Jongno Retro Travel: How to Share Your Parents' Memories at the National Folk Museum of Korea and Tongin Market

This holiday, a travel course is gaining attention, allowing families to build new memories by walking through the old landscapes of Seoul, Jongno, following the childhood memories of their parents. According to a Culture Portal video, a route has been introduced where one can encounter the daily lives of the parents' generation, from spaces that recreate the alleys and storefronts of Seoul in the 1970s and 1980s to places where one can feel the atmosphere of traditional markets.

National Folk Museum of Korea's '7080 Street of Memories', recreating Seoul in the 1970s and 80s

The first destination of the trip is the '7080 Street of Memories' located within the National Folk Museum of Korea. This is a space that recreates the alleys and storefronts in front of schools in Seoul from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The participant in the video is shown naturally recalling the daily life of the past as they face the alley scenery from the time their parents studied and played during their childhood. It provides an opportunity for the parents' generation to revive childhood memories through familiar scenery.

Yeopjeon Lunchbox experience and stories continued at an independent bookstore

Once the parents' memories have been revisited, it is time to directly experience the atmosphere of those days. Tongin Market, which has been part of the daily life of Jongno since 1941, has established itself as a famous spot where one can uniquely enjoy the atmosphere of an old market through the 'Yeopjeon Lunchbox' experience. The participant experiences the feeling of shopping in an old market by using Yeopjeon (brass coins) to purchase food, and enjoys the market's atmosphere while sharing stories of the days when they used to carry lunchboxes to school.

After finishing the market tour, the independent bookstore 'Sachonui Chaekbang', where one can pause and share stories, marks the end of the course. This is a space where books from different eras are gathered, and a place where one can share their own books and stories over a cup of tea. Parents can introduce books they read in their youth to their children, or they can look through books the children like together, forming a sense of empathy between generations. This Jongno retro travel becomes a special time that connects the parents' past with the children's present.