On the Street Where I Stayed in Seoul, South Korea, Seoul, South Korea (B)

Shopping is a favourite pastime in South Korea which soon became evident when I first walked down the street where my hotel, Summit Hotel, was based when I visit Seoul. This hotel is on Jangchungdan-ro right in the middle of the Dongdaemun Shopping Area. This area is famous for its non-stop shopping as the shops are open from ten in the morning to five the next morning. The multi-storey shops include wholesale warehouses where every kind of product can be purchased. Soon after arriving I decided to explore my ultra-modern environment and was pleased to discover that the back streets adjoining the express way featured traditional one-storey Korean buildings.

Not far from my hotel was a Presbyterian Church of such an unusual design that it is considered one of the most unusual buildings in Seoul. Kyungdong Presbyterian Churchwas designed by Korea’s famous architect Swoo Geun Kim in 1981. The entrance is at the back of the building at the top of a staircase leading out of a small open-air courtyard where musical performances are held. This church has no windows as such, just a skylight throwing light on the cross below. The interior features exposed concrete whereas the exterior is constructed from bricks now covered in ivy. Lunchtime concerts are held here every Thursday. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).