Park Soo Keun is called the common folk's painter, as he is evaluated to have the best depiction of common Korean folks’ daily lives. In fact, he lived here at Changsin-dong from 1952 to 1963 as a common folk and a painter.

Born in 1914 in Yanggu, Gangwon-do, Park Soo Keun was talented at drawing from a young age. However due to the failing fortune of his household, he couldn’t learn art at school. Instead, he sketched people of Yanggu who plowed the land, tended their farms, and harvested wild herbs, and aspired to be a painter one day.

In 1932, his work was selected at Art Exhibition, and he was recognized as an artist, but he could not pursue the path of a career painter. After the liberation of Korea, he returned to his hometown and taught art in a school. But the Korean War broke out, and he was separated from his family. After a great ordeal, he was finally reunited with his family in Changsin-dong where his wife’s family lived. At that time, Park Soo Keun painted portraits of the US Army soldiers at the PX and saved the money to buy a small house here. Before he moved to Jeongnong-dong, he lived here for about 10 years and completed some of his most notable works.

People doing laundry, pounding grain in a mortar, breastfeeding children, and more. People in his paintings are common folks. They are not exaggerated or dressed up fancy. He painted the daily lives of people living resolutely in the ruins of war. That is why he is regarded as the most Korean painter. It’s my opinion, but if Park Soo Keun lived in Changsin-dong a bit longer, he might have painted a picture of a sewing factory, maybe. Park Soo Keun lived just as the people in his paintings until he passed away in 1951.

Park Soo Keun's paintings were only properly evaluated and loved by art lovers after his passing. Oftentimes, the evaluation of a person changes when they pass away. I believe the same thing applies to painters.

Next, we’re going to meet Nam June Paik, another artist who lived in Changsin-dong. It’s near Exit no. 8 of Dongmyo Station. Walk toward Dongdaemun Market from exit no. 8, and you’ll see a farm produce mart. Put the mart on your right and walk up a little bit. Then you’re at Nam June Paik Memorial House, which is a refurbished small hanok building.