Here’s an inside look on what you can see and do in the Jongno-gu district of