Often referred to as a "secret garden" for the very rare chance of it being revealed to the public eye, Seongnagwon managed to retain the original qualities of the traditional Korean garden style as ownership passed through private hands, including Joseon-era aristocrat Minister of Personnel Sim Sang-eung and a member of the last royal family of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Now officially designated a national "scenic site," it is owned by a descendant of the Joseon aristocrat.