A house with 100 years of history

Description

Ohchoryang, whose name combines the exclamation “Oh!” with “Choryang” (meaning a path in the grass), is a Japanese-style wooden house built in 1925 by the Japanese architect Tanaka Hideyoshi. At that time, the only Japanese houses in the area were the Chosen Government Railway Civil Engineers’ Waiting Room and Ohchoryang, while the surrounding area was a Korean village. After liberation, the Korean entrepreneur and founder of Taechang Enterprise became the new owner and incorporated Korean cultural elements into the typical ‘Japanese enemy house’, creating a space that blends the history of modern housing and living. In 2007, the building was designated as Registered Cultural Property No. 349. Today, it is managed by the Ilmac Foundation, a subsidiary of Taechang Enterprise, and has been transformed into a multicultural space that hosts various exhibitions. As an ‘enemy house’ that once belonged to a Japanese owner during Japanese colonial rule, Ohchoryang is an important property for researching the history of Japanese-style housing and living. However, it is also worth visiting as a cultural heritage site and complex cultural space in Busan. Thanks to the careful branding of cultural program manager Choi Sung-woo, the management of the Ilmac Foundation, and the visitors, it is becoming a place that is writing another chapter in its history. The transformation by the Korean people's interpretation into a space with a new meaning beyond its past as an enemy-occupied house leaves a unique impression on visitors. Respecting its identity as a 'private home', the house has been open to a limited number of guests by appointment since last year. The 100-year-old house and its various exhibits instantly transport visitors back to 1925, and it is enjoyable to find all sorts of ornaments throughout the house that would have been considered extravagant back then. The maze of corridors is a delight to navigate, with new rooms to discover, and the luxury of sipping hot tea while looking out over the gardens, which resemble a miniature forest, should not be missed. In addition to Ohchoryang, Choryang is also home to ‘Choryang 1941’ and ‘Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong,’ which are also former enemy houses. There is also the Brown Hands Baekje Café, a modern building designated as Registered Cultural Property No. 647, making the neighborhood well worth a visit if you are exploring the area around Busan Station. Visits are 100% appointment-based. • Visit appointment: 30 minute-tour with a docent, free of charge • Exhibition appointment: 1 hour 30 minutes / Exhibition + tea basket + postcard + refreshments / Chargeable For booking, please contact us via email at ilmaclove@gmail.com.