Red bamboo by artist Choi O-young at the entrance of Youngwol Y-Park. [Photo = Reporter Im Yo-hee]

How far beyond 'common sense' must one go to reach 'art'? Perhaps just half a step is enough. Youngwol Y-Park in Jucheon-myeon, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do, is a complex art space born from the remodeling of the abandoned Sulsem Museum. 

Jucheon-myeon is the first land in Yeongwol reached by the young King Danjong during his exile. Danjong arrived in Jucheon (酒泉) in five days by following the Namhan River route from Hangang Ferry. The name Jucheon was given because there was once a "spring where alcohol flowed." 

Youngwol's Hot Place: Youngwol Y-Park

There is a legend passed down in Jucheon. It is said that medicinal liquor flowed from this spring for nobles, while cloudy liquor (takju) flowed for commoners. One day, a commoner dressed up as a noble and went to the spring, expecting medicinal liquor. However, cloudy liquor flowed instead. In a fit of anger, he destroyed the spring, and it is said that water began to flow instead of liquor from that point on.

Golden Fish by artist Kim Kyung-hwan in the Red Pavilion 2 of Youngwol Y-Park. [Photo = Reporter Im Yo-hee] Yeongwol-gun built the Sulsem Museum here, inspired by the name Jucheon. Despite a massive budget of 17 billion won, the museum failed to show a differentiated charm and, due to poor accessibility, ended up a miserable failure. 

Amidst criticism of being a typical example of "wasteful exhibition administration," the Sulsem Museum ceased operations, and Yeongwol-gun tried to revive the space by bringing in private operators. The saviors who stepped in were CEO Park Shin-jung, operator of Haslla Art World in Gangneung, and land artist and spatial planner Choi O-young. 

The couple completely remodeled the existing Sulsem Museum and reborn it in 2019 as the complex cultural space 'Youngwol Y-Park.' 'Youngwol' is a name that combines 'Young' and 'Moon' (Dal), offering a fresh interpretation of Yeongwol. By planning just half a step ahead of the 'Sulsem Museum,' they successfully created the biggest hot place in Yeongwol.

Jupiter Resting in a Red Bamboo Forest

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a red bamboo forest. It is an upcycled piece by artist Choi O-young, created by recycling what is commonly known as "scaffolding pipes" used for construction.

Inside Jupiter, an outdoor exhibit by artist Choi O-young at Youngwol Y-Park. [Photo = Reporter Im Yo-hee]

Artist Choi O-young stated, "In the process of finding a connection between the black bamboo (ojuk) of Gangneung, Gangwon-do, and Jucheon in Yeongwol, I used red, which is the most contrasting color to nature's green."

Jupiter is a massive installation art piece made by weaving wood into a dome shape, designed to allow visitors to view the sky through a round hole in the ceiling. While creating this piece—which resembles an overturned basket woven from Gangwon-do pine logs—artist Choi O-young remarked, "This is a place where the universe meets nature. I designed it so that light and energy can enter through a crater of life."

The Red Pavilion & The Path of Wind is a maze space made of red metal pipes, making it a great place to walk while feeling the natural light and the nature of Yeongwol through the pipes. In addition, there are contemporary art galleries categorized by zone, utilizing mirrors, lighting, and flower art, which are perfect for taking photos.

Cafe Dal is an exhibition and experience space that blends Haslla coffee, which has been roasted since 1999, with antique furniture, coffee cups collected from various countries, and installation art by Choi O-young. 

The red counter was completed by applying hemp cloth to plywood and then applying red lacquer, and it is a place where you can feel the spatial design sensibility of artist Choi O-young, who sublimated scrap wood into installation art installed on the ceiling. 

Outside the cafe window, the red bamboo and the cozy pavilion Cheongheoru (淸虛樓) sit like a picture. 'Cheongheo' means "leaning on clarity and lack of greed," which contrasts with the Bingheoru (憑虛樓) at the top of the nearby Mangsan Mountain.

Cheongheoru, which collapsed during the Japanese colonial era, was rebuilt in 1930 through donations from residents, burned down during the Korean War, and was rebuilt as a two-story structure in 1986. To our eyes, accustomed to red pillars, the white pillars of Cheongheoru feel refreshing. 

Contemporary Art Exhibition Opening on the 24th

From the 24th to September 6th, Youngwol Y-Park will host the exhibition 'Heukmyeolbaekheung (黑滅白興), Thought of a Thousand Years.' This contemporary art exhibition, organized as a storytelling project to "find regional identity," is based on a legend where the Silla-era Daeguktong (National Preceptor) Jajang Yulsa prophesied "Heukmyeolbaekheung (If the black perishes, peace and prosperity will flourish)" when founding Jeongamsa Temple in Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do. 

Artist Hwang Ju-ri (below) in the Garden of Flowers. Above is an objet work by artist Hwang. [Photo = Reporter Im Yo-hee]

Meanwhile, Youngwol Y-Park has been selected as a 'Star of Korea Tourism' by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization. For the summer vacation season, it is recommended to visit as part of a healing vacation course alongside nearby historical and cultural tourist spots such as Cheongryeongpo, Seondol, Jangneung, and the Donggang River.

Yeongwol = Reporter Im Yo-hee