A steep stairway of 108 stone steps winds up and down through one of Seoul's relatively older neighborhoods: Huam-dong in Yongsan-gu.

Ambitiously named the 108 Heaven Stairway, the staircase serves as a direct route for residents and visitors traveling up and down the steep slope between the lower and the upper villages.

Yet, some stairway users are unaware of the historical significance beneath their feet.

A video captured from the inclined elevator descending the center of the 108 Stairway in Huam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (No Kyung-min/The Korea Herald)
A video captured from the inclined elevator descending the center of the 108 Stairway in Huam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (No Kyung-min/The Korea Herald)

In fact, the origin of the stairs is associated with anguish for Koreans, tracing back to the Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) of the Korean Peninsula. It was originally constructed in 1943 as a path to the now-defunct Gyeongseong Patriots' Shrine near the Japanese military base in Yongsan, where Japanese officials and settlers honored fallen soldiers, their patriots and heroes.

An inclined elevator was installed in the middle of the stairs in 2018. (No Kyung-min/The Korea Herald)
An inclined elevator was installed in the middle of the stairs in 2018. (No Kyung-min/The Korea Herald)

Following the defeat of Japan in 1945, Korea‘s liberation and the dismantling of the shrine, the stairs remained in use for practical reasons, as an influx of Koreans returning from overseas and from north of the 38th parallel settled and built homes in the area.

Before 2018, when the Yongsan-gu Office installed an inclined elevator in the middle of the stairs, both the young and the elderly climbed up and down the stairs daily to catch buses, buy groceries and run other errands.

Today, the elevator offers a smooth ride and air-conditioning, on top of the comfort of easing tired legs. It moves slowly, allowing for more than a cursory glance at the neighborhood, where intricate details are tucked away in the meandering alleys.

In recent years, trendy establishments have emerged in parts of the neighborhood, with young entrepreneurs opening shops in its nooks and crannies, while the influence of older businesses still dominates.

A view from the upper village at the top of the 108 steps
A view from the upper village at the top of the 108 steps

Fairly equal in attractiveness to the lower village but offering commanding panoramic views, a strong example of this transformation is Haebangchon, the upper village, where many refugees from the north following liberation, North Korea’s establishment in 1948 and the Korean War resettled between Yongsan 2-dong and Huam-dong at the foot of Namsan.

These days, a mixture of hip cafes and restaurants, interspersed with older neighborhood shops and community spaces, dot the streets ascending the steep hillside, offering intermittent views of the contemporary cityscape from the village‘s historic vantage points.

This unique yet harmonious blend, coupled with Haebangchon’s multicultural population and proximity to Itaewon, long home to both Korean and foreign national residents, has made this area a popular visitor spot.

To assist those unfamiliar with this labyrinth-like neighborhood, a "Culture Trace Journey" map is set up near the elevator. It recommends routes for exploring three aspects of the neighborhood: historical, village and multicultural.