Haebangchon & Huam: The Hill Built by Those Who Arrived in Seoul · 9
What the Word "Exotic" Erases
Ep. 9
FitTrip Editor · 2026.07.22
A gaze that consumes Haebangchon and Huam only as an "exotic neighborhood" erases the deeper history this neighborhood holds. This hill is a place where the refuge of liberation and war, the diverse-background migration that followed, and the history of settlement continuing to today all overlap. Enjoying diverse food and languages is not a problem in itself, but not remembering the history behind it means seeing only half of this neighborhood.
A gaze that consumes Haebangchon and Huam only as an "exotic neighborhood" erases the deeper history this neighborhood holds.
Where refuge and migration overlap
This hill is a place where the refuge of liberation and war (Ep. 2), the diverse-background migration that followed (Ep. 6), and the history of settlement continuing to today (Ep. 3–4) all overlap.
Seeing the whole, not half
Enjoying diverse food and languages is not a problem in itself, but not remembering the history behind it means seeing only half of this neighborhood. Walking while recalling the layers covered earlier in this series is how to see this hill fully.
FAQ
- Should this neighborhood not be called "exotic"?
- It is less about the word itself and more a caution that the word should not be used in a way that erases this neighborhood's history of refuge, migration, and settlement.
- What attitude should a visitor hold?
- Enjoying the diverse food and alleys while remembering that it stands on someone's history of movement and settlement is a good attitude.
Checklist
- Recall the specific history behind the impression "exotic"
- Enjoy diverse food and languages while respecting their background
- Understand this neighborhood's layers together through the series' earlier episodes
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