"I have an immense love and respect for our Korean things, yet I'm also a contemporary person," said Ms. Kim, who said she wrangled with Bukchon's design-review board for more than a year to get her renovation plans approved.
The article said Mr Kim had high hopes for the "educational significance in making people love Korean things".
If the regime has given up on winning over the South Korean electorate, things could get much more dangerous than they already are.
When Mr Kim was elected president in December 1997, many South Koreans hoped things would change.
Indeed, when it comes to IT, South Koreans do things differently.
"Koreans do things quicker than almost anyone," said Anthony Michell, author of "Samsung Electronics and the Struggle for Leadership of the Electronics Industry".
If that could be viewed as spectacular payback on the Koreans' part, things have continued to bubble along in the years since.
As for the typical western gap year rites of passage, sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, Ford's examples confirm that young North Koreans do things differently.
On the Bab is a curious name if you're just passing and not down with the whole Korean street-food thing.
