Jayang 4-dong

Beneath the rumble of the Line 7 train at Jayang Station, lies a neighborhood steeped in history. Jayang 4-dong, a part of Seoul’s Gwangjin District, may seem like a modern urban landscape. But its name echoes a time when horses roamed freely. Jayang 4-dong’s story begins with “Jamajang,” meaning “female horse field.” During the Joseon Dynasty, the area was known for its fertile land, ideal for grazing horses. The quest to breed the mythical Yongma, a dragon-horse said to be born after raising a thousand horses, fueled this equine focus. Jayang-dong’s vast fields, nourished by the Han River’s sediments, made it a prime location for raising female horses, vital for large-scale breeding. The name Jamajang evolved to Jamajang-ri and finally to Jayang-dong during the Japanese colonial era, when the character for “ja” (horse) was changed. Today, Jayang 4-dong is primarily a residential area with low-rise buildings and mixed-use development. It’s a stark contrast to neighboring Jayang 3-dong, dominated by high-rise structures. Yet, beneath the modern facade, the echoes of hoofbeats and the whispers of the Yongma legend still linger in Jayang 4-dong. A reminder of a time when this urban landscape was a verdant pasture.