The Cheonggyecheon Museum, a branch of the Seoul Museum of History, will host the special exhibition “Records of Cheonggyecheon Shantytown” from November 5, 2024, to March 30, 2025.

This free exhibit, located in the museum’s special exhibition hall, offers a glimpse into life in the Cheonggyecheon shantytown during the 1960s and 1970s.

The exhibition features over 80 photographs by renowned photographers Shisei Kuwabara, Motoyuki Nomura, and Hong Soon-tae that capture the landscape and daily life in the Cheonggyecheon shantytowns. Divided into three sections—“Scenes of the Shantytown,” “The People of the Shantytown,” and “Demolition and Overpasses”—the exhibit highlights the challenges and resilience of residents during this era.

Section 1: Scenes of the Shantytown showcases the makeshift housing structures around Cheonggyecheon, created after the Korean War as people flocked to Seoul. These areas lacked proper infrastructure, with residents relying on shared water sources and communal toilets.

Section 2: The People of the Shantytown presents the lives of migrant residents who engaged in street vending, manual labor, and crafts like dyeing.

Section 3: Demolition and Overpasses documents the relocation of shantytown residents and the transformation of the area as elevated highways replaced the settlements.

Further details are available on the Seoul Museum of History website or Cheonggyecheon Museum website.

USAG Yongsan