Walking Along the Traces of Daewongak in Seongbuk-dong’s Gilsangsa

Background to Daewongak Becoming Gilsangsa on December 14, 1997

Gilsangsa is a branch temple of Songgwangsa Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, located at 68 Seonjam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. This site was originally home to Daewongak, an upscale entertainment establishment in Seongbuk-dong, and the temple began when its owner, Kim Yeong-han (Dharma name: Gilsanghwa), donated the land and more than 40 buildings to the Buddhist monk Beopjeong.

After declining Kim Yeong-han’s request for several years, Beopjeong registered the site as “Daebeopsa” in 1995 and opened it on December 14, 1997, as “Gilsangsa, the Root Temple of Clear and Fragrant Living.” Cardinal Kim Su-hwan gave a congratulatory address at the opening ceremony. Because of this background, Gilsangsa remains a downtown Seoul temple where the exchange among Buddhism, Catholicism, and Christianity can be explored.

A Small Valley Where the Gilsanghwa Merit Stele Meets Baek Seok’s Poetry

After passing through the iljumun gate, visitors will find a small valley and the “Gilsanghwa Donor Merit Stele.” The information panel introduces the origins of Gilsangsa, the relationship between Kim Yeong-han and the poet Baek Seok, and Baek Seok’s poem “Me, Natasha, and the White Donkey,” offering a glimpse into the connection between Daewongak, the temple’s predecessor, and literary history.

Kim Yeong-han was born in 1916 and died in 1999, and received the Dharma name “Gilsanghwa” from Beopjeong at Gilsangsa’s opening ceremony. The shrine and poetry stele behind the merit stele are easy for visitors focused only on the religious facilities to miss, so it is advisable to set aside an additional 5–10 minutes before walking directly uphill from the entrance to Geungnakjeon Hall.

Geungnakjeon Hall Without Dancheong and a Gwanseum Bosal Statue Symbolizing Religious Harmony

Gilsangsa’s main worship hall, Geungnakjeon, is a hall converted from a restaurant building for use as a temple space. Seoul city materials describe the building’s lack of dancheong, the colorful traditional decorative painting commonly seen at Korean temples, as one of its notable features, showing that traces of Daewongak-era architecture remain in the temple’s present appearance.

The Gwanseum Bosal statue on the grounds was created by the Catholic sculptor Choi Jong-tae, while the Gilsangsa Seven-Story Pagoda was donated by Baek Seong-hak, a Christian. Therefore, viewing Geungnakjeon, the Gwanseum Bosal statue, and the seven-story pagoda along one route makes it possible to read in the physical space the message of religious harmony emphasized from the temple’s opening in 1997.

Photography and Visiting Etiquette to Follow at Jinyeonggak

Jinyeonggak houses Beopjeong’s portrait, will, handwritten manuscripts, and personal belongings. According to Seoul’s visitor information, indoor photography is not permitted, so visitors should photograph only the entrance and exterior scenery and put away their cameras and mobile phones inside the hall.

Beopjeong served as the resident head monk of Gilsangsa from 1997 to 2003 and passed away at Gilsangsa’s Haengjisil in 2010. Small stone pagodas placed by visitors can be seen around the wall of Jinyeonggak, but it is best to avoid damaging existing stone pagodas or piling new stones along the passageway.

One Minute from the Gilsangsa Stop on Seongbuk 02; Transfer at Hansung University Station

If using only the subway, the walk from Hansung University Station on Line 4 to Gilsangsa is indicated as taking about 30 minutes. To reduce the uphill walk and the streets through Seongbuk-dong’s residential area, a practical option is to take the Seongbuk 02 village bus near Hansung University Station, get off at the Gilsangsa stop, and walk for about one minute.

Buses 1111, 1112, and 2112 stop at the Seongbuk District Art Museum–Ssangdariap stop, from which it is about a 15-minute walk. Seoul’s Hanyangdoseong information materials also present an alternative: take the Seongbuk 03 bus from Exit 6 of Hansung University Station, get off in front of Yang’s Store, and walk for five minutes.

• Address: 68 Seonjam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
• Bus: Get off at the Seongbuk 02 “Gilsangsa” stop, then walk about 1 minute
• Alternative buses: Get off 1111, 1112, or 2112 at the “Seongbuk District Art Museum–Ssangdariap” stop, then walk about 15 minutes
• Parking within the grounds may be crowded on weekends, so public transportation is recommended.

The Grounds Are Open Free of Charge for 60–90 Minutes; Programs Require Separate Reservations

The grounds of Gilsangsa are listed as open year-round, and admission is free. The contact telephone number is 02-3672-5945, and the official website is https://kilsangsa.info/home/default_in.asp. Since access to some areas may vary depending on services, ceremonies, and temple circumstances, it is safest to check the notices on the day of your visit.

Allow 60–90 minutes to see the merit stele, Jinyeonggak, Geungnakjeon, the Gwanseum Bosal statue, Beomjonggak, and the Gilsangsa Seven-Story Pagoda. A Sunday Dharma assembly is held once a month at 11 a.m., with the date announced on the website. The temple stay generally consists of a one-night, two-day program held on the third or fourth weekend of each month, while the 2–4-hour temple-life and meditation programs require separate applications and participation fees.

How to Combine Autumn Foliage with a Literary Walk through Seongbuk-dong

Accounts of visits to Seongbuk repeatedly mention visiting Gilsangsa during the foliage season, and Seoul city materials also introduce the combination of the Geungnakjeon roof and autumn trees as a feature of Gilsangsa. If autumn foliage is your main purpose, choosing early morning or the period before sunset and walking in the order of the area around the merit stele, the front of Geungnakjeon, and the seven-story pagoda makes it easier to separate the photography and sightseeing routes.

After visiting the temple, you can descend toward the Seongbuk District Art Museum–Ssangdariap stop and continue to Seongbuk-dong’s literary and modern cultural spaces. Since Gilsangsa is a place connected with the stories of Kim Yeong-han and Baek Seok, you can understand the cultural history of the Seongbuk-dong neighborhood more concretely by including the explanations on the merit stele and the poetry stele rather than simply viewing the temple architecture and leaving.