Built from the time of the Chosun dynasty from 1392 to 1910, hanok are single-storey
houses made of wood and stone, featuring tiled roofs, wooden pillars, paper windows, a small
courtyard and floor heating.
They started disappearing in the 1970s and 1980s... but they are making a comeback.
More hanoks are being refurbished for modern living....
a unique blend of tradition and modern day convenience our News feature tonight with
Kim Jungsoo.
Korea's traditional houses, or hanok, have long been known for their grace and natural
beauty, but modern-day Koreans often see them more as tourist attractions than as places
to live.
The general perception is that hanok can't contain heat very well and are incompatible
with the technological advances now synonymous with modern life.
"For a long time, traditional Korean hanok couldn't compete with Western-style buildings
that were designed for economic efficiency.
But perceptions of hanok began changing in the early 2000s, when more Koreans started
to recognize the benefits of living in a nature-friendly environment.
Until seven or eight years ago, people simply renovated existing hanok, but since then,
there have been more attempts to build modernized hanok from the ground up."
Bae Yun-mok's house in Eunpyung-gu District's new hanok village is a good example.
On the outside, it looks no different from a traditional hanok - as if it has been frozen
in time - but once inside, one can tell the house has been carefully designed to accomodate
the owner's unique lifestyle and aesthetic tastes.
"My family and I lived in an apartment for more than 20 years, and I grew tired of feeling
hemmed-in every time I came back from work.
Having lived in this modernized hanok for more than a year, I can say that I made the
right decision."
While modernized hanok offer the same kind of psychological comfort as traditional ones,
some key differences are apparent at first glance.
For one thing, this hanok is two stories instead of one.
Experts say Joseon-era hanok rarely had more than one floor, as it was considered a sacrilege
to live in a place higher than the king's palace.
Plus, there was little need to worry about space.
"In the Joseon Dynasty, the population was smaller, so there was less pressure to be
frugal about land.
But now, it's necessary to make the most out of the available space.
What's more, there was no guarantee that heat could be transferred to the top floor, which
further discouraged two-story buildings."
That doesn't mean that modernized hanok have completely discarded what made traditional
hanok so special: When it's warm out, Mr. Bae and his family
-- his wife, his two sons and his mother -- simply go out to the madang, where they can commune
with nature and talk to one another.
But families aren't the only beneficiaries.
"The modern version comes in a variety of sizes, too, like this hanok in central Seoul
made for a single occupant."
Song Moon-sook, the owner of this "urban" hanok, which is about 30 square meters, says
that she was first struck by the beauty of hanok houses when she visited Seochon hanok
village on a rainy day some four years ago.
"I remember sitting in the madang of one hanok, and the sight and scent of nature had a particular
impact on me.
So I had the word hanok engraved in my memory when I started my journey to get a new home."
Song recalls that it was necessary to find an architect who could understand her desire
for a house that replicated a hanok's traditional beauty, while also satisfying her need for
modern conveniences.
"My client told me that she wanted the hanok to be designed around her comfort, and not
the other way around.
So it looks like an ordinary hanok on the outside, but inside it has a modern framework
for heating and security purposes.
It's conversations like these, between residents and architects, that are ushering in a new
generation of modern hanok equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
But perhaps more importantly, these new hanok are helping Koreans rediscover the meaning
of the "good life" -- one that is carefully attuned to nature and history.
Kim Jung-soo, Arirang News.