Experience Incheon's Colorful Past at These Great Locations

In the port city of Incheon, the past and present coexist in a fascinating way. It has the ultra-modern Songdo and the shopper's paradise Bupyeong, while its eastern and central districts are dotted with reminders of the past. Here are some places where people can discover the city's vibrant history.

◆ Sudoguksan Museum of Housing and Living

People started living in the hillside area of Mt. Sudoguk when refugees settled there after the 1950-53 Korean War. Now, the shantytown has been replaced by apartment complexes and a park. A visit to Sudoguksan Museum of Housing and Living takes visitors back to those times of hardship.

The museum recreates history with models of old streets lined with a barbershop and a charcoal briquette store. It also gives visitors a taste of the past with programs that involve activities such as carrying buckets of water on a yoke. At a photo studio on the second floor visitors can try on old school uniforms and pose for a photo.

◆ Cold Noodles

Walking downhill from the Sudoguksan museum, visitors reach a street in Hwapyeong-dong, right next to a railway connecting East Incheon Station to Incheon Station. The street is lined with restaurants serving surprisingly generous portions of naengmyeon, or cold noodles at shockingly low prices.

In fact, their bowls are three times larger than those used in other noodle restaurants. In the past, the area was home to many factories and thus the bowls grew larger to cater to the hungry workers.

Cold noodles sell for W3,000-5,000 and are particularly popular in summer due to their refreshing taste. 

◆ Freedom Park

Freedom Park, built in 1888 in the city's central district, has served as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The nation's first Western-style park features various sculptures including a statue honoring General Douglas MacArthur who led the amphibious Incheon Landing during the Korean War. It is also an ideal place for family outings as the park features a variety of wildlife.

At the top of the park, a panoramic view of the Incheon Port, Wolmi Island and the sea provides a romantic ambiance, especially at night.