If I were a film-maker, I’d make a movie or documentary about Jirye Art Village, near Andong. It’s the story of how one man, Kim Won-gil, struggled for five long years to save his ancestral homes from being inundated by the construction of a dam. He wanted to preserve the hanok for future generations and to create a refuge for those in the arts to recharge their creative batteries.
Fortunately, these traditional houses, hanok, which were built during the Joseon Dynasty, could be taken apart and reassembled. Still the logistics, time and resources involved to relocate them to a higher level must’ve been formidable. But Mr Kim, poet and former faculty member of Andong University, had the determination to realise his dream.
The entire project was completed in 1990 and since then, JAV has had about 15,000 visitors, both from Korea and other countries. It is home to three important cultural assets: Jisan Seodang, Jichonjong taek ( Head house of the Kim clan) and Jichonjechong ( shrine for sacrificial rites). Happily, it continues to inspire and educate those who are privileged enough to stay there.Source of photos: KNTO website
