Seodaemun Prison

Lonely Planet review

This prison is a stark reminder of the sufferings of Korean independence fighters who challenged Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). It contains an entrance gate, two watchtowers, a wooden execution house, interrogation cells and eight of the original 18 red-brick prison buildings. Built to house 500 prisoners, up to 3000 were packed inside during the height of the anti-Japanese protests in 1919.

Altogether 40,000 freedom fighters passed through the entrance gate and at least 400 died or were killed inside, including Ryu Gwan-sun, an Ewha high-school student, who was tortured to death in 1920. You can see photos and videos of the harsh conditions and go inside the bleak cells of one block. Overcrowding, lack of food, beatings and torture were daily facts of life, and the interrogation cells give a vivid and nightmarish demonstration of what went on there. The independence fighters were brave but too few to threaten Japan's brutal rule, which attempted cultural genocide - banning the Korean language and forcing Koreans to adopt Japanese names (12% refused).