Day 1: Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong

Bukchon Hanok Village is a Korean traditional village which reflects Seoul's history. It is where the past and present Seoul meet. 👭

Alley of beautifully restored Hanok

After Gyeongbokgung, we head over to Bukchon Hanok Village by foot. It was quite a walk.

Its the climb!

We exited at the right gate of the palace, walk straight and turned left at Bukchon Ro 5-gil. Walk ahead then turn left at Bukchon Ro. Enter through the alleyway of Donmi Pharmacy. This map helps.

Bukchon Hanok Village is quite hilly, so prepare yourself for an instant cardio workout. Wear comfortable shoes if you can.

Mandatory photo in hanok.

The neighborhood was quiet, it is not crowded with tourists when we got there. There were coffee and tea shops in a hanok setting but we're not able to try it. Maybe next time. 👌 Let us know if you have tried them and how was the experience! 🍵

After traipsing around Bukchon Hanok Village, we went to Ssamziegil - a shopping center located in Insadong. It has a unique and interesting architectural design - each level was formed like a spiral stairway.

Ssamziegil's unique design.

There food stalls on the first floor; we tried the poop bread for 1,500 won - it is a hot cake in the shape of a poo with a filling inside. You can choose between chocolate or red bean. We chose chocolate. 💙💚

Poop at it's finest 😁

After strolling in Insadong Street, we head home. I felt that we were not able to see the beauty of Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong at its best because of time constraints and us, getting lost all the time (which is quite fun!). But will be back to learn more about it's history and culture. 😉


Related:
7-Day Seoul Itinerary
Day 2: Everland (에버랜드) Part 1