Nowadays, just like Sung Kyun Kwan back in my day, Seoul National University is seen as the top national university in South Korea. If I had been born in those days, I might've ended up as the president of Seoul National University, naturally. Haha.

This building was initially built in 1930, but it wasn't Seoul National University then; it was Kyungsung Imperial University established by Japan. When Japan annexed Joseon, they set up Kyungsung Imperial University in 1924 to counter Korean nationalist leaders from establishing their own university.

However, Kyungsung Imperial University wasn't designed for Koreans. They initially established faculties of law and medicine that served colonial administration needs, and they didn't even set up an engineering department initially to avoid teaching advanced technology. Moreover, with restricted admission quotas for Koreans, most graduates were Japanese. Over a span of about 20 years, there were merely around 810 Korean graduates. It's fair to say it was a Japanese university on Korean soil.

After liberation in 1945, Kyungsung Imperial University changed its name toKyungsung University. The following year, it merged with Seoul school and nearby higher educational institution to establish a national university, which became what we now know as Seoul National University. From then on, Seoul National University rightfully transformed into South Korea's premier national university.

In 1975, the faculties scattered across Suwon and different parts of Seoul moved to the slopes of Gwanaksan Mountain, leaving only the Medical School across the street at this site. Only the main building that stands here now serves as a testament to the origins and history of Seoul National University.

Though it's disappointing that Sung Kyun Kwan, the foremost school in Joseon, didn't last as the top university in South Korea, the dedication and efforts of our people in prioritizing education across different eras are truly admirable.

Let's shift our ‘Path of Learning’ to our final destination. Below Marronnier Park lies the Korea National Open University. Our destination is the wooden building with blue and gray tones, right inside the main gate on the right side.