Site of Yun Dong-ju's Boarding House

At 9 Nusang-dong, Jongno-gu — now marked only by a stone monument — once stood the boarding house where the poet Yun Dong-ju lived.

After enrolling at Yonhui College (now Yonsei University) in 1938, the poet moved between the school dormitory, Bukahyeon-dong, and the Seosomun area for lodging. From May to September 1941, he is said to have stayed here at 9 Nusang-dong, in the home of the novelist Kim Song, whom he admired.

He stayed for only about five months, but during that time he wrote ten exquisite poems here, including "Counting the Stars at Night" and "Self-Portrait" — a brief but deeply creative period for the poet. That's precisely why this spot is still remembered as meaningful today, drawing a steady stream of visitors.

The original building is said to have been a tiled-roof house, but only a marker stone and information panel remain now, so visiting means simply coming across it while walking a quiet residential alley. Pairing it with the nearby Yun Dong-ju Poet's Hill and Yun Dong-ju Literature Museum lets you trace the poet's footsteps more fully.