A Scenery Erased from Memory

Seoul has grown rapidly over the past 100 years. Being pressured to improve continuously, South Koreans have never really had the chance to reflect upon the 20th century, with many historical buildings that could help them come to terms with the past erased, due to their connections to the pain and disgrace experienced during Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), the division of the country and the years of military dictatorship (1961-1979). Highlighting the absence of 20th-century architecture in present-day Seoul, Goeun Park reconstructs the memories of the erased buildings, using the perspective of a designer to help restore a national identity.