Seodaemun Prison History Hall Audio Guide & Tour — Things to Do in Seoul, Korea

About

Seodaemun Prison History Hall is a historic site where numerous independence activists suffered imprisonment and were sacrificed during the Ilje colonial period. Since opening as Gyeongseong Prison in 1908, it was used as a representative oppressive institution of Ilje, and even after liberation, it is preserved as a historic site holding the suffering of modern and contemporary history. Inside the history hall, the Security Office building, prison cells, and outdoor exhibition spaces of that time remain as they were, allowing you to confirm the inhumane reality of Ilje and deeply feel the noble spirit of sacrifice of the independence activists.

Stories you can hear here

11 stories · about 11 min

IntroThe Wailing Poplar and the Red Brick39 sec
SpotSecurity Division Building_Built in 192339 sec
SpotCentral Cellblock_1920s47 sec
SpotFemale Prison (Former Yu Gwan-sun Underground Prison)_Built in 1918 (Restored in 2013)52 sec
SpotUnderground Torture Room_Japanese Colonial Period59 sec

Show 6 more

SpotExecution House_Built in 1923 (Historic Site No. 324)about 2 min
SpotInmate Record Cards of Independence Activists_Japanese Colonial Periodabout 1 min
SpotCellblock No. 11_1920sabout 1 min
SpotCellblock No. 12_Japanese Colonial Periodabout 1 min
SpotPoplar Tree of Sadness_Planted in 1923about 1 min
SpotStanding Cell_Japanese Colonial Periodabout 1 min

Preview

What story is hidden in the poplar tree in front of the execution building, behind these high red brick walls? It is known as the Wailing Poplar, as it is said that independence activists held onto it and wept on their final walk. You will also see the Meokbang, a solitary cell without a single ray of light, and the cold prison blocks built for easy surveillance. Walk through the grounds and follow the silenced stories of the past hidden behind these walls.

This guide introduces the main exhibits here one by one. Play the audio in front of the exhibits you want to see.

Keep listening in the app — stories play automatically by GPS as you get close.Keep listening in the app

Visitor info

Address: 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Hours: Summer (March-October) 09:30-18:00, Winter (November-February) 09:30-17:00 (Admission closes 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Every Monday (if it is a public holiday, closed the next day), January 1st, the day of Seollal and Chuseok
Admission: Adults (General) 3,000 won, Youths 1,500 won, Children 1,000 won (Free for children aged 6 and under, seniors aged 65 and over, persons with disabilities, persons of national merit, soldiers, etc.)