The Road of the Royal Reading Hall

Dokseodang-ro follows the Han River in Oksu-dong, Seongdong-gu, and recalls one of Joseon's most forward-thinking institutions.

Dokseodang was a royal reading hall established under the Sagadokseoje system, which King Sejong inaugurated in 1426. Selected young scholars from the Hall of Worthies were given paid leave—sometimes for a year—to do nothing but read and study. It was a bold investment in knowledge and talent.

After being abolished and revived several times, the hall was rebuilt along the Han River in present-day Oksu-dong during the reign of King Jungjong. Great scholars like Yi Hwang (Toegye) and Yi I (Yulgok) studied here. Studying with a Han River view was considered the highest honor for any civil official.

The hall burned down during the Imjin War and was never rebuilt. Today, the name "Dokseodang-ro" quietly preserves the memory of a dynasty that believed deeply in the power of reading—much like a modern sabbatical system, centuries ahead of its time.