Suunjeong Pavilion

About this place

Suunjeong (睡雲亭) was built in April of the 13th year of King Cheoljong (1862) by Kim Nakhyeon (金樂顯), also known as Suun (睡雲), of the Gyeongju Kim clan, who lived in Geumjeong-ri. The pavilion is three bays wide and one bay deep, with a hip-and-gable roof. Kim Nakhyeon, the 15th-generation descendant of Grand Prince Gyerim, Kim Gyun, of the Gyeongju Kim clan, had three sons—Seongun (星運), Seonghong (星弘), and Seongcheol (星徹). When two of his sons, Seongun and Seonghong, died, he could not contain his grief and built this pavilion by a sunny stream to make friends with nature and wander freely. The Gyeongju Kim clan had moved to Geumjeong-ri when Kim Jaeo, the 9th-generation descendant of Grand Prince Gyerim Kim Gyun, relocated here from Seokmun-dong, Samgye-myeon, and subsequent generations have lived there since. Travellers and visitors would come here and compose poetry amidst the beautiful nature, and their poems are displayed as plaques inside. The village was entirely burned down during the Korean War, but only Suunjeong was spared. During Japanese rule, Japanese officials reportedly removed several of the plaques.