• Journal of architectural history
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.65-76
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• 2019

Modern Joseon Architecture is North Korea's unique building style that interprets Korean traditional architecture in a modern way, and its most distinctive design feature is the Paljak roof that decorates the upper part of the buildings. This paper argues that continuous attempts at characterizing the nature of traditional Korean architecture in the late 1950s and early 1960s developed the theoretical rationale for the exclusive use of the Paljak roof in Modern Joseon Architecture. It also argues that the construction of the Pyongyang Grand Theater and the Okryu Restaurant during this period became a decisive moment for the formalization of the Paljak roof. The double roof rafters and gables and the "cheerful yet solemn" roofline were considered as main characteristic features of the Korean roof and the Paljak roof perfectly fits this description. Particularly, in North Korean society where Kim Il Sung became idolized as an impersonalized deity, an anecdote in which Kim Il Sung fixed a prominent gabled roof in the Pyongyang Grand Theater into a Paljak roof has allowed for the roof to gain an exclusive status. Hence, almost all Modern Joseon Architecture since the 1960s accepted the Paljak roof's monopoly position, rather than experimenting with other traditional roof types.

• Korean Architects
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• s.528
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• pp.80-84
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• 2013

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.119-130
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• 2018

In the late 1950s, departing from their unquestioning following of Soviet architecture, North Koreans attempted to discover the specificities of traditional Korean architecture and apply them to their contemporary monuments. This paper examines the ways in which North Korean architects developed their unique version of Socialist realism in the making of Pyongyang Grand Theater. The traditional elements in harmony with North Korea's political ideology-an early form of Juche ideology-and modern building technologies were to be viewed as contemporary elements, and not as a simple revival of the past. This study applies Socialist realism's compositional principle "national in form and socialist in content" to Pyongyang Grand Theater and examines specifically what "socialist content" and "national form" were and how the two were combined in the construction of Pyongyang Grand Theater. By situating the building in the context of localization of Socialist realism which is universal art principle of the communist world, this study contributes to the deeper and wider understanding of North Korea's Modern Joseon Architecture.

• Korean Architects
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• s.525
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• pp.72-77
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• 2013

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.541-547
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• 2014

Busan was known firstly to the western world in the end of 18th century. When the Joseon opened a port under the western powers in the late 19th century, Busan was an important port. The increasing number of international ship exchange had magnified the harbor facility and the importance of lighthouses of Busan port. Busan maritime customs officer were in charge of installation and management of lighthouses. The operations of maritime customs became historical origin of Joseon changing from feudal society to modern nation. The majority of the documents from maritime customs was disappeared. So it was hard to know the exact history. But investigating documents and papers of Joseon, even media records will enable us to establish the objective fact relations. Moreover, published and translated data from the past make it possible such investigations. As a result, modern lighthouse of Busan harbor in the late Joseon after opening port was could be found. It could be offered to establishing the Korean modern history as the objective data.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.49-62
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• 2023

This research aims to investigate Park Kilyong's architectural theory and critique of Gyeongseong (Seoul) buildings, expressed in his 'Overview of Modern Buildings in Gyeongseong' and 'Critique of Gyeongseong Buildings' (Samcheolli, Sept. and Oct. 1935); and 'Architectural Form of the 100% Function' and 'The Modern and Architecture (1)-(4)' (Dong-A Daily, 28 Jul. to 1 Aug. 1936). As a result, it is confirmed that Park had the functionalist theory of modern architecture, which suggests that Korean architects of the Japanese colonial period were accommodating the contemporary trend of world architecture. However, Park shows his fundamental limitations in the fact that the main content of his articles was a verbatim translation of two Japanese references (Kurata, 1927; Ishihara, 1929) without proper indications. Despite the limitations, his texts are still meaningful since he formed his own architectural theory on the basis of what he translated; and indeed his critique of Gyeongseong buildings, however simple, was based on the theory. This research makes a critical analysis of Park's functionalist theory from both the 1930s' and present points of view and compares his commentaries on Gyeongseong architecture with those by Ko Yu-seop (1932) and Hong Yunsick (1937), illustrating how Korea perceived architecture and modernism in 1930s.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.267-273
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• 2015

This study is a review on the relationship between furniture purchasers and producers in the Joseon period. Understanding the relationships in our traditional spirit and the Joseon furniture that reflects a aesthetic sense is a meaningful work. Joseon was to build an ideal country which put emphasis on the order and harmony through Theory of 'Yeak' as the confucianism nation. Human aesthetics, which emphasis on the spiritual value by confirmity to nature and forcus on the relaxed, deficient personality rather than completeness was established as the central formative consciousness of the Joseon Dynasty. The nature of things in the confucian scholar prior to the representations of things is expressed in the form of master craftsman's skill and soul. Formative consciousness of the confucian scholar is to realize ideals by communciation and interchange with master craftsman's soul in the form of the Joseon furniture. The beauty of restraint and brevity in the Joseon Dynasty furniture includes meanings and procedures of art work. It implies an orderer's purpose of production and a producer's products. Understanding the spirit of times in the production becomes the cornerstone capable of getting closer to the furniture ultimate proper function. These problems have a very close relationship with the problems of modern people's commnuication. We expect an even higher growth of the furniture by achieving more improved communication based on the consumer's great insight and the producer's passion.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.7-25
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• 2006

