Seoul - Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong

Bukchon Hanok Village

Bukchon Hanok Village

Direction: It is a little difficult to figure out what is Bukchon Hanok Village. My initial thought was that it is a building or tourist attraction where you pay to enter or a park where you can recognise immediately but NO!! The Bukchon Hanok Village is a town by itself. So you maybe already be walking on the village but not realising it. To get to Bukchon, take a subway to Anguk station and go to exit 2. From the exit, walk directly up the road along the Constitutional Court of Korea at the opposite of the road (Do not cross the road). After 200 or 300 meters you will reach a tourist information center at the corner. From there you can get a tourist map of the area for free and it will explain the different areas of the village. The village is a residential area itself so there are people staying in the building.

Bukchon is like a village frozen in time for ages, although its location is right in the middle of the modernized metropolitan city of Seoul. Since it is located in the northern part fo Cheonggyecheon and Jongno, people named this area Bukchon, which means "northern village". In the village there are neighbourhoods of Gahoe-dong, Songhyeon-dong and Samcheong-dong, whose names evoke affection in all Seoulites. On the upper side of Bukchon, a Hanok village is nestled on the embankment, while below modernly altered streets harmonized with the village, allowing an experience to feel the affable co-existence of both modern and traditional architecture.

Not sure what is happening but as we walk around, there is a group of Koreans wearing traditional clothes walking around and taking photographs at different stops. I think it is some kind of wedding photoshoot? There is a leader bringing them around and do not allow us to take pictures.

 Insadong

Insadong craft complex.

Direction: Insadong is very close to the Anguk station so I walked to Insadong after visiting Bukchon. It is indicated in the tourist map so I just followed the map. In case there is no map, just go to exit 6 of Anguk station then walk down the road you will arrive at Insadong. 


Insa-dong (인사동), located in the heart of the city, is an important place where old but precious and traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Within these alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, traditional teahouses, and cafes. The galleries are the heartbeat of Insa-dong. There are about 100 galleries in the area and you can see every example of traditional Korean fine art from paintings to sculptures. The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which functions as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center. The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect complement to the galleries. At first they might be hard to find, but if you take the time to stroll around the twisting alleyways, the window shopping in itself can be very entertaining. The shops in Insa-dong are very popular among all age groups, because each one is unique.
Every Saturday from 14:00 – 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 – 22:00, some streets are blocked off from traffic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and others set up shops (Korean candy merchants and fortune tellers.) There are traditional performances and exhibits as well. Insa-dong is especially popular with foreign tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture firsthand, and also purchase pieces of fine art. On the street you can eat Korean taffy and traditional pajeon (Korean pancake), and see many foreigners lost in all the joyous festivities of the street.

This is the place to get Korean craft as you do not find much souvenirs at other areas of Seoul.

View of the craft complex from below. It is a 3 storey building with many craft shops and cafes.

Along the streets of Insadong, you can see people eating a long U shape cone ice cream. This is the shop selling the ice cream. Taste so so but the shape makes people curious and buy it. Clever marketing gimmick!!

Seoul - Hongdae street market and Gyeongbokgung palace

Hongdae street market

Hongik University Station exit to Hongdae street market.

Direction: Take subway to Hongik University Station.

Hongdae-ap (the area in front of Hongik University) is a neighborhood known for its youthful and romantic ambience, underground cultures, and freedom of self-expression. Unique cafes, cozy galleries, accessory stores, fashion shops, live cafés and clubs, art markets, and gourmet eateries make this a popular hang-out for locals in their 20s and 30s and a fascinating place to walk around.

Also in this same area is the ‘A ballerina who loves b-boy’ theater and other theaters dedicated to the art of b-boy dance. Another big draw of Hongdae is the weekend ‘Free market,’ (1pm to 6m) where artists gather each week to display and sell their handmade crafts and accessories. During the market time there are usually a variety of open-air concerts and events as well.

These unique place plus the cultural events, street performances, and festivals held here make Hongdae-ap an area that is always packed with people and excitement. Special streets such as ateliers’ street (with full of private institutions for art students preparing for university entrance exams), Picasso’s Street, and Club Street are also must-go places if you’re hoping to fully experience the Hongdae area.

If you are looking for food, Hongdae and Ehwa University is the place to go. The food is cheaper in these areas and you can get better quality food here. During my trip, after tasting so much of Korean food and not knowing where to go, I took the subway back to Ehwa and look for a restaurant there.

Recomended: For food

Gyeongbokgung

Entrance of Gyeongbokgung

Entrance fee: 3000 won. There is also an integrated ticket at the cost of 10000 won where you can visit many other palace and places. I did not buy the integrated ticket as I didnt plan to visit all those places but if you are going to, then it is cheaper.
Direction: Exit Gyeongbokgung Palace station and it is just a few minutes walk to exit the station. The signs are very clear how to get there as it is the main attraction in that area and can hardly miss.

Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all five palaces.

The premises were destroyed by fire during the Imjinwaeran War (Japanese Invasion, 1592-1598). However, all of the palace's 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun during the reign of King Gojong (1852-1919) .

Remarkably, the most representative edifices of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeonghoe-ru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong Pond are still relatively in tact. Woldae and the sculptures of Geunjeongjeon (The Royal Audience Chamber) represent past sculpture of contemporary art.

The National Palace Museum of Korea is located south of Heungnyemun Gate, and the National Folk Museum is located east within Hyangwonjeong.

The palace is very huge and after entering the entrance, there are gardens, lake, and quarters you can explore. There is also another gate to enter the palace or exit if you want. In the middle, there is a small lake with a pagoda in the middle. At the main entrance, they have Koreans dress up as the guards standing beside the gates and you can take pictures with them. They will just stand still there but if you touch them they will react "aggresively". You are not suppose to touch them. There will also be many tourists there so you will have to que up.

Palace guard marching in front of the gates.

Main hall of the palace. It cannot be entered and only able to peek inside.

We saw Korean couples taking wedding photo's in the palace.