Samcheong-dong

There's something about Samcheong-dong that makes you feel like you're in a different time and space. The pace here is much slower, much more relaxed than the rest of Seoul.

 

BUKCHON HANOK VILLAGE
37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
HANOK.SEOUL.GO.KR

The Bukchon Hanok Village is home to the traditional Korean houses which are called hanoks. Bukchon used to be the place where the nobility lived in the Joseon period. It has a quite interesting history and if you want to learn more, you can get more information here.

These days, a number of these hanoks have been turned into guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses, and cultural centers. We went inside one and for a fee, you will get a short tour of the home, learn about its history and then a refreshing tea is served at the end while you enjoy the garden scenery.

 

SNACKS! Snacks!

The walk around the Bukchon Hanok Village can be tiring, so you will definitely need snacks. There is no shortage of that here in terms of variety. Here are some favorites:

For hot summer days, they have soft serve ice cream in weird cones and sparkling drinks made with fresh fruits. Cold days are perfect for hotteok! Hotteok is a korean pancake filled with cinnamon and brown sugar syrup. It's fried, flattened, and best when eaten hot.

 

OISHI HAMBURGer STEAK
samcheong-ro 131, jongno-gu, seoul, south korea
#삼청동오이시함바그 on instagram

This is cute little spot near the end of Samcheong-dong's main street. We love hamburger steak and in this restaurant you get to cook it yourself using a hot stone that looks a lot like a hockey puck. It is made of grade A Korean beef and is super tasty.

 

TCHAI KIm
50 Hwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
@TCHAIKIM_OFFICIAL ON INSTA

Tchai Kim is a fashion line by Korean designer Kim Young-jin and its design approach is a modern take on the hanbok. I really wanted to get one, but alas! Nothing fit. The dresses in the store are I would say model size, but they also customize dresses made to order. It's bit pricey, but after seeing the workmanship and the fabrics in their store, I'd say it is totally worth it. The photo below was taken in December in their Samcheong-dong store with their 2017 winter collection on display.

There are lots of cute shops that sell crafts, gifts and accessories. That's me and my sister shopping for socks and stuff, LOL.

 

UKNOWN RESTO IN SAMCHEONG-RO

It's a pity that we forgot to get the name of this restaurant because their food is wickedly good. Their ban chan is one of the best we've had. We were in quite a hurry because we needed to get to the airport in a few hours, but I remember that it's just a few meters away from the Tchai Kim shop, along the main road Samcheong-ro. You'll need to walk up a small flight of stairs to get to it. Let me know if you find it!