Yeonsu-gu
Wall Paintings Create Fairy tale World
Writing by Kim Do-yeon · Photo by Hong Seung-hun
A 200-meter section at the end of Cheongsol-ro, Cheonghak-dong, Yeonsu-gu, contains a scene different from other alleys: mural art. Here is not a museum-like mural village such as Dongpirang, Tongyeong and Ihwa, Seoul, but a small space where anyone can leisurely walk and look around within an hour. As shabby as it might look, it does offer something unusual.
When getting off at the Songdo Yeongnam Apartment bus stop just before the old SongdoStation along Biryu-daero stretching to Ongam Intersection from Seonhak Intersection, Cheongsol-ro is at the back.
Look the end of the mountain Munhaksan walking up along the street for a good while, and one could pass by Pureumoe Mom & Kids on the left. Go up a little more and a small empty lot on the right will show children running around a hill with a pine tree. That is a mural painted on a low wall of a two-story building. In winter 2013, walls on both sides contained paintings from here to the end of the alley.
Since the area was very quiet and had old houses here and there, the residentsfelt desolate and asked Yeonsu-gu to put in the residents’ voluntary budget. To chase the two hares of improving the environment and the image of the area at once, Yeonsu-gu decided to launch the project of “developing a public art street in Cheonghakro” and made Yeonsu-gu Art Association draw murals. According to the association chief Kim Jin-hee, nine artists took part in the project in autumn 2013 and took two months to
complete. One resident, 48, said, “At first, I was indifferent to the project, but soon I got to like the rightly colored paintings,” adding, “Now they make me smile whenever I pass in and out.” This is the simple joy of painting.
Writing by Kim Do-yeon · Photo by Hong Seung-hun Wall Paintings Create Fairy tale World work, and a fairytale scene attracts attention.
Even a little telephone pole putting on wire bundle is tangled with pink and indigo bluemorning glories.This way, this alley is featured by variously themed wall paintings. It may not be so special as one of common mural alleys, but makes visitors take their time to open a window of the attic beamed by the morning sun to see the alley. A calm mood hangs in the neighborhood. Yun Yeong-suk, 50, who oved
to the end of this alley less than two months ago, said, “I live in a nice quiet neighborhoodthat has no awkward silence. It could’ve looked stark due to some old buildings, but now wall paintings are creating a friendly atmosphere.”
Walls are not so special, but a quiet and bright feeling from the neighborhood catches the eye. At the end of the alley, an old lady who might have watched over the neighborhood for years welcomes you on a wall.
The familiarity of the old lady, who is giving a heartwarming smile to passers-by with a spotted dog, is a color of this mural alley at Cheonghak-dong
