It's a small post in the concrete jungle. It tells us the site of Park Inhwan's House.

Park Inhwan is known for, like the post says, his work 〈Wooden Horse and a Lady〉. People may not know Park Inhwan, the poet, but many know a phrase in his poetry that goes, 'We drink as we speak of Virginia Woolf, and
a skirt fluttering away on a wooden horse.' And the improvised poem 〈When Time Passes〉, which is also a song, is his work. I think we have a genius poet right here.

Park Inhwan is also known as the post-war poet. He debuted in 1946 and passed away from a heart attack on March 20, 1956. World War II and the Korean War that he lived through were major materials for his works.

Perhaps that's why his works have a touch of nihilism. Critics regard him as a modernist writer, saying that such a characteristic stems from his anxiety from living in wartime.

One of the reasons why he could compose such a new style of work is that he debuted in 1946. Because he was not active during the Japanese Occupation of Korea, there was no need for him to overcome the Japanese Empire like many other writers of the time. He was consumed by the idea but able to write works that the time demanded. Also, Park Inhwan's used bookstore 'Mariseosa' was a place where many writers exchanged their thoughts and ideas.

Let's have a look at one of his works.

There is a poem called 'A Poem to the People of Indonesia'. Wow, Indonesia. Haha. This work sends support to Indonesia which was trying to break free of the Dutch rule. Also, Park Inhwan wrote ' South Wind' that supports the fight for the freedom of people of Southeast Asia, 'Incheon Port' that describes Koreans returning home from overseas after the liberation of the nation, showing his acute observation of the time.

Myeongdong was one of many things that made Park Inhwan famous. At Myeongdong, a neighborhood that kept the vibe of the city even in the desolation of the Korea War, Park Inhwan was called the 'Count of Myeongdong' thanks to his good looks. This prominent neighborhood figure, Park Inhwan, passed away in March 1956 from a heart attack which was caused by excessive drinking to celebrate I Sang.

Although critics evaluated his poems to display the nihilism of death rather than as magnificent, he was surely a poet loved by people.

Now, we'll be heading to the Site of Kim Suyeong's House. But make sure to pay attention on the way there because we'll be passing Pimatgol Alley. It's a small alley behind the main streets of Jongno. It's slowly disappearing these days, but we still have an alley-like setup at the foot of new high-rise buildings. Let's talk more when we get there.