To be frank, when I first set foot in the Seoul Museum of History, I was a little underwhelmed. Its relatively small size and plain interior paled in comparison to the grandiose and magnificence of previous museums I had visited.
However, this ostensible simplicity belied the rich historical tales and interactive displays that dwelled within its intricate network of exhibitions. The exhibition that left an indelible impression on me was one that detailed the history of Korea, from the flagrant discrimination and extensive westernization that defined the Japanese colonial period to the rapid economic growth and infrastructural development that it underwent post-liberation. It instigated me to think more deeply about aspects of contemporary Seoul that most people take for granted, such as the characteristics that are unique to each region and how they came to be. I enjoyed reading the detailed descriptions on the panels that lined the walls of the exhibition, but couldn’t help but wonder if there was a reason why the English translations often omitted important, albeit sensitive, bits of information contained in the Korean texts.
Something that really struck me about the exhibition was the brevity with which it detailed the Korean War, so much so that no more than a single panel was designated to recount it— and in a perfunctory, matter-of-fact tone at that. It seemed almost unbecoming for the institution to gloss over a significant event that arguably altered the future of Korea and the lives of many Koreans in an irrevocable way. Granted, we eventually came across a separate exhibition on the first floor that was dedicated to the war, but this, too, hardly contained more than a few panels, most of which glorified the Americans for their valiant efforts in the war and relentless commitment to South Korea’s national defense. Having learned about the lesser known war brutalities that the US committed against North Korea, and other subtleties of the war that are often overshadowed by dominant anti-communist narratives, though, it was interesting to observe how the same event could be remembered in an entirely different light, depending on how it is conveyed and portrayed, be it in museums or textbooks.
Overall, the visit to the museum imbued me with new insights about Korean history and culture. I look forward to unearthing more knowledge about Korea during the rest of my time here.
