Kim Woo-young Column 'Climbing Namhansanseong, Looking Toward Ihwamun Gate'

'Climbing Namhansanseong, Looking Toward Ihwamun/See how the lark takes flight, a soaring hawk of the Eastern seas/The sunset stretches as gulls cry, and graceful willow branches sway/Orioles pair up moving to this mountain, chirping sweetly/Um um eoheo-ya eoheo-ya diyeo dung-ga/Eoheo dung-ga-dung-ga my beloved'

This is "Namhansanseong" recorded in "Collection of Korean Folk Songs (New Folk Songs)" by Seong Chang-soon, a master singer who passed away in 2017 and was designated as Intangible Cultural Property No. 5 for the pansori narrative "Simcheong-ga". To the general public, the song is better known through singer Kim Se-rena than through Master Seong Chang-soon's voice.

Some have raised the argument that it is not "Namhansanseong" but rather "Namwon Sanseong" as a Jeolla folk song.

"Namwon Sanseong" refers to Gyoryongsan Fortress in Namwon City, and Ihwamun (梨花門) means the gate of Namwon Sanseong, they argue. Additionally, the refrain "dung-ga" in this song is said to belong to a southern folk tune called "Dung-ga Taryeong," which seems reasonable.

I was curious about where exactly "Ihwamun" in this song lyrics is located and tried to find it, but there were no gates with such names in either Namhansanseong or Namwon Sanseong. There is Gihwamun (in Namwon Sanseong) and Jihwamun (in Namhansanseong), but not Ihwamun.

Yet what does it matter?

I may not have visited "Namwon Sanseong (Gyoryongsan Fortress)," but whenever I walk along "Namhansanseong," the song "Climbing Namhansanseong, looking toward Ihwamun..." naturally flows from my lips.

In any case, this visit to Namhansanseong came about through my accompanying the "Project to Seek Out Figures and Cultural Heritage that Illuminated Gyeonggi Province" organized by the Hwaseong Research Society (Chairman Choi Ho-un).

It is part of the 2026 Gyeonggi Province Cultural Heritage Utilization Project.

Starting with Namyangju City on June 20th (astronomers, scientists, and practical scholars who illuminated Joseon), followed by Paju City on the 27th (renowned statesmen and upright officials), we visited Gwangju City on July 4th (construction of Namhansanseong).

Ahead remain visits to Yeoju City on August 29th (virtuous monarchs and eminent monks), Suwon City on September 5th (meritorious contributors to the construction of Hwaseong Fortress), and Yongin City on October 24th (loyal officials of Goryeo and ministers of King Jeongjo).

I was unable to participate in the exploration program conducted in June. Family circumstances arose, including the passing of my daughter's father-in-law.

Like Hwaseong Fortress, Namhansanseong is a truly charming fortress. Having visited it five or six times so far, it presents different feelings by season. My preferred times to visit are winter with fallen snow first, and then autumn with magnificent colors. Of course, spring and summer brimming with fresh verdure are also wonderful.

Walking slowly on a rainy summer day, listening to the patter of rain and gazing at the mist, gives a mysterious feeling.

However, after watching "Namhansanseong," the film adaptation of Kim Hun's original novel, that place was no longer beautiful and mysterious to me. Of course, I was aware that Namhansanseong was a battleground of the Byeongja Rebellion and, before experiencing the humiliation at Samjeong, it was a historic place where desperate resistance continued amid cold and hunger.

Yet the thrill I felt watching the film changed my previously somewhat romantic perception of it.

The field study began as I recalled several scenes from the film "Namhansanseong."

Our instructor was Shim Yun-ah, a member of the Hwaseong Research Society. Ms. Shim is a current teacher who gets along well with fellow members in a friendly manner and is a popular figure.

"I was so worried I couldn't sleep last night."

Yet contrary to her self-deprecation, she had apparently studied extensively before the exploration and delivered the information in an engaging manner, earning enthusiastic applause.

