VOL.74/2024.09

 

[A Trip to Literary Museums ④]

An Encounter with Poems that Capture
the Wistfulness of an Unfulfilled Youth

Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum, Gyeonggi-do, Gwangmyeong-si

 

2024.08.05

 

It’s always poignant to see things end with their full potential yet to be realized. This is no exception for poets. A poet who died young, before he had even begun to fully pursue his writing endeavor, leaves a sense of wistfulness and sadness in the hearts of all readers of his poetry.
In this month’s Book Trip, a city tour inspired by literature, we travel to Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, where poet Ki Hyung-Do spent his childhood. The Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum, nestled amongst a dense apartment complex, gives city dwellers a moment to breathe in the scent of poetry. There is also a place in nearby Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum, where you can feel the ambiance of a traditional Korean house and experience the stunning transformation of an abandoned mine. Gwangmyeong’s attractions will make you feel like you are on a treasure hunt in the city center, and will definitely give you the pleasure of a literary journey.

 

An archive of Ki Hyung-Do’s short life and the songs of long-lasting poetry: Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum

 

 

Cities change constantly. Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, is a satellite city of Seoul, and following the construction of apartment complexes and the development of KTX Gwangmeyong Station, the area has become a city with excellent infrastructure. If you take a step back from the KTX Gwangmeyong Station area, which is densely packed with apartment complexes and various residential amenities, you will find a quiet, serene place where poetry echoes in the air: the Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum. The Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum honors Ki Hyung-Do, a poet who spent his childhood in Gwangmyeong and is best known for his poetry collection Black Leaf in My Mouth (Moonji Publishing). The Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum, which opened in 2007, is connected to the Ki Hyung-Do Cultural Park and is designed to reflect on the life and literature of poet Ki Hyung-Do, whose short life left a lasting impression through his poetry. Black Leaf in My Mouth, his first and only poetry collection, was published in May 1989, the year of his death. It was published just two months after his passing. The collection contains 62 poems, including the title poem, Black Leaf in My Mouth, as well as Fog, An Empty House, White Night (白夜), Jealousy is My Strength, and The Dangerous Lineage, 1969. Thanks to this collection, we can still honor Ki’s memory, recite his poems, and mourn the poet’s short life.

 

 

 

The Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum is a place where you can have a deeper understanding of poet Ki Hyung-Do, who, despite leaving only one book of poems, made a huge literary impact. Not only does the museum have several of his poems on display for you to read as if you were entering a house built with poetry, but it also provides a detailed biography of the poet so that you can picture his life at a glance. The space inside the museum is divided into “Bitter Childhood (유년의 윗목),” which features memorable objects from the poet’s childhood along with related poems; “Forest of Populus Alba (은백양의 숲),” which summarizes his works and prizes from his career as a fierce literary youth; and “Evening Station (저녁 정거장),” which shows his literary activities since his debut. In each of these spaces, you can enjoy in-depth exhibits that provide a glimpse into the poet’s inner world. By walking through the museum slowly, reading his poems, and imagining his life, visitors can experience a sense of connection with the poet, which amplifies the impact of his poetry.

 

 

The Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum leads to the Ki Hyung-Do Culture Park. The Ki Hyung-Do Culture Park, located behind the museum, is a trail where you can stroll along and soak in the poems as you read them. It’s not a long walk, but if you take it as if you are on a picnic in the world of Ki Hyung-Do’s poetry, you will be able to enjoy a more romantic walk and feel like you have made friends with him.

 

 

Gwangmyeong Cave, a brilliant and mystical transformation of an abandoned mine

 

 

Located not far from the Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum, there is the only cave in the metropolitan area - Gwangmyeong Cave. Gwangmyeong Cave, an offbeat cave in the city center, was created in 1912 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and was used to produce gold, silver, zinc, bronze, and copper for weapons in the Greater East Asian War in 1931. After liberation, it remained in operation and contributed to the economic revival as the largest metal mine in the metropolitan area. After the mine was destroyed by a flood in 1972, it was left in darkness for more than 40 years until 2011, when it was reopened as a cave theme park for the first time in 100 years. Reborn as a space that combines industrial heritage with cultural significance, Gwangmyeong Cave is a place where visitors can enjoy cool summers and warm winters, as the temperature stays between 12°C and 17°C year-round.

