A few weeks ago, our friends invited us to visit The Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan with them. We fully intended to join them, and then we got hit with the stomach bug from Hell that put a pause to any sort of adventuring for a good long while. Then, finally, one Sunday when we were all feeling better, we decided to take a little trip there after church and we were so glad we did!
Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan
We’ve been to Cheonan a few times – when we visited Gakwonsa and also any time we make a Costco run (yes, we do have Costco here – and yes, it’s awesome). But the Independence Hall wasn’t something I had ever heard of until my friend mentioned it. It’s a museum (which is totally my kind of thing) all about history (which is another love of mine). And so even though we weren’t able to visit with our friends, I knew we’d have to make it there at some point. I’m just glad it only took us a couple of weeks. When we first turned the corner into the parking lot (yes, there is a large parking lot which is SO RARE in Korea and we were so grateful for it!) we were immediately hit with a view of the Monument to the Nation – a MASSIVE 51.3 meter tall double tower that symbolizes the courage and grit of the Korean people (and the more you learn about Korea, the more you see that they truly do have grit).
Once we got past the Monument to the Nation, we saw Taegeuk Square – a large section of ground covered with 815 Korean flags. The Korean flag in and of itself is kind of cool, and the meaning behind each of the sections is incredibly interesting. While I’m a big fan of the simplicity of the meaning behind the stars and stripes on the flag of my OWN country, I can also appreciate the symbolism behind the South Korean flag. Simply put, the white color of the flag symbolizes peace and purity. The red and blue symbol in the middle represents positive (red) and negative (blue). Each of the black marks (called trigrams) symbolize justice, fruition, wisdom, and vitality. In addition, each of the trigrams represent a different celestial body (heaven, sun, moon, earth), season (spring, fall, winter, summer), cardinal direction (east, south, north, west), virtue (humanity, justice, intelligence, courtesy), family member (father, daughter, son, mother), and natural element (heaven, fire, water, earth).
Just past Taegeuk Square sits the breathtaking Grand Hall of the Nation. It is the largest tiled building in all of East Asia and it was modeled after Daeungjeon Hall at Sudeok Temple in Yesan. And when I say the Grand Hall was huge, I mean it. After passing under the Monument to the Nation, I didn’t think we were very far from the Grand Hall. But as we were walking it didn’t seem to be getting any closer. (Anyone who has ever been to Paris will understand this – because it’s exactly how you feel trying to get to the Eiffel Tower… okay, pretentiousness over.)
Probably my favorite part of The Independence Hall was the Statue of Indomitable Koreans – and not only because that name is about as good as it gets. The statue itself is INCREDIBLE and it was hard to capture the sheer size of it and – because I’m not a photographer and my Samsung phone camera ISN’T the greatest – these pictures absolutely DO NOT do it justice. Still, it was a powerful visual of the Korean spirit and strength.
Just to the right of the Statue of Indomitable Koreans is a giant print of the Korean flag with signatures and writing from members of the Korean Restoration Army. On the flag, they wrote how they felt about Korea’s liberation and the things that they wanted to do when they returned to Korea. The original flag with the writing is located in Exhibition Hall 5.
There was SO MUCH to see at The Independence Hall of Korea. With 8 different Exhibition Halls (each of which are basically an entire museum ON THEIR OWN) and so many things to see outside (including remains of the Japanese Government General Building, Patriots Memorial, Reunification Hill, and a WWII Korean plane) – it was impossible for us to see the entire thing. Korea has had such a rich history with so much turmoil – invasions, occupations, wars, etc. – it’s no wonder we couldn’t fit its entire history in during just a few hours at the museum. Even if we didn’t have small children (who were definitely less interested in learning about history and more interested in running around like crazies), I don’t think we could have seen the entire museum in a day.
So no, we didn’t get to learn as much about the actual history of Korea as I would have liked. That being said, I’ve accepted that the stage of life we’re in right now is not one where it makes a lot of sense to spend hours upon hours at a museum reading every plaque and seeing every single exhibit. There will be a time when our kids might appreciate museums and history, so in the meantime, we’ll continue to bring them, absorb whatever information we can, and appreciate that we have the chance to explore!
’til next time…
Ash
How to visit The Independence Hall of Korea
Directions: We plugged into 충청남도 천안시 동남구 목천읍 독립기념관로 1 Naver and it took us right to the parking lot entrance. You can’t miss the Monument to the Nation. After you park, just head in the direction of the giant monument and you’ll find the rest from there!
Cost + Parking: There is no admission fee, but you do have to pay for parking. At only ₩2,000 per car (₩1,000 for compact or hybrid vehicles), it’s unlikely to break the bank. There are literally over 1,000 parking spots available too.
Hours of Operation: The Independence Hall of Korea is open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-5:00pm.
Amenities: There are PLENTY of bathrooms throughout the grounds of The Independence Hall and they are clearly marked and easy to find. There is also a convenience store, multiple restaurants, at least one café, a gift shop, and places to buy some of that delicious Korean street food that I love so much. There is also a playground and, in the summer, a fountain just behind the Grand Hall of the Nation.
