Gongseri Catholic Church

Between Asan Bay and the Sapgyocheon stream, a red-brick Gothic church rises from a low hill in Gongse-ri, Inju-myeon. Consecrated in 1922, Gongseri Catholic Church was the first Western-style church built in the Chungcheong region, and its setting among zelkova and hackberry trees more than 300 years old has made it a popular location for films and TV dramas. It also stands on the site of a Joseon-era depot where grain collected as tax was stored.

A church on the site of a tax-grain depot

During the Joseon period, Gongse-ri was home to Gongsegot, a depot where tax grain from counties across Chungcheong was gathered and shipped to the capital, Hanyang (today's Seoul). In 1523 an 80-bay warehouse was built here, and the village name Gongse, meaning "tribute tax", comes from it. Along the path up to the church you can still see a stone marking the depot site and memorial stones to the officials who supervised grain shipping.

The parish was founded in 1890 at Ganyanggol in Yesan and moved to Gongse-ri in 1895 with its second pastor, the French priest Émile Devise, known in Korean as Seong Il-ron. In 1899 he set up a hanok church and rectory near the old depot walls. In 1905 he opened a school for local children, and the ointment he made himself to treat villagers' boils became known as "Seong Il-ron's salve".

A Gothic church designed by its priest

Work on the present church began in 1920, and it was consecrated on 8 October 1922 (some sources date its completion to 1921). Devise, whose father was an architect, designed the church and the rectory himself and brought in Chinese craftsmen to build them. The red-brick church has a tall bell tower at the centre of its façade, and inside, a grey arched ceiling runs the length of the nave. The sanctuary was enlarged in 1971 for a growing congregation.

Devise served in Gongse-ri until 1930, returned to France in 1932 and died the following year. The church was designated a monument of South Chungcheong Province in 1998.

What to see

• The façade and stairway: the bell tower rising straight above a flight of stone steps is the church's signature view. From the foot of the steps the vertical lines of the Gothic design stand out best.
• The old rectory and museum: the red-brick rectory, with a splayed double stairway leading to its upper floor, now houses a museum. It covers the history of Catholicism and persecution in the region and displays Devise's letters and a replica of his gravestone in France.
• Martyrs' graves: three local believers martyred in the Byeongin persecution that began in 1866 are buried in the grounds.
• Protected trees: two zelkovas and a hackberry, each over 300 years old, were designated protected trees in 1982. Their massive trunks frame the church and make a favourite photo backdrop.

Tripto tips

• Etiquette: this is an active parish church and a pilgrimage site. Please avoid touring the interior during Mass and keep your voice down inside.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the church and grounds, 1–2 hours with the museum.
• Best seasons: autumn, when the zelkova leaves turn and set off the red brick, and late autumn and winter, when the bare branches reveal the whole building.
• Museum closing day: information on the weekly closing day varies, so if you want to see the museum, check the church website or call +82-41-533-8181 first.
• Getting there: from the stop outside Onyangoncheon Station (Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 / Janghang Line), city buses towards Inju such as routes 601, 610 and 614 stop in front of the church. They run infrequently, so check the timetable in advance. If you come by car, use the church car park.