The "House of Yi Sang" is located at 154-10 Tongin-dong, a site that once contained part of the home of the literary genius Yi Sang (1910-1937), a figure who had a profound influence on Korea's modern cultural and artistic scene. Operated by the Arumjigi Foundation, this cultural space aims to preserve the memory of the poet without adopting the typical commemorative museum format. Instead, it seeks new ways to connect with Yi Sang's legacy in a manner that honors his true essence.

 

In 2003, the growing interest in preserving this site began when the Kim Swoo Geun Foundation acquired the house at Tongin-dong 154-10 to prevent indiscriminate development in the area after the original structure was demolished. Although the current house is not the one where Yi Sang actually lived, it gained recognition as a registered cultural property in 2004 when it was mistakenly believed to be his former residence. However, after it was revealed that this structure was a newly built urban hanok following Yi Sang's departure, it was deregistered as a cultural property in 2008.

 

Yi Sang moved to this location in 1912 when he became the adopted son of his uncle, Kim Yeon-pil. He lived in his uncle's house in Tongin-dong 154 until around 1932 or 1933, when he was 23 or 24 years old. During his time there, Yi Sang published his first novel, December 12, serialized in Chosun in 1930. In 1931, he released his first poems, "Strange Reversible Reaction," "Panorama," and "Design for a Triangular Structure," in Chosun and Architecture, along with his short story "Leave and Circumstance" in Chosun. The following year, he published the short story "Darkroom of a Map" and the poem "Infinite Hexahedron of Architecture" in Chosun and Chosun and Architecture, respectively. After the death of his uncle in 1931 or 1932, the property at 154 Tongin-dong went through several divisions and changes of ownership, and Yi Sang eventually sold his inherited portion around 1933 and moved out.

 

Although there are no physical traces of Yi Sang left in the current structure at 154-10 Tongin-dong, the site remains significant as the only documented place directly associated with him. It holds special meaning as the last geographical location tied to his life.

 

Yi Sang graduated from the Architecture Department of Gyeongseong Higher Industrial School in 1929 and worked as a junior architect in the Architecture Department of the Japanese Government-General of Korea. He resigned from this position in 1933 due to hemoptysis caused by tuberculosis. He then opened a café called Jeibi (Swallow) in present-day Jongno 1-ga, but it soon closed due to financial difficulties. He also failed in managing another café named Thru in Insadong and 69 in Jongno 1-ga, though their exact locations remain unknown. Tragically, Yi Sang succumbed to worsening tuberculosis and died unexpectedly in Tokyo, Japan, at the University of Tokyo Hospital.

 

Given that this site in Tongin-dong remains the only place that can tangibly evoke the traces of Yi Sang's genius, the Cultural Heritage National Trust purchased the location in 2009 as its first property under the Cultural Heritage and Natural Environment Trust Act. The Arumjigi Foundation now manages and operates the space under the name "Yi Sang’s Room."

 

Although the House of Yi Sang is no longer standing, the sky he once looked up at and the ground he walked on still exist here, along with traces of time embedded in the old building. The House of Yi Sang aspires to become a space that connects these remnants of the past with the present and future, planning various activities to achieve this goal. Just as Yi Sang actively engaged in literary and artistic exchanges with contemporary artists at Jeibi Café, the House of Yi Sang aims to become an open space where artists of the new era can interact and communicate freely. As a cultural space located in the historically rich area to the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, it also seeks to contribute to the vibrancy of local culture.

 

Through these efforts, the House of Yi Sang intends to move beyond merely commemorating a historical figure and to creatively inherit and reinterpret Yi Sang, a modernist and one of the greatest geniuses in Korean literary history, in a way that resonates with the present. The goal is to reestablish his legacy as a source of pride for Koreans today.

 

We have lived too busy and complacent lives, neglecting to honor the many great figures who have shaped our world. In addition, we all share a part of the responsibility for the loneliness and untimely death of this genius poet.

 

We wish to remember, love, and stay with him for a long time. We hope that this small space can become a cornerstone for the preservation and utilization of one of the last remaining historical and cultural districts that truly represents the identity of Seoul, a city rich in cultural heritage. Together with the newly restored Suseong-dong Valley nearby, and under the dignified presence of Inwangsan Mountain—where the spirits of historical figures like Oh Seong, Han Eum, Gyeomjae, Chusa, Lee Jung-seop, and Park No-su seem to live on—this space aims to protect the area from destructive development and reckless redevelopment, reviving it as a new landmark of Seoul.

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]