 

 

Most importantly, Gwangmyeong Cave is organized into several themes, offering a variety of fun experiences as you walk through. In addition to incorporating various interesting elements that can be experienced in the cave, such as the Space of Light, the Cave Aquaworld, the Golden Waterfall and Golden Palace, the Underground Lake, and the Wine Cave, the museum also features a modern history museum where visitors can learn about the struggles of miners when the site was used as a mine. Gwangmyeong Cave, once a site of exploitation and a place where industrial and economic contributors lived their lives, has now evolved into a place where you can have a tour of the mystical cave. Though it is an artificial cave, it is still a stunning place to make memories in the capital city.

 

Chunghyeon Museum, a quaint jongga that captures the seonbi culture (traditional scholastic culture of Korea)

 

Within walking distance of the Ki Hyung-Do Literary Museum is an exquisite jongga (meaning “house of the head family of a respected clan”). The jongga belongs to Yi Won-Ik (1547-1634), a civil minister who served the country with remarkable abilities during the Joseon Dynasty. Yi Won-Ik played a role in saving the country from the Imjinwaeran (Japanese invasion of Korea) and Jungmyohoran (Later Jin invasion of Korea) with his brilliant tactics. Today, his jongga is open to the public as the Chunghyeon Museum, which houses the family’s belongings and artifacts. It is also the only museum of a jongga in Korea, and features a well-preserved exhibition hall, jongtaek (meaning the “house that had been used by the head family over generations”), Gwangamdang (觀感堂), and Yi Won-Ik’s shrine. Yi Won-Ik’s jongtaek was built and lived in by his descendants until the late 1960s, and the anchae (inner house building, a room in a traditional Korean house that serves as a space for the mistress of the family) has been maintained just as it was at the time, with the actual furniture that was used, giving visitors a glimpse into the traditional Korean lifestyle.
Next to the jongtaek is Gwangamdang, where Lee Won-Ik lived for four years - it was bestowed upon Yi Won-Ik by King Injo, the 16th King of Joseon. When King Injo saw Yi Won-Ik living in a leaky two-room thatched house after leaving office at the age of 85, he named it Gwangamdang so that the people would also see and learn from his frugality. This is where you can feel the character of Yi Won-Ik, who was famous for living a parsimonious life. Gwangamdang is also historically significant as it is the only one of the three private residences of the Joseon Dynasty that is still preserved. Chunghyeongwan, currently used as a museum, displays various artifacts related to Yi Won-Ik, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the spirit of a great scholar who lived through an era. Elsewhere in jongtaek, there are various exhibits related to traditional Korean culture, and the well-managed gardens display the neat beauty of Korean-style gardens.

 

 

Dodeoksan Suspension Bridge and Upcycle Art Center, famous spots to visit in the old town

 

There are also great spots to explore in Gwangmyeong-si’s old town, just a bit away from the new town. If you walk along the quiet forest paths of Dodeoksan Mountain, Gwangmyeong-si’s representative natural retreat, you will find the Suspension Bridge, which connects the artificial waterfall to a hiking trail. The Suspension Bridge, a “symbol of gathering and harmony between the green forest, artificial waterfall, and citizens,” has become a new landmark of Gwangmyeong-si along with Gwangmyeong Cave. Although it is not big, it is worth stopping by for a while to enjoy nature and experience the thrill of walking on the Suspension Bridge.
The Upcycle Art Center nearby is also a great place to experience a different kind of culture. The first of its kind in the country, it offers a variety of programs related to upcycle art design and features a wide range of exhibits with the theme of “upcycle.” The artworks created from discarded furniture, leather, banners, and other materials will make you become more conscious of environmental issues.

 

 

The poet, who died before he could fully flourish, was memorialized in the language of eternal youth. Ki Hyung-Do’s poetry is being re-evaluated and given a stronger life through the various activities of the Ki Hyung-Do Memorial Association. While it has been 35 years since Ki Hyung-Do left the world, he continues to live with us forever through his poetry.

 

 

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Written by Kim Young-Ihm