VOL.69/2024.04

 

[Into the Book ⑥]

The Street of Youth: Shinchon, Seoul

The Silent Cry of Youth Found in
Reinvestigation and The Lumiere People

 

2024.01.02

 

 

 

Like anyone else, I, as a murderer, also need meaning in life and ethical guidance.
No, I want a strong, compelling moral anchor that will keep me from falling apart,
even more so because I’m a murderer.
- from Reinvestigation

 

 

Reinvestigation (EunHaeng NaMu), a novel by Chang Kang-Myoung, who has been recognized for his literary and public success in both the mystery and SF genres and who is often referred to as a “socialist mystery novelist,” is a story that takes place during the reinvestigation of the murder of a female college student in an apartment building in Shinchon, Seoul, 22 years ago. Shinchon, the setting of the novel, was also featured in Chang Kang-Myoung’s previous work, The Lumiere People (Hani Books). The writer uses real locations, such as Shinchon and Yonsei University, and fictional spaces in the novel to further immerse readers in the story. He once said that bringing real-life spaces into the setting of his novels is a way of captivating readers. We visited Shinchon, a place always crowded with people as it has a number of universities in proximity, and a place that is always full of youthful energy as it is sensitive to trends. Let’s take a trip to Shinchon, the setting for Chang Kang-Myoung’s novels Reinvestigation and The Lumiere People, both full of vivid realism.

 

 

The pioneer of modern education in Korea – Yonsei University

 

 

When police later confirmed, there was no research in any of the post-graduate labs
at Yonsei University that Min So-Rim was helping with.
Not just in the liberal arts college, but across all departments.
- from Reinvestigation

 

 

It is perhaps natural that Shinchon and Yonsei University appear in his novels, as Chang Kang-Myoung, the writer of both novels, is a Yonsei University alumnus himself. In Reinvestigation, Yonsei University is described in detail, including the dental college, the liberal arts college, and the central library. In addition to the usual buildings found in any university, Yonsei University also has some noteworthy places. The exotic architecture of Underwood Hall is a prime example. This old Western-style brick building is now used as a museum to commemorate Dr. Horace G. Underwood, the founder of Yonsei University. The ivy wrapping around the antique building reminds visitors of the prestigious Ivy League in the US, and is also a symbol of Yonsei University.
In addition to Underwood Hall, there are two other historic spaces that you should visit when you come to Yonsei University. One is a memorial dedicated to patriotic martyr Lee Han-Yeol, who was a leading figure in the 1980s pro-democracy movement and a Yonsei University student majoring in business administration when he was teargassed to death in front of the main entrance during the June 1987 uprising. Here, you can imagine the intense chants of that day in the memorial garden for him, who withered away like a flower while fighting for democracy. Although Reinvestigation is set in the early 2000s, well over a decade later, there is a part in the story that goes, “When I was a sophomore in college, the Yonsei incident broke out. Thousands of students from The Confederation of Korean Students’ Union protested at Shinchon and were chased by the police into the school.” Other places capture a more distant past. For example, Kwanghyewon (currently Chejungwon) holds special significance as it was the first modern hospital in Korea and the cornerstone of Yonsei University’s medical school, where the development of Korean medicine blossomed. How about some quiet contemplation at the Yonsei University campus, where a calm, scholarly atmosphere envelops you, as if it is completely disconnected from the bustle of Shinchon Street?

 

 

Shinchon, where culture and nature blend in harmony

 

 

You can’t prove the story that a dead person did it.
Kim Sang-Eun’s story that Min So-Rim and herself were close in a Dostoevsky Book Club cannot be proven.
- from Reinvestigation

 

 

The “Literature Street” in Shinchon, formed in 2013, offers visitors a chance to take a break from the bustling streets and take a moment to indulge in romance. It is a place that honors the literary spirit of Korean writers representing the modern era while maintaining the spirit and culture of the times. Poems by Yun Dong-Ju, a poet who graduated from Yonhee College (the predecessor of Yonsei University) and therefore has a special relationship with Shinchon, as well as handprints by Jung Hyeon-Jong, Lee O-Young, Kim Seung-Ok, Jung Ho-Seung, Do Jong-Hwan, and other writers can be found decorating the streets. If you follow the traces of literature like solving a picture puzzle, you will also come across Hongik Books, a longtime fixture in Shinchon. As such, it is a special experience for the romantics to take a moment to stand calmly in Shinchon, where everyone is moving at a fast pace, and recall the literary world of each writer.

 

 

Reinvestigation and The Lumiere People are stories of youth set in the Shinchon. The passionate and hard-fought time of youth runs through the novels. Then, passing through the time in the novels, we step into the place where today’s youth are working on their dreams, which is Shinchon Arts Space. Shinchon Arts Space is located behind the former Shinchon Station, facing Changcheon Culture Park. The Shinchon Arts Space and Changcheon Culture Park are both located on high ground, making them great observation spots where you can get a bird’s eye view of the Shinchon landscape. If you climb up the somewhat steep path, you will be able to take in the panoramic view of Shinchon from the open landscape below. The Shinchon Arts Space, located in this spot, is a cultural and artistic platform for young artists, giving them the opportunity to unleash their imagination and conduct creative experiments in line with the characteristics of Shinchon.
The space is open to everyone, not just creators, so it is a great place to stop by, breathe in the energy of Shinchon, and take a break while enjoying the artworks. Meanwhile, if you walk through Changcheon Culture Park slowly, soaking in the scent of culture and art, the walkway along the deck offers a slightly different view of Shinchon’s colorful landscape as you walk, which adds to the pleasure and excitement. When you take a step back and look, you can see a lot more, and the scenery captured in that gaze is often memorable. In that sense, Shinchon Arts Space and Changcheon Culture Park are great places to keep more of Shinchon in your memory.

 

 

Shinchon, seen through scenes from Reinvestigation and The Lumiere People, which depict extraordinary groups of human beings found in the ordinary lives of young people living in Shinchon, brings us face to face with the colorfulness of life in the city. It will be great to spend some time applauding all the youths of our time by exploring the stories of the young people who lived vigorously in that environment and crossed the boundary between life and death.

 

 

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Written by Kim Young-Ihm