Seongbuk-dong is a dong, neighbourhood of Seongbuk-gu in Seoul, South Korea. Seongbuk-dong is a village located in the north of Seoul, nestled in the hills overlooking the city. A large proportion of the residences are owned by wealthy households. It is also where many ambassadorial residences are located (among them, the residences of the Chinese, Australian and Canadian ambassadors). Toponymy When Yi Seong-gye, Taejo of Joseon, announced the capital of Joseon as Seoul, and naturally began to call the northern rampart connecting Sukjeongmun (a.k.a. Namdaemun) and Dongsomun (a.k.a. Hyehwamun), Seongbuk. History Joseon Dynasty The town was originally called Nogumetgol. Nogume is a bowl of rice cooked in a brass or copper kettle prepared to offer the spirits of mountains and lakes during religious ceremonies. Ancient legends say that after a woman prayed every day with nogume, her husband came back after leaving the house. The village was also called Dodukgol, having steep mountains with many thieves. In mid-Joseon, Bukdun of Eoyeoungcheong was established to protect the city. The first settlers were sent then to farm the area, but because of the harsh environment, it was impossible to farm crops, and people began to leave the town. To solve the problem, King Yeongjo gave the citizens of Seongbuk-dong a privilege to whitewash clothes and ferment soybeans needed in the palace. These privileged jobs became the origin of the names of certain parts (e.g. Bballaegol, Bukjeokgol) of the city. Although life in Seongbuk-dong was harsh for commoners, the noble class visited the village often because of its beautiful nature. Also, Seongbuk-dong was the place where seongamrae was held. At 1400, Seongamdan was built at Seongbuk area and performed ancestral rites for Seoreung whom known as the first one to teach the method for breeding silkworms for the people. The unique point of this ceremony was the thing that women took the main role of management. Seongamrae was led by the queen of Joseon and managed by the women who worked at the palace. 1908, Shinwi had moved to Sagikdan and only the trace is left at the Seongbuk-dong, and seongamdan is the sageok 83th. Japanese colonial era In 1930~40, the town was such an underdeveloped rural area that pheasants and wolves were found in backyards. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese imperial family moved into the town to enjoy rural life in secluded mountains and brought in convenient facilities along with