They Pieced Together the Home of a Lifetime on a Mountain in the Middle of Seoul

Not far from Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, a winding road climbs a forested hillside until it ends in a cul-de-sac at the top. The hum of traffic vanishes on the 10-minute drive, replaced by the songs of birds as we enter the neighborhood of Buam-dong. From here, high on Mount Inwang, you can see the ridges of Mounts Bugak and Bukhan unfold, their slopes dotted with modest houses. "My friends can’t believe it when I say I live in the mountains, right in the middle of the city," says artist Jinnie Seo with a laugh. "When it snows heavily, we’re completely cut off." What others might see as an inconvenient, isolated site feels like the perfect retreat for Jinnie and her husband, architect Wook Choi.

The first thing that caught Wook’s eye as he was touring the site was the stone retaining wall. A familiar device often used in Korean architecture for taming steep terrain, it felt grounding and natural—much like the irregular plots and winding paths carved into the hillside. "This place brings together everything that defines Seoul—its mountains, fortress walls, and green spaces," he says. Step through the couple’s gate, and a narrow stairway winds upward, offering fleeting glimpses of their home. At the top, the grounds and five distinct structures gradually reveal themselves in fragments: a renovated house, a new studio, a library, a meditation pavilion, and an archive.

"I like spaces that feel creative. I hate that feeling of being stuck in a rut, like I’m just going through the motions."

—Jinnie Seo, resident