The Great East Gate
Between 1396 and 1398, the Eight Gates of Seoul (Wikipedia Article) were constructed around what would later become Seoul. Connected by fortress walls and enclosing the royal palace, each gate was built to withstand invasions and wars. Today only six gates, or “mun”, remain. They are scattered throughout the city as reminders of Seoul’s great history.
One such gate, Heunginjimun, or “the Gate of Rising Benevolence”, resides in the eastern, or “dong,” side of Seoul; hence, the name ‘Dongdaemun’.
Unfortunately, during the Korean War, most of Dongdaemun was destroyed and left in rubble and ashes. The area was slowly rebuilt and repopulated with traditional marketplaces. However, it wasn’t until the late nineties that modern malls were added into the mix. Six-hundred years after it was constructed, the fortress walls are long gone and replaced with shiny new malls.