My long anticipated trip to Seoul was almost in jeopardy as just a few days before my arrival a spike of Coronavirus cases appeared in South Korea – quickly moving the country to second place in the rankings after China.
Airlines implemented flight bans and my time in South Korea has been cut short from 3 weeks to 4 days. Tourism basically died overnight and I found myself among the very last few visitors before most attractions shut down.
It was a beautiful but crisp day in Seoul. I took the chance in this eerie quietness to head to Bukchon Hanok Village – a neighbourhood of traditional Korean houses – and one of Seoul’s most popular tourist attractions. Several signs remind you that this “village” isn’t a museum but a real residential area which happens to be very picturesque with it’s narrow streets and wooden architecture. Strolling through the alleys felt like a throwback in time in this otherwise very modern metropolis!
Recommended stops:
Seoul 1896: A carefully curated shop that sells locally handcrafted items from Korean designers for household and decoration.
Cha-Teul: Drinking tea is vital part of Korean culture and Korea has a huge variety of teas, not only made of tea leaves but different kind of grains and fruits. Hidden inside a beautiful “Hanok” (traditional Korean house), you’ll find this charming tea house which offers fantastic views and an excellent tea menu. If you’re new in into the world of Korean teas, I’d recommend to look into this guide!
South of the village near the metro station Anguk, you’ll find plenty of Korean restaurants – a perfect spot for a lunch or dinner break.
A trip to Bukchon should be combined with a visit to Seoul’s popular shopping street Insadong. Only a short walk away, Insadong and its side alleys are filled with shops, restaurants and cafes, most of them focusing on Korean products and antiques.
Anyeong Insadong: Shopping is the number one activity on Insadong but if you’re looking for a place that serves all your shopping needs at once, Anyeong Insadong, is the place to be! It’s a modern mall with dozens of different stores, most of them run by independent artists selling their products like jewelry, clothes, accessories and more. However, an Asian mall would be incomplete if there wasn’t plenty of photo options and popular themed restaurants as well (e.g. there’s a “toilet” restaurant and an Arcade restaurant). Even for non-shoppers it’s a fun place to explore.
Shin Old Tea House: If you discovered your taste for Korean teas, Insadong is brimming with more quirky tea houses. Shin Old Tea House feels like stepping into another world from the busy street into a quiet piece of paradise.
Directions:
Both, Bukchon and Insadong can be reached best by metro line 3. Get off at station 328 Anguk. Important: Google Maps doesn’t provide location services in South Korea. For navigation you should either download Naver Map or KakaoMap to your smartphone.
12 Comments
ja, ich erinner mich noch als ich deine insta postings gesehen hab wie es mit corona losgegangen ist… die bilder sehen wieder einmal sehr spannend aus, aber irgendwie doch anders, als ich es mir da vorgestellt hab. andererseits… wie hab ichs mir vorgestellt? könnte ich grad schwer beantworten… aber vor allem gut, dass du ohne probleme wieder heim gekommen bist…
Stimmt, aber ironischerweise ist es in Europa und Amerika erst losgegangen als ich heimgekommen bin und im Nachhinein wäre ich in Korea wahrscheinlich sicherer gewesen als anderswo 😛 Bin trotzdem froh dass ich nicht “gestrandet” bin 😉
das glaub ich dir!
Wunderschöne Bilder! Total schön und die wecken in mir echt das Fernweh!
Vielen Dank! Das mit dem Fernweh kann ich sehr gut nachvollziehen!
I really love the old part of Japan. I recall Beijing has a ‘toilet’ themed restaurant – I never went there – a friend did – didn’t sound like my sort of place to be honest. Love your first photo too of the ladies…no people around – how special.
Yes, I’d say everything about this trip was pretty strange 😉
Great photos. I loved Bukchon when I visited a few years back, so odd to see everyone dressed in traditional clothes having their photos taken in doorways, although not as strange to be there when the streets were empty.
Thank you! Yes, I can see why this is a very popular place under normal circumstances :/
A beautiful trip cut short. What a shame. I’d been wondering about you lately. I imagine you’re in lockdown in the US? Stay safe. 🙏🏻😷
Thanks for your concern. Yes, it’s been some really long months and while we’re on a good way here in NY, the nationwide situation is quite concerning 🙁 Stay safe!
You too. I see no “plateau” in the curves in the US. Take good care of yourself. 🙏🏻😷