Today's field study course included Namhansanseong and the birthplace of Master Haegong Shin Ik-hee.

Namhansanseong is the only fortress among over 1,200 Korean fortresses that has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Namhansanseong sits on Namhan Mountain, facing Bukhansan Mountain to the north of Seoul across the Han River. It was the southern fortress that protected the capital along with Bukhan Fortress.

According to records in the "History of Goryeo" and "Geography Section of the Sejong실록," King Onjo founded Baekje and established his capital at Wiryeseong, then moved his capital to Namhansanseong in 6 BCE (Year 13 of King Onjo's reign). However, "Namhan-ji" denies this, stating that the capital Onjo established at that time was Gwangju-goeup (廣州古邑), now Iseong Fortress (二聖山城) beneath Geumdan Mountain.

The "Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam" records that Gwangju's Iljangsanseong Fortress was newly built as Jusangsanseong Fortress in 672 CE (Year 12 of King Munmu of Silla). This fortress is Namhansanseong.

The footsteps of exploration participants proceeded through Chimgoejae, Sueojangdae and Cheongryangdang, the West Gate, the secret gate, Yeonjubong Ongseong, and the North Gate.

Though I have visited these places multiple times, each visit feels different. Of course, my body's response is different too. That is to say, I am aging.

I will not provide separate explanations about Namhansanseong as there is abundant information about it available elsewhere.

However, one figure named Yi Hoe (李晦), whom Ms. Shim Yun-ah described as the most tragic victim in this field study, deserves mention.

Yi Hoe was the superintendent of construction for the southeastern section during the construction of Namhansanseong in 1624 (Year 2 of King Injo's reign). As in the past and present, there were those who could not bear others' success, and they made false accusations against him—that he had privately squandered construction funds and neglected the work, failing to complete it by the deadline.

What an incompetent king and ineffective officials they were. Had the court conducted a thorough investigation, the tragedy would not have occurred, but they sentenced him to execution by beheading.

Upon hearing news of his execution, Yi Hoe's wives threw themselves into the river and took their own lives. They had been returning after raising construction funds from the Samnam region to save their husband.

Subsequently, upon reinvestigation, it was revealed that the terrain of the area he oversaw was so treacherous that construction delays were inevitable, and yet the fortress walls were constructed solidly. He was exonerated, and a shrine called Cheongryangdang was built for him beside Sueojangdae of Namhansanseong. Yet what good is redress? The unjust spirits of him and his family cannot be consoled.

Nevertheless, I bowed my head for a moment in front of Cheongryangdang.

After completing the Namhansanseong field study, I also visited the birthplace of Master Haegong Shin Ik-hee, whom I deeply respect.

Master Haegong was an independence activist who went into exile in Shanghai, China following the March First Movement and participated in the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. After liberation, he served as the Speaker of the Constitutional Convention and contributed to the development of Korean democracy as a politician. He was also an educator who founded Gwangdong Academy in his hometown and participated in the establishment of Kookmin University (serving as its first president).

He formed the Constitution Protection Allied Society in opposition to Syngman Rhee's regime's "4.11 Constitutional Amendment" scheme for perpetual rule, and ran as a presidential candidate in 1956 to overturn authoritarian politics. His campaign slogan was the famous "We cannot live this way; let's make a change."

He suddenly passed away on a train during the election campaign, shocking the people who yearned for democratization.

Ms. Shim Yun-ah's characterization of Master Haegong's life was as an "independence activist," "educator," and "politician leading democratization," and we all nodded heartily in agreement.

It was hot. In the sweltering heat of midsummer, we walked the fortress sections, dripping with sweat.

Thanks to that, the beer I drank at Mr. ㅎ's house in Suwon was cooler than ever and slid smoothly down my throat. I drank too much again.

The next day at lunch, I could not properly eat the roasted duck and grilled duck prepared by my daughter and son-in-law, and I received complaints from my children.