The Value of Old Things — Stay Goi in Andong

The value of old things — Cherishing what’s old, Stay Goi in Andong

Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, carries 2,000 years of history, and tradition and art seep into every corner of the city. Nestled here, Stay Goi is a hanok stay that tells its guests a special story about old and discarded things.

Interviewer Parc Jinmyoung
Interviewee Lee Deokhwa (Founder of Goi)

Could you briefly introduce Stay Goi?
Stay Goi is an urban-living hanok stay run by Goi, an upcycled furniture workshop. We renovated a typical commoner’s house from the 1970s, common in the Andong area, preserving the eaves, pillars, and beams while adding convenience and safety.

What does the name ‘Goi’ mean?
It comes from the phrase meaning ‘to quietly arrive’ at a place you wish to reach. It also carries the double meaning of ‘with great care, tenderly’ and ‘making old things beneficial.’ We named it this way with the hope that whatever we do—whether living our lives or making something—we do it with sincerity.

What connection do you have with Andong, where Stay Goi is located?
We had no particular ties to the area, but we were drawn here by the scenery of Byeongsan Seowon and Dosan Seowon. There’s something about a space—a house—that stands in harmony with its surroundings, remaining unchanged despite the passage of time, that gives off a strangely comforting and warm feeling.

What led you to open Stay Goi?
We build hanok using passive design methods and make upcycled furniture. We thought it would be meaningful to apply both of these practices directly to a space where many people could stay and live. With that intention, we began operating one of the spaces we had worked on as accommodations—and that was the start of Stay Goi.

Furniture and objects made by hand from discarded wood are found throughout the stay. What did you consider most important when putting the space together?
The furniture we make mainly uses aged timber salvaged from old hanok and rebar removed from demolished concrete houses. Most of these materials are anywhere from 40 to 50 years old, sometimes even up to a century old. Rather than having any special intention when composing the space, we simply hoped that travelers would naturally feel the comfort that comes from materials that have accumulated time.

I heard that when building Stay Goi, you considered various sustainable methods, such as minimizing waste and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. What was the most difficult part?
I think it was the complexity of the process and the budget. Every step was cumbersome and challenging—minimizing the use of machinery during demolition and doing as much as possible by hand in order to preserve materials, or selecting eco-friendly materials that still meet insulation standards.

On the other hand, what’s the best part about buildings constructed this way?
Anyone who has renovated a hanok using passive methods would agree on this point—you retain the natural comfort that a hanok offers, while spending less on maintenance (heating and cooling costs) compared to a typical hanok. When we built Stay Goi, we also aimed to create a house that could last a long time through gradual maintenance and repair, and I’m curious to see what the future holds for this house.

What led you to become an upcycled furniture designer?
Even before becoming a furniture designer, I felt a sense of comfort in the color and texture of old wood. I always thought that furniture made from such wood could be kept close and used for a long time, but that thought never quite led me to decide to make furniture myself. Before settling in Andong, I lived for about seven years in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, where I personally renovated an old log cabin deep in the mountains. To dispose of the construction waste that came out of that project, I visited a waste collection site, and I was shocked to see an entire valley buried under a mountain of trash. After witnessing that scene firsthand, I began thinking a lot about the process of making and consuming things. Around that time, while talking with friends who work as hanok carpenters, I realized we were all grappling with similar concerns, and we decided to join forces with the mindset of ‘let’s do what we can, starting now.’

Is there something you hope travelers experience at Stay Goi, or a particular moment you hope they have?
As someone running a place to stay, I can’t help but think about what elements travelers would enjoy. As a result, amenities and services like jacuzzis, OTT streaming channels, and premium branded appliances have become standard, and to stand out even further, increasingly extravagant and luxurious ultra-high-end accommodations keep appearing. In this process, it sometimes troubles me to see interiors, furniture, and houses that are still perfectly usable being discarded and torn down.
That was a long preamble to say, with apologies, that our stay doesn’t offer many flashy attractions. The internet is connected and the market is nearby, so while it’s not exactly off-grid, we hope that those who stay here can spend a quiet moment in a space with fewer stimulating distractions. There’s no TV, but in every corner you’ll find objects, furniture, ceramics, and lighting carefully crafted by artisans. By reviving an old house that was once precious to someone, and filling it with handcrafted pieces, we hope to offer more than just a place to sleep—an experience where architecture, craft, and everyday life come together warmly.

Where is your favorite travel destination?
I have so many places I love. I especially enjoy visiting temples in different regions, regardless of religion—Woljeongsa in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, where you can walk along an old forest path; Buseoksa in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, whose muted dancheong colors are so charming; and the elegant Bulguksa in Gyeongju.

Where will your next trip take you?
I’d like to travel with gardens as the theme—artificial gardens, natural gardens, public gardens, private gardens.

Do you have any plans or goals for this year?
Even though I go by the title of upcycled furniture designer, I haven’t paid much attention to upcycling in fields outside of my own work. I hope this year will be one where I properly study upcycling practices across various fields, and also explore possible collaborations with creators and activists working in related areas.

* The lamps and bandaji (traditional Korean chests) by Goi shown in the photos have been patented and registered as designs in recognition of their unique form and manufacturing method.