[Tour] Bangcheon Market Mural Street, Kimgwangseok Memorial Street!

Bangcheon Market Mural Street 
Kim Gwangseok Memorial Street

Today, I am going to introduce a mural street where a traditional market and modern art coexist. Bangcheon Market Mural Street called Kim Gwangseok Memorial Street opened in November, 2010 as one of the traditional market revitalization projects. In 2008, the government started to gather young artists to make decreasing traditional markets as cultural places.

Bangcheon Market was also one of the decreasing markets. It was almost shut down due to the decreasing number of visitors. In 2012, however, more than 20 artists, designers, and sculptors gathered together and made collective work of mural for the purpose of boosting the market by making it as a cultural place.

They started to paint 350m long walls of the market with a theme for Kim Gwangseok. Kim Gwangseok was a Korean folk rock singer having many hit songs such as "On the street", "Love has gone", "A letter from a private" but he committed suicide in 1996. 

He was a perfect subject of this culture project because he was born in Daebongdong, Junggu and spent his early years here. Since the completion of this Kim Gwang Seok Memorial Mural Street, many musicians and artists sometimes come and hold small music concerts.

You will see two gates when you get to the Bangcheon Market. The first gate (①) is made of discarded TV sets. I entered to the market through the second gate which is closest to the bus stop (②).

Turn left at the first intersection and walk straight to the end of the street. You will pass by some food vendors selling Korean traditional food and liquor.

You will see this sign at the end of the street and the Kim Gwangseok Memorial Street starts from here. 

The street started with Kim Gwangseok's pictures taken during his lifetime.

 

Most of his songs were celebrated for his appealing vocals and introspective lyrics which were broadly loved by young generations of South Korea in 1990s. He was also noted for his clear vocals, and acoustic guitar and harmonica skills.

 

Some of the paintings imply his death.

I was able to see that many people are still missing him. 

I found this fence on the street and some love padlocks were hanging on the fence. You must have seen this kind of fences before if you've ever visited N Seoul Tower. This fence was made for the couples who have to be separated due to the military service to promise their reunion after the service.

One of Kim Gwangseok's songs called “A letter from a private” is the motif of this fence. The lyrics of the song show the sadness of draftees endured during separation from parents, loved ones, close friends, and their homes.This song became really popular among twenties because Korean guys have to experience the separation once in their life.

The lyrics of the song were also written on another wall. 
  
* If you want to see the translated lyrics, click here.
  : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Private's_Letter

I've heard that many amateur photographers also often visit this place to take pictures of the mural. I also ran into some people taking photos despite the lateness of the hour.

It would be nice taking time to see this unique mural street (even though you don't know this singer) and look around Korean traditional market. There are also small art galleries and cafes where you can take a rest with a work of art. If you are lucky, you would have a chance to see people having music concerts as well.



   Directions 

 
  ● Address
     : 450Gil Dalgubeol Daero (Daebongdong), Junggu, Daegu

  ● Bus
     : 990, 991, 303, 303-1, 403, 420-1, 425, 609, 649, 840, 939
     : Take off at Bangcheon Market Bus Stop

  ● Subway
     : Take Subway line2 and get off at Kyungpook Nat’l Univ. Hospital.



* Click here to see another Mural Street in Daegu
   : A Meeting of Art and Tradition, Mabijeong Mural Village!