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Nakseongdae
Statue of Kang Kam-ch'an in the park (2009)
Map
LocationGwanak District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°28′16″N 126°57′36″E / 37.471223°N 126.959983°E / 37.471223; 126.959983
Public transit accessNakseongdae Station

Nakseongdae (Korean pronunciation: [naks͈ʌŋdɛ]; Korean낙성대; Hanja落星垈) is a park located in Gwanak, Seoul. It is the birthplace of Goryeo general, Kang Kam-ch'an.[1]

Toponymy

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Nakseongdae means "where a star landed" in Hanja. This alludes to a legend surrounding general Kang Kam-ch'an; it is said that when he was born, a star fell to the earth and landed at the location of the park.[1]

Description

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In 1972, the park was designated as a Tangible Cultural Heritage of Seoul.[1] From 1973 to 1974, the shrine Anguksa (안국사; 安國祠) was constructed in the park. This shrine is dedicated to General Kang. Stone wall of 409 meter circumference was built to surround it.[1]

Near the park is Nakseongdae Station of Seoul Subway Line 2.[2]

The park is located close to Seoul National University (SNU), which is often considered the top university in South Korea.[3] The term Nakseongdae resembles the name of a university, owing particularly to the term dae (; ). Due to its proximity to SNU, it has become used as a euphemism or nickname for the university. The term is sometimes used to avoid the appearance of bragging about attending South Korea's top university.[3]

References

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Media related to Nakseongdae at Wikimedia Commons