A multipurpose ‘mansion’

Call it what you will: A historic landmark or a run-down eyesore.

Despite its weathered exterior, Yujin Mansion, also known as Yujin Sangga, was once the embodiment of modern, high-end living.

With the term “mansion” implying a high standard of living at the time, the building houses larger-than-typical units for the era, ranging from 109 to 221 square meters each.

Built in 1970 in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, it was one of the country‘s earliest mixed-use apartment complexes, designed to serve both residential and commercial purposes.

Originally, the five-story complex consisted of two residential wings facing each other with a long courtyard in between. Wing A originally had 91 units, while wing B had 94. The ground floor of the building is the commercial section or “sangga,” occupied by grocery, clothing and electronics stores.

In 1994, the fourth and fifth floors of wing B were demolished to make way for an expressway overpass. The remaining portion of wing B now houses community centers while wing A continues to be home to 91 households from the second to fifth floors.

This half-century-old structure has a long, low profile, spanning 220 meters in length and 44 meters in width, setting it apart from contemporary high-rise buildings.

Yet, besides its residential and commercial functions, one can also see how the building’s design was intertwined with the national defense concerns of the era.

Strategically located on the outskirts of the capital, the complex, with its thick concrete walls and ground-floor columns designed to accommodate military tanks, was designed to be used as a massive barricade in the event of a North Korean invasion.

It was alleged that the buildings acted as a giant military defense barrier: If the columns were detonated — intentionally by the South Korean military — the structure would collapse, blocking North Korean troops from moving further into the city and toward the then-presidential office and residence, Cheong Wa Dae.

In 2019, Yujin Mansion, which was built over a 250-meter stretch of the Hongje Stream, opened an underground section that had been sealed off for 50 years. The space was transformed into an art exhibition as part of the Seoul Urban Art Project, featuring media art installations that reinterpret the area's history.

Over the years, various attempts to tear down the building and others in the surrounding area have not come to fruition.

But with a new plan introduced in late 2023, Yujin Mansion is approaching a pivotal moment. While redevelopment is moving forward — with designs to be chosen through public competitions — it remains unclear whether the building will be demolished or preserved in some form.