Track 6. The Alley

Wow, it seems Seoul’s sparrows are all here.

The man to read a road, Seongbuk part is
going along with sponsorship of the knee joint.

These houses are built on a hill of mountains.
So, each alleys are like,
Roller coaster.

Ah, hold on.

It’s a little bit different from seeing ahead
I can see hundreds of roofs behind my back,
And flowerpots are standing in line by me.
Over there, housekeeping is just before my eyes.

Then, after turning this corner,
What’s waiting for us?
I’m getting curious,
Ain’t you guys?

Shall we take a turn around?

Seoul’s last poor hillside village, it is Bukjeong village’s alley.

Oh, my! Why is it so high!?

Track 7. Bukjeong village

Whoever wants to flow slowly
Come to Bukjeong.
Low roof and narrow alley
would stop your step
Pushed by pace of life
The wound and painful heart
will be healed sluggishly

Restfully sit on street in front of bistro
With instant coffee and a cup of Makgeolli(rice wine) at noon
You, will be chilled out and be as happy as it can be.

Looking blankly at people’s houses under the fortress
and at the view of which Bukhansan mountain lies down
You will realize
Life is not just dry and tough
But sometimes flowing slowly is much happier.

If you want a rapture moment
That Bukjeong taps you on the shoulder,
You, come to Bukjeong flowing slowly.

This is the poem ‘Bukjeong, Flows’
Written by Choi Sungsoo, lived in Seongbuk all the time.

Track 8. Bukjeong Café

Today as usual, delightful smell of Makgeolli(rice wine)
and sound of hearty laugh are full of street.

Bukjeong café is a rally point for town’s elders.
Most of them are 70’s old.

Beside old women preparing vegetables with deft cutting,
thumbed Yut sticks are flying in the air all the time.

More than two Yut sticks are out of a mat, it means fail.

Elders offer me a liquor.

Well, That’s not….
But you’re giving me…

Sir, please,
Pour it as it is
So the heart flutters.

Track 9. The night of Bukjeong village

6 pm, the talkative also becomes silent.

The night of Bukjeong village comes early.
At the time lights in windows are turned on by ones and twos
True face of a moon turns up in a night sky,
Streetlight stays afloat just like a small moon.

Light of fortress wall...

Seeing a moon, there is nothing to do except for that.

The monopoly of moon light,
This is the night of Bukjeong village.

Track 10. Seoul fortress wall

On the Seoul fortress wall, across the wall
The inside and outside night view of wall is clearly divided.

The wall draws a line on flow of time,
Outside of it, yellow streetlight is full in Seongbuk
Inside is a city bright as day.

But, I feel this yellow streetlight is
brighter than that city
This is because I meet old days of our forgotten good neighbors
in Seongbuk, isn’t this?

The wall might keep warm heart between people, too.

Track 11. The man to read a road

A road is with people
A story is in people.

A road we’ve walked is
our history,

Story of people on it is
our culture.

The man to read a road.

I deliver
the stories of people I met along the way.

I would like you to take a walk on this road, together.