Exploring the Alleys of Soje-dong with 100 Years of History

Ask anyone who has lived in Daejeon all their lives where you can go to see the past, present, and future of Daejeon, and the vast majority of them will recommend Soje-dong.

Daejeon underwent tremendous growth with the opening of Daejeon Station along Gyeongbu Railway Line in 1905, which led to a boom of human and material exchanges. In Soje-dong, located in the vicinity of the station, a residence town of railway engineers and technicians formed on a piece of land created by reclaiming the Sojeho Lake. You could say that Soje-dong is a neighborhood that retains the traces of the 100-year history of Daejeon, a planned city.

There is never a dull moment when walking in this neighborhood, especially because of the mural street. The paintings breathed a new life into the old, dreary, and cold stone walls and changed the atmosphere completely.

Flowers seem to be a common theme here, and murals of flowers are usually the first thing visitors come to see. Blending in with the shadows of tree leaves dancing in the wind, the painted flowers appear as though they, too, are alive. Meanwhile, the flowers that seem to have fallen below the traditional roof tiles showing signs of years gone by will remind you that autumn has come.

Soje-dong is a burgeoning part of the city attracting people with cafes and restaurants each with a unique style and attractive interior design. You can also spot a number of people trying to capture the beauty of the neighborhood on camera. This is all because Soje-dong was modernized and renewed while making sure to preserve the traces of its 100-year history.

Looking at a new building under construction that is about to be completed along with old and faded roof tiles, low stone walls, and overgrown grass, it will feel as though you are seeing the yesterday, today, and tomorrow of Soje-dong, or even Daejeon.

As you walk around this part of town, you will be able to explore and find pieces of Daejeon’s history in every corner. If you are in your 30s or older, you will find yourself reminiscing about your childhood while looking at the houses built in the 1980s and 1990s and imagine what life must have been like for your parents’ generation. There are also traces from a distant past that you probably have never seen before. Soje-dong is an open-air museum that is full of life.

So why not take a walk around Soje-dong in Daejeon and return to the thrilling days of yesteryear on the Sojeho Time Machine.

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