Key takeaways
The Hangdong Railway became known among photographers for its combination of green forest, open sky, and a straight stretch of track, and it has drawn even more attention since the mid-2010s as a striking contrast to the redevelopment happening around it. Fact The nearby old tavern district sat at the midpoint of the Gyeongin Road, the route connecting the port of Jemulpo (in Incheon) to Hanyang (old Seoul), and saw frequent traffic from foreigners after Korea's ports opened to international trade in the late 19th century. Fact A tile-roofed building believed to be the tavern district's old guesthouse survived until the mid-1990s, but has since disappeared, leaving only a commemorative marker. Fact
What to look for on site
- Photography spots where the railway blends with rural scenery
- The commemorative marker for the old tavern district
- The nearby tomb of father and son Ryu Sun-jeong and Ryu Hong (the only father-son tomb in Seoul honoring two generations of meritorious subjects)
Original, site-only, restored, or recreated?
- Site only: the former location of the old tavern district's guesthouse — the actual building is gone, leaving only the commemorative marker. Fact
- Original (partial): the stone monuments at the Ryu Sun-jeong and Ryu Hong tomb — though the tomb complex itself has been reduced in scale.