E2024-G148

Traditional Homes with Foreign Influences: Kim Yong-hak’s House

Narrative

Kim Yong-hak’s House was built in the early 20th century by the Confucian scholar Kim Hui-su (1891-1929) and renovated by his son Kim Yong-hak. Kim Hui-su was an influential figure in the Gwangju area. He was known not only as a wealthy man who had multiplied his inherited fortune but also as a virtuous man who helped many people in need. In 1930, his tenant farmers erected three steles near the house as a symbol of gratitude to their landlord.

The property consists of a residential area to the right and two pavilions on the hill to the left. The residential area consists of a gate quarters, a men’s quarters called Cheongpungheon (“Hall of the Clear Wind”), and a pond. There was once a traditional women’s quarters behind the men’s quarters, but it was demolished to build the Western-style building now used as the family’s private residence. The men’s quarters was built in 1917. It features a wooden-floored hall in the center with underfloor-heated rooms on either side, as well as a porch and kitchen in the back.

The two pavilions, named Yeonpajeong Pavilion and Haeunjeong Pavilion, served as a gathering space for local scholars who discussed ideas and wrote poetry here. In front of the pavilions is a large rectangular pond with a miniature circular island. Yeonpajeong was first built in 1918 by Kim Hui-su to honor his father Kim Yeong-deok. It burned down in 1933 and was rebuilt in 1934. Partition walls were added around the exterior of the open-air pavilion to help protect the wooden floor from rain. Haeunjeong was built in 1933 by Kim Yong-hak to honor his father Kim Hui-su. The pavilion consists of a wooden-floored hall with underfloor-heated rooms on either side. This pavilion, as well as the men’s quarters, features sliding glass doors, which is a feature commonly seen in early 20th century houses.

This house shows how traditional homes had spaces for both living and leisure. Furthermore, it shows the change to Western style housing, as seen by the demolishing of the traditional women’s quarters to make space for a Western-style residence. In recognition of this historical and architectural significance, the house was designated as a Gwangju Folk Cultural Heritage.

Furthermore, six generations of Kim Yong-hak’s family have lived in Habaek Village, in which this house is located. This shows how a family’s descendants typically lived in the same village, forming a clan village over time.

Story Map

• Houses of Gwangju: Living Heritage of Time and Memory
  • Choe Seung-hyo’s House: A Legacy of Culture and Art
  • Go Won-hui’s House: A Legacy of Loyalty and Integrity
  • Kim Bong-ho’s House: A Home Preserving the Everyday History of Gwangju
  • The Noble House of the Choe Family in Sa-dong: A Space Reflecting Modern Gwangju’s Architecture and Life
  • Traditional Homes with Foreign Influences: Yi Jang-u’s House
  • Traditional Homes with Foreign Influences: Kim Yong-hak’s House