“Two doors” is what Ssangmun-dong literally means. The name comes from two yeolnyeomun. These special doors were for virtuous women. Ssangmun 4-dong is a neighborhood with a story. It is a dong of Dobong District in Seoul.
Ssangmun-dong gained international fame. This was thanks to the drama “Reply 1988” and the series “Squid Game”. But Ssangmun-dong was already known. It appeared in other South Korean shows. These shows often portray it as a place for the less wealthy.
Why is Ssangmun-dong so popular for these stories? It has many old buildings and alleyways. Writers use it to show “rags to riches” stories. It creates warmth and nostalgia for the audience.
In “Squid Game”, Gi-hun and Sang-woo are from Ssangmun-dong. Gi-hun proudly shares this fact. The show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, grew up here. He wanted to show the struggles of those left behind. He named characters after real people. Hwang’s own life mirrors Gi-hun’s. He was raised by a single mother in Ssangmun-dong.
“Reply 1988” shows a different side of Ssangmun-dong. It offers a look at Seoul in 1988. The drama follows a group of close friends. They grew up together in Ssangmun-dong. The show wasn’t filmed here. But some scenes were shot in Ssangmun-dong. The quiet area outside Ssangmun Station has the show’s vibe.
Ssangmun-dong has cheap studios and half-basement homes. These homes are for artists and workers. “Parasite” also showed these half-basements or “banjiha”. After the Korean War, basements were bunkers. Renting them was illegal. But the housing crisis changed that in the 1980s.
Alleys played a big role in Ssangmun-dong’s community. Parents called their children home for dinner. Neighbors shared stories. The internet wasn’t common then. Alleys spread news and kept the community together.
Ssangmun-dong may change in the future. More dramas and films are showing it. It could become a popular tourist spot. Maybe it will rival downtown Seoul’s attractions.