A 90-pyeong Garden in Yongin and a House by the Bukhangang River in Yangpyeong: Designing a Second Life in a Personal Space After Retirement

Architectural Exploration: House - Building a house has made growing older enjoyable

- The more you share, the more happiness multiplies! A neighborhood community room open 365 days a year - 'Meotdaero House' built by a stubborn wife and a husband specializing in cleaning up after her - Why does a 30-year workaholic commute to his house after retirement? - The house that became a healer for the void felt after retirement

*Broadcast Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 9:55 PM, EBS1

A 90-pyeong garden house that draws people together

In Yongin Special City, Gyeonggi-do, at the top of a residential complex embracing Gwanggyosan Mountain and Naksang Reservoir, there is a house welcomed by rose vines all year round. A house that surprises you once with its grand 4-story scale and again with its lush 90-pyeong garden filled with various plantings! About three years ago, following husband Hwasu's retirement, the couple built a house on land they purchased 25 years ago. With the determination to build a house without regrets since it is a once-in-a-lifetime project, they created 'Meotdaero House'. Unlike the husband, who wanted a small single-story house, the wife Myeongsim wanted a multi-story house to fully enjoy the scenery! It is said the husband completely gave in to the wife's stubbornness, as she pushed forward saying, "We have no tomorrow."

The wife's stubbornness began in the yard. A 90-pyeong garden that she cultivated alone by overturning the muddy, stony ground three times and laying down Masato soil. While the husband suggested covering the yard with cement since the surroundings are entirely nature, she stopped him, creating a garden where flowers and trees do not wither throughout the four seasons. The reason the wife, who originally had no interest in landscaping, put so much effort into this was because of 'people'. Having enjoyed hosting guests even during her long years living abroad, she wanted to prepare a space within the house for people to stay once she returned to Korea. Thus, the garden and the first floor have established themselves as a neighborhood community room. Equipped with a large dining area and a wooden platform (pyeongsang) for staying over, the footsteps of neighbors never cease throughout the 365 days.

Even in the V-shaped exterior, which looks like two separate buildings, consideration for neighbors is embedded. Before building the house, when the neighbor in front worried about the view and privacy, Myeongsim boldly turned the direction of the building. Although it was an unexpected design change, thanks to that, sunlight from the southeast is drawn into the house, and the view can be enjoyed from anywhere.

If the first floor is a space open to everyone, private spaces unfold from the second floor. The second floor features a cozy living room and kitchen with a terrace connected to the back mountain, and the third floor houses the bedrooms and bathrooms. If the garden and first floor are the wife's space, the 4th-floor attic touching the forest is the husband's hideout! Since it is a house requiring movement across four floors, they also carefully prepared for old age. The space currently used as a warehouse is a spot they pre-secured to install an elevator in the future.

Husband Hwasu, who had different dreams from his wife throughout the house-building process, confesses that once he actually lives there, the happiness the house provides is much greater than any inconvenience... What does 'Meotdaero House' look like, where the joy of sharing and family happiness multiply as they grow older after building the house?

A house to commute to myself after retirement

In Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, there is a house stretching horizontally on a site with mountains in the back and water in the front along the Bukhangang River. Situated on a massive retaining wall, this house was built by Hogyeong, a veteran with 30 years of experience in the advertising video industry, after his retirement. Having closed his business due to a sudden worsening of management, Hogyeong decided to build a house on the site of his mother-in-law's old shelter, which had been a postponed task. Due to a tight budget, Hogyeong and his wife stood at the crossroads of choice and sacrifice several times, but they eventually completed a house that contains the tastes they discovered late.

Hogyeong said that while he was well-versed in what many clients wanted and what his employees liked, he had never contemplated what he himself liked. However, through repeated designs, he realized he was drawn to natural materials such as large windows, wood, and stone. While building the house, the couple finally discovered their taste: "We like things that are pretty!"

The top priority in building a pretty house was securing the view. To utilize the advantage of the land facing the Bukhangang River, they raised the site to secure the view, and upon climbing the long stairs, the cool river stream unfolds like a panorama. Instead of a garden that is cumbersome to maintain, they designed it so that the scenery can be enjoyed from various parts of the house. The elegant exterior, resembling a Hanok, and the large living room window paint the house and nature as a single landscape. Upon entering the interior, the couple's simple taste is fully revealed. They preserved the original textures of materials such as concrete, wood, and metal, and removed unnecessary decorations. To preserve the ceiling that resembles the rafters of a Hanok, they lowered the height of the kitchen cabinets and neatly hid the appliances and household items. The heavy concrete island, which brings in the texture of the exterior wall, and the heavy timber beam extending from the living room to the eaves break the boundary between inside and outside.

Hogyeong, a workaholic who could not take his eyes off his mobile phone for a moment, has become deeply immersed in tending to the vegetable garden and the house from dawn until evening. Although he felt great fear of isolation and helplessness after retirement, while tending to the house, he realized that this time, which will never return, is more important than assets.

His wife Hyeonju says her husband is the person who enjoys their house most fully, and his son Hojae says his father is addicted to field work. We explore the house that gave him courage after retirement, as he has regained vitality to the point that even his family recognizes it.

*Related photos are available on the EBS institutional website (about.ebs.co.kr)-Cyber PR Office-Highlight, on the corresponding broadcast date.

◆ At a Glance

· Publishing Institution: EBS

· Category: Architectural Exploration - House

· Distribution: September 14

Source: EBS Press Release

Korea Social Welfare Journal is striving to deliver press releases and welfare information more easily and accurately with the help of AI technology.