This research examines symbolic meanings of architectural style of Japanese ruling era of Korea through analysis of Expo buildings. Expo buidings of Joseon Product Evaluation Expo(1915), Joseon Expo(1929), and Joseon Grand Expo(1940) are chosen as subjects of this research. Expos held in Korea since 1945 were creatures of colonial reign and their objectives are advertising the advancement of Japan. New and latest architectural styles of Western countries were used as a symbol of advancement in non-western countries. Renaissance style and Secession style in Joseon Product Evaluation Expo and Modernism style in Joseon Expo were introduced as architectural styles that symbolize advancement. On the contrary, the traditional architectural style of Joseon Dynasty was distorted as symbol of backwardness. Latest Western Architectural Styles were used elaborately and Intentionally to symbolize advancement and industrialization by Japanese ruling power and companies. Specially, Modernism style operating as 'symbol of advancement' is characteristic of non-western society in attempt to proceed Modernization through Westernization. Also, it can be suggested that architectures in Modernism style are used in ways to symbolize the advancement of the colonial reign authorities within the colonial society.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2011

Existing research for store has been localized in that of Seoul area, and research for the Japanese style store built under the rule of Japanese Imperialism has not been done properly owing to national sentiment. This research established Naju that inland pillage is available along Yeongsan River after opening of Mokpo harbor. I will compare modernization developmental process of building of Korean style store with that of Japanese Style store, so obviously try to make clear the activities of modernization by linking social and economical change with Joseon merchants' life. I will try to light up the position of korean style store in Naju area in history of architecture by analyzing two styles of stores into urban architectural element, putting process of change in order and translating it according to flow of age. The development process of Korean restaurant stores and that of Japanese counterparts are rather relative. Whereas Japanese accumulated wealth through oppression and exploitation of the people of Joseon the former dynasty of present day Korea, the people of Joseon could not but be oppressed and depressed. On the other hand, while the dynamic liberation movements of Joseon merchants managed to develop based on the vitality that was growing ever more, Japanese chose to back down to some degree by exercising appeasing policy. The efforts to take initiative by shattering off the submissive attitude can be found from the ability fostering movement, Gwangju students campaign and new construction or remodeling of hanok the traditional Korean house as commercial building in the 1920s. The changing phase of the people breaking away from subjugated relation to subjective attitude can be found in the commercial districts.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.33-52
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• 2022

The History and Culture Park and the Lee Kun-hee Donation Hall will be built in Songhyeon-dong, Seoul. Political games from the Joseon Dynasty to the present greatly influenced the historicity of Songhyeon-dong. However, place analysis was limited to changes in landowners and land uses rather than a historical context. Therefore, this study analyzed the context in which the placeness of Songhyeon-dong changed according to the emergence of cultural hegemony using the perspective of modern cultural geography and comparative history. As a result of the analysis, cultural hegemony in historical transitions, such as Sinocentrism, maritime expansion, civil revolutions, imperialism, nationalism, popular art, and neoliberalism, was found to have created new intellectuals in Bukchon, including Songhyeon-dong, and influenced social systems and spatial policies. In this social relations, the placeness of Songhyeon-dong changed as follows. First, the founding forces of Joseon created pine forests as Bibo Forests to invocate the permanence of the dynasty. In the late Joseon dynasty, it was an era of maritime expansion, and as Joseon's yeonhaeng increased, a garden for the Gyeonghwasejok, who enjoyed the culture of the Qing dynasty, was built. Although pine forests and gardens disappeared due to the development of housing complexes as the population soared during the Japanese colonial era, Cha Gyeong's landscape aesthetics, which harmonized artificial gardens and external nature, are worth reinterpreting in modern times. Second, the wave of modernization created a new school in Bukchon and a boarding house in Songhyeon-dong owned by a pro-Japanese faction. Angukdongcheon-gil, next to Songhyeon-dong, was where thinkers who promoted civil revolution and national self-determination exchanged ideas. Songhyeon-dong, the largest boarding house, served as a residence for students to participate in the March 1st Movement and was the cradle of the resulting culture of student movements. The appearance of the old road is preserved, so it is a significant part of the regeneration of walking in the historic city center, connecting Gwanghwamun-Bukchon-Insadong -Donhwamunro. Third, from the cultural rule of the Government General of Joseon to the Military Government, Songhyeon-dong acted as a passage to western culture with the Joseon Siksan Bank's cultural housing and staff accommodations at the U.S. Embassy. Ancient and contemporary art coexisted in the surrounding area, so the modern and contemporary art market was formed. The Lee Kun-hee Donation Hall is expected to form a cultural belt for citizens with the gallery, Bukchon Hanok Village, the Craft Museum, and the Modern Museum of Art. Discourses and challenges are needed to recreate the place in harmony with the forests, gardens, the street of citizens' birth, history and culture park, the art museum, and the surrounding walking network.