Memories in Seoul Station

Seoul Station.

it looks like a brand-new and very clean place in the picture. There used to be only one station that you see in this picture. It was built during Japanese colonial period, so its style's pretty nice and some sort of European. But when KTX operated, another station was built in 2004 and, after that, the original station's become in no use at all.

New station building's full of glasses in external appearance and just modern as other normal buildings these days. There're many shops, well-organised restaurants, passage to major supermarket, so it's really convenient and easy to spend money or kill time. Every place is connected and everything's automatically mechanized. People looks happy, even though they rush their ways, and satisfied with neat and updating atmosphere where they prepare for the pleasant trip. I also take train there, no options to choose anyway. But, for what reason, i feel uncomfortable and something's missing that have gone in our mind.

Every people has their own places in memories and those places usually disappear or are removed because they're out of date and the world needs new convenient glittering things more and more. Seoul station's one of those things. Personally, i value it a lot, since it still shows we've gone through colonial period (just like a history museum), can be the symbol of Seoul back thenpoor times when many from rural areas wanted to settle in the capital city.

Besides, i have personal memories which is, i assume, quite usual and common among Korean. The day we went on a school excursion to Gyeongju, a whole number of first grade in my girl's high school gathered in front of the station. We were so excited, our soul was already in Gyeongju, and all in a flurry. The train we took wasn't KTX and took about 4~5hours to get to the destination. Girls were busy shoutings, chatterings, playing games and joking around. The way to Gyeonju was chaotic, but it was rather relaxing and silent on the way home, because girls were used up after 3days of rave. I don't know if young students still go on that kind of excursion but the point of departure must have changed.

Nobody uses old Seoul station any more. It's been a couple of years since it was closed. It's not demolished but its outward look is shabby, ugly, desolate and pathetic (i believe i'm not the only one to have these feelings.) Moreover, so many homeless people have (already) built a nest and never leave that sabby dark place, after all, the environment around old station is getting worse and dirtier. You can smell an odor of homeless, alcoholic, garbage, medded-up food and so on. The homeless, who once had had a sweet home, talk themselves, beg moeney once in a while, talk themselves, argue with co-dwellers. They spoil the sight of Seoul station, dare i say it.

However, i think there's no miracle drug to make them go back home or leave that place. Old station's just kept in silence and been patient with inhospitable treatment. People pass by old one and go inside the new one. Old one's surrounded with unpleasant objects, but new one's easy to access, although you don't take train. I'm neither blaming homeless people nor criticizing modern things in the lump. But we can see what's wrong with it. I don't want to see the "beautiful and historical" old station being neglected by Seoulians and also anyone else.