Songchon-dong

Do you know where you live?

Songchon-dong Park, Daejeon, South Korea
Joseon Dynasty period restored estate

They say you can’t know where you are until you know where you’ve been. As it goes, I’ve been a lot of places. I grew up in horse country, I’ve lived in a college town, I’ve lived in a high-rise condo on the proper side of A1A in Daytona Beach, not to mention traveling the USA for about six months in an Airstream. I’ve been to Greece, Italy, Japan, and I’ve lived in a couple of cities here in home-sweet-Korea. I now call Daejeon home, and I feel confident in saying that I know exactly where I live.

A few months ago I moved to Daejeon and into lively little Songchon-dong. Like most other dong-ers, I live in a four-story walk-up within a five-minute walk from work. The early 10:30am walk to work is pretty mundane. The sun shines through the streets and over rooftops as I pass other walk-ups, one with saxophone music drifting out of the windows. As I pass closed shops and restaurants, barely-open coffee shops, maybe-open gyms, and a few 24-hour kimbap shops, ajummas can be seen sweeping the streets with their short brooms, hunched over, cleaning up the previous night’s flyer distribution.

It’s the walk home that is more interesting.

Eight to nine hours later, the walk home is the same route as my morning commute, but in the evening it’s almost unrecognizable. The streets are filled with people enjoying all this little area has to offer. Hungry people searching to find the perfect meal. Families out for an evening stroll through one of the beautiful parks. Stressed workers looking for reprieve in their favorite bar. Groups of friends looking to sing their hearts out in one of the many themed noreabangs.

mok-cha gol-mok (the street of eating)

Daejeonites come here from all over the city to eat the food that’s earned this area the line ‘mok-cha gol-mok’ (the street of eating), and there are loads of places to choose from. Sure, there are the chains like Dasarang Chicken, Tudari, and Sodamae, but then there are the countless others, the originals with their indistinguishable name signs but clear-as-day menu that offer their own twist on samgyupsal, ddok galbi, shabu shabu, and other traditional Korean foods. Whatever you’re in the mood to eat, Songchon has it.

There’s nothing Koreans and expats alike enjoy more than finishing a meal and heading to their favorite bar. Songchon has its share of those, too, and there’s something for everyone. In addition to many Korean bars, the most notable expat-friendly bars include Lucky Strike, Marlboro Bar, and WOW Bar. The local expats, however, seem to prefer Dadas, the neighborhood Cheers bar where everybody knows your name. Walk into this place and you’re greeted by any and all expats who’ve taken up residence in the place. Grab a drink from the cooler, where prices are clearly marked according to which cooler you grab from, and settle in for a memorable night with your new best friends. As with most Korean bars, the longer you stay, the better the bar food gets, and this owner knows how to keep her customers happy. When you’re ready to go, just walk up to the register to let them know how many you had of which drink and they’ll give you your total. Laid back, good drink selection, no food-ordering necessary, and easy-to-understand prices – what more could we want?

If the bar isn’t your thing, or you’re looking to burn off those delicious calories from dinner, take your friends to a themed noreabang, or singing room. Again, Songchon is your place. This neighborhood has almost every theme you can think of, and they run the scope from aliens to techno, Formula 1 to Kpop, and more.

Want to head out of your comfort zone for a low-budget afternoon of rest and relaxation? Bring your picnic mat and a good book (check one out from the Daejeon International Community Center library!) to one of the many parks in the area. Songchon Park on the east side of the dong is the largest, and they are currently turning their make-shift sports field into a real sports field – perfect for an afternoon soccer or baseball game. You can also find a beautifully landscaped pond area, complete with waterfall and covered gazebo. The pond creates a stream that winds itself throughout the park and eventually over to the restored estate of Song Jun-gil, a high-ranking public official during the Joseon Dynasty.

When you’re done at the park, you can walk over to Songchon Market, an outdoor market on the west side of the dong, and peruse the goods. There you can find the usual fruits and vegetables, as well as meats, poultry, fish and household goods, all at a fraction of store prices and with the ability to bargain.

The secret’s out that this dong is one of the best in Daejeon. Come check it out for yourself! Being so far away from the subway line, the easiest way to get here is to hop in a taxi and say 'Songchon-dong meok-ja gol-mok'. You can also get here by bus from almost anywhere in town (103, 311, 314, 616, 617, 620). Just don’t let the distance keep you from getting here! You’d be missing out.