 
Ewha Woman's (sic) University is located in Daehyun-dong, in a
neighborhood named Shinchon (meaning "new town").
Ewha (the name means "Pear Blossoms") began over 100 years ago
at the residence of founder Mary F. Scranton. The following year, a new school building of 99
traditional Korean style rooms was dedicated in Chong-dong, central Seoul. In 1925, headmaster
Alice Appenzeller had Ewha accredited as a college and secured the present location for its
campus. Ten years later, the Ewha campus moved from Chong-dong to
Shinchon.
The Shinchon campus has grown considerably since then, from 181,800 square meters to 582,752
square meters. There are 33 stone and concrete structures on the campus, considered by many to
be the most beautiful campus in Korea. The famous building is the grand auditorium, the largest
such building in Asia, where 3,700 people can sit together. It also includes the world's only
College of Engineering exclusively for women.
The area near the front gate of Ewha contains one of the highest
concentrations of stores in Korea that sell clothes, shoes, hats, handbags, and other accessories
that appeal to young females. (The area also has several men's clothing stores.) Some of the
trendiest frachises have outlets in the area. Numerous beauty salons advertise that previous Miss
Korea contentants had their hair done in their shops, adding to the trendiness of the area.
More than 120 wedding boutiques line both sides of the main street from the entrance of
Ewha to Ahyon Station,
forming a wedding dress district, famous throughout Korea. They feature a wide array of magnificent
wedding dresses that exhibit the skill and handwork of each boutique that appeal both to future
brides and to female passers-by who dream of their marriage. Stores do a brisk business near graduation
season (Ewha undergraduates must remain single).
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