Since the late 1980s, post-colonial discourse based on anti-Japanese imperialism has influenced the place-making of national facilities in South Korea. This study examines the spatial transformation and post-colonial discursive shift through the changing place identity of Cheongwadae (the Blue House), analysing the 1989 master plan for its reconstruction and the contentious debate over its reuse following its public opening in 2022. The research reveals distinctive aspects of South Korea’s post-colonial discourse, showing how the 1989 master plan created a symbolic national space by reproducing traditional architectural styles and introducing new urban axes that reconnected Seoul’s historical landmarks to Cheongwadae as a project of nation-building. The 2022 opening exposed conflicting ideas about Cheongwadae’s place and identity, both as a historical site of the lost kingdom and as a national symbol of modern authority. Specifically, the naming politics surrounding Cheongwadae revealed that preserving this political site in South Korea has become more significant than restoring the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace, reflecting South Korea’s shifting post-colonial discourse. This suggests that the restoration of Joseon Dynasty heritage – once driven by anti-Japanese sentiment and symbolised by the “Correcting the Past” movement – is no longer a singularly dominant strategy for representing national identity.