Nostalgia of traditional tavern

Whenever I take a trip abroad, I make time to taste various traditional drinks from the countries I visit.

During my lifetime, I have experienced and enjoyed a lot of luxurious entertainment. However, I still get great pleasure from sharing memories with my colleagues at traditional style venues and bars that have a modest, homely and cozy feel.

I have been to London a couple of times on business and had opportunities to try some delightful drinks with extraordinary and unique flavors at different pubs.

My experience of drinking at the pub The Prospect of Whitby nestled on the banks of the Thames River at Wapping in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, inspired me as one of the most unforgettable memories. The pub was not luxurious but has an old classic style, consistent with the fact that it was built in 1520.

It is the oldest riverside tavern on the Thames and it has a 500-year-old stone floor with a plaque proudly displaying this fact. I was truly inspired by its traditional and romantic ambiance.

While drinking a Scotch, I was surprised to learn that the pub had a bad reputation as a meeting place for villains such as a smugglers, footpads and gamblers. Consequently, during the 17th century it was known to people as the Devil’s Tavern.

What is more surprising is that notorious Judge George Jefferys (1648-1689) watched executions at the nearby Execution Dock from the pub balcony while the hangings took place. This helps explain how it arrived at the name, “Devil’s Tavern.”

On the other hand, the pub was loved by not only ordinary drinkers but also distinguished figures. The famous romantic painters such as J. M.W. Turner, James A. M. Whistler, Gustave Dore, as well as prominent writers like Charles Dickens and Samuel Peyp enjoyed drinking at the pub. Turner and Whistler sketched views of the Thames at the pub.

After being destroyed by fire in the 18th century, it was rebuilt and renamed The Prospect of Whitby, after a ship of the same name that was anchored nearby.

London and many other cities in Europe offer some of the best examples of preserving old buildings and houses. Because of this, these historically interesting and unique styles of old pubs in Europe attract many tourists.

In Korea, some pubs in Seoul are worthy of note for being places where the great, famous and ordinary people alike gather to discuss ideas, make decisions and find inspiration. In some places, the buildings or houses have historical significance, capturing a particular epoch of Seoul’s glorious past.

However, it is disappointing that we have difficulty in finding a traditional style pub in Seoul, which would enable us to trace back the old traditions like The Prospect of Whitby.

In the wake of recent redevelopment projects, numerous old pubs and restaurants in Seoul, particularly in the Jongno area have been demolished, ignoring both their intangible and tangible cultural values.

Cheong-il House, a humble pub that has embraced the joys and sorrows of common people in Chongjin-dong for many decades was demolished. A reproduction of the pub was made and is on display at Seoul Museum of History.

The outdated tavern of The Prospect of Whitby provides me with a valuable lesson, as I consider the fact that many old and precious buildings and houses, which could have been great examples of traditional Korean meeting places, have been torn down in Seoul.

I urge the Korean government to slow down its modernization pace so as to permit the preservation of valuable old buildings and to preserve our uniquely Korean style of buildings and pubs that keep Korea’s source of humble meeting places and nostalgia alive for future generations.

Choe Chong-dae is a guest columnist of The Korea Times and the president of Dae-kwang International Co., as well as a director of the Korean-Swedish Association. He can be reached at dkic98@chol.com. <The Korea Times/Choe Chong-dae>