March 1st (3.1) marks a significant anniversary in the deep timeline of Korea’s history. Called ‘Korean Independence Movement Day’ in English and ‘Samil Jeol’ (3.1절 or 삼일절) in Korean, the day commemorates Korea’s move to independence from Japan’s colonial rule.
A brief summary of the Korean Indepence Movement history & the pivotal role Seodaemun Prison played in it
The Seodaemun Prison History Hall, epicenter of the some of the bravest actions in the March 1st Movement, is a historic site quite literally resonating with the echoes of Korea’s quest for independence. This is because the buildings are well known for an iconic moment where the cries of prisoners inside called for Korea to be freed from Japanese colonial rule. Built during the Japanese colonial era, this prison became a central part of the resistance movement.
Seodaemun Prison housed countless patriots, including Yu Gwan Sun (유관순 in Korean, also spelled as Yoo Kwan Sun in English), whose spirit reverberates through these walls. Yu Gwan Sun was and still is a symbol of bravery, who played a pivotal role in the March 1st Movement, advocating for Korea’s independence. She is one of the most famous Seodaemun Prison inmates, along with many others.
Every year on 삼일절, Koreans and history buffs from all over the word pay homage to the heroes who endured the confines of Seodaemun Prison. One of the ways that people do this is by visiting the Seodaemun Prison History Hall (also known as Seodaemun Prison History Museum – 서대문형무소역사관 in Korean) in Seoul.
How to get to the Seodaemun Prison History Hall
Seodaemun Prison History Hall address: 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울특별시 서대문구 통일로 251 in Korean)
If you want to take the bus, you can hop on either number 799 or 700 and get off at 독립문역•한성과학고 (which translates to Dongnimun Station • Hanseong Science High School).
Should you prefer to take the subway, you can take line 3 and get off at Dongnimun Station (독립문역 in Korean).
How much does it cost to visit Seodaemun Prison History Hall?
You can reserve tickets beforehand or buy tickets at the venue.
Typically, an adult ticket (ages 19 to 64) costs 3,000 KRW (about 2.25 USD). Children’s tickets cost 1,000 KRW (about 0.76 USD).
Currency conversions are as of March 6, 2024.*
You can get a discount for the following reasons:
- 50% off if you live in Seodaemun-gu.
- Free tickets if you are 65 years and older or handicapped.
- If you are a soldier in uniform.
- 20% off if you have a ticket for the Seodaemun Museum of Natural History.
However, there are special days when entry into the venue is free for everyone. For instance…
How To Spend Korea’s Independence Movement Day In Seoul
Korean Independence Movement Day is observed as a public holiday (a red day) in South Korea. This means you will have the day off to spend to your liking.
If you’re working as a teacher, in a non-teaching job, or are a student in Korea, you might find yourself wondering what to do on the public holiday. How about commemorating the day with the locals?
If you’re looking to work abroad in South Korea as an ESL English teacher, use this 15% DISCOUNT CODE to obtain your TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) certificate using this link. If you’re curious about what teaching in Korea entails, read up on the subject in this article.
If you head to Seodaemun Prison History Hall on March 1st every year, they tend to open up the museum for free. There are various exhibitions happening too, which you might have to pay for entrance to, however. So visiting the prison on this day makes for the best discount and adds more to the historical significance of your visit!
Seodaemun Prison History Hall Review
Now let’s get into what it was like visiting the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. We were a case that visited on March 1st, 2023. So, our entry into the museum was free.
As much of an exciting excursion as this makes, you can’t deny how humbly and earnest the entire experience is.
There’s already a solemn foreshadowing and reminder about the weight and significance of the Korean Independence Movement from the moment you get off the subway at Dongnimun Station. There are a number of informative boards including a display of the history of Korea’s flag, too.
There were A LOT of people at the museum – naturally, since entrance was free. We had to wait in line somewhere between 40 minutes and an hour to eventually get inside the history hall itself.
The prison has an aesthetic that you won’t have seen before in Seoul, it feels very much trapped in time and they probably put in a lot of effort to keep it that way.
Once you’re inside the history hall, it is filled with timelines, information boards about prison life, the stories and faces of historical figures and key players in the movement, displays of how the Japanese used to run the prison, an inmates remembrance hall, and much much more.
Side ramble: Looking outside the window, I had a brief thought wondering what the surroundings of the prison would’ve looked like back in time. Right now, the history hall feels like a time capsule nestled in the middle of Seoul’s modernity and towering apartment skyscapes. Naturally, considering the plight of the inmates who actually were in the prison at the time, this musing was brief.
One of the main halls that people go to see is this one lined with prison cells on either side. Each cell holds some kind of significance to the prisoner who stayed inside it, or is used to show artifacts left behind at the time (like watches, etc.).
If you’d like to see more of the inside of the prison and what it’s like when you go visit the exhibition, check out this Instagram reel.
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What do you think of the Seodaemun Prison History Hall? Would you add it to your Korea travel bucket list? Let us know in the comments!