[Cultural Excursion] Exploring Ogin-dong Beneath Inwangsan

TITLE:
'Colonial Scars, Ruins, and Mountain Legends: Exploring Ogin-dong Beneath Inwangsan'

LEADER: Bart van Genugten

DATE: Saturday, May 30, 2026, 1:30PM to 5:00PM

DESTINATION: Ogin-dong, Inwangsan

COST: W25,000 for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W30,000 for Non-members

MEETING POINT: At the top of Exit 2 of Gyeongbokgung Station (경복궁역, Subway Line 3) at 1:30PM

DESCRIPTION:

Seoul is a city most people think they already know. Travel YouTuber Bart, AKA iGoBart, thought so too until he started his “Welcome to My Dong” project on YouTube, in which he explores and uncovers all 467 neighborhoods of Seoul. While it’s still an ongoing project, Ogin-dong has already earned a spot in his personal top 10 neighborhoods, and now he wants to bring others along with him.

Ogin-dong is part of the very touristy Seochon area; thousands of people pass through every day, yet most walk straight past layers of history and stories almost nobody notices anymore: Lost gateposts from the giant estate of one of Korea’s most infamous Japanese collaborators; a remaining Western-style house and hanok once tied to that estate; a beautiful valley with a turbulent history of destruction, urbanization, and restoration, connected to one of the most renowned painters of the Joseon Dynasty; apartment ruins that remind us of a much uglier past; rocks on Inwangsan tied to urban legends while still carrying visible colonial scars at the same time.

And then things get stranger: An abandoned mountain swimming pool, yes seriously; an obscure hermitage overlooking endless layers of Seoul; and hidden somewhere deeper in the mountain, a mysterious mannequin that some visitors find genuinely creepy. Reaching it requires a short but difficult climb using both arms and legs, so this final section is only for the brave; the rest of the group can relax at the hermitage before everyone reunites and walks back together toward Tongin Market.

This isn’t the Seoul from guidebooks. It’s Seoul through the eyes of iGoBart and the historical traces he uncovers while filming his videos. Ogin-dong has a little bit of everything, enough to leave almost anyone hooked.

The excursion will begin at 1:30 at Exit 2 of Gyeongbokgung Station (경복궁역, Subway Line 3). The tour will end near Tongin Market (north of the same subway station), where participants can decide to stay for food or drinks afterward.
Please note that parts of the route involve uphill hiking. With temperatures rising, it is highly recommended to wear comfortable clothing, bring enough water, apply sunscreen, and prepare for the sun. Think of this less as a lecture with a professor, and more as a scenic urban hike through hidden Seoul with a travel YouTuber.

REGISTRATION:

RSVP by May 28 (Thursday) with payment of the fee via bank transfer. Please register one RSVP at a time.

RSVP: https://forms.gle/BfquqsZjJXR5ns3q6

☞Payment (W25,000 for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W30,000 for Non-members ) to be remitted to the following account:
SHINHAN BANK ACCOUNT # 100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)

*Reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received by RAS Korea in advance of the event.