Yuhan Corp. unveiled Willow House, a new cultural complex created from its former headquarters building as the company prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The company plans to use the space as a new community hub that reflects the legacy of founder Ilhan New and Yuhan’s century-long history.
Speaking at a press briefing held at Willow House in Seoul’s Dongjak District on June 24, Yuhan CEO Cho Wook-je said, “Willow House is a space that connects Yuhan’s past 100 years with its next 100 years. Rather than demolishing an old building, we breathed new life into it, creating a place where the past, present and future naturally come together.”
Willow House is a mixed-use cultural facility created through the renovation of Yuhan’s former headquarters building in Daebang-dong. The site served as the company’s headquarters and manufacturing facility for about 35 years after Yuhan relocated there in 1962, before moving to its current headquarters in 1997. The building holds symbolic significance as a place that witnessed founder Ilhan New’s legacy, the dedication of generations of employees and the company’s growth.
Cho said, “We have established a new foundation for the next 100 years atop a space where decades of history are embedded in every brick. We wanted to put into practice, in today’s way, the founder’s philosophy of giving back to society.”
He added, “Willow House is not a space exclusively for employees but one that is open to citizens and the local community. It also embodies Yuhan’s vision of growing into a global pharmaceutical company that contributes not only to public health but to the health of humanity.”
Yuhan began preparing the project in 2022, formed a dedicated task force in 2023 and finalized development plans. Design work and construction permits were completed in 2024, with construction beginning last year and finishing in April. Approximately 50,000 workers participated during the roughly 20-month construction period, which was completed without a single safety incident.
Park Chan-hwan, head of Yuhan’s Management Division, said, “We created Willow House to preserve the value of our former headquarters, which holds more than 60 years of history and memories, while sharing the founder’s philosophy and corporate values with future generations and strengthening ties with the local community.”
Willow House consists of two main areas: the Yuhan Archive and Willow Ground. The Yuhan Archive serves as an exhibition space dedicated to the company’s founding philosophy and 100-year history, featuring a Memory Hall and a Vision Hall that presents the company’s future direction. Willow Ground includes a café, multipurpose hall and other cultural and community facilities for local residents and visitors.
Yuhan plans to operate Willow House as a cultural complex that shares the company’s history and founding principles while fostering closer engagement with the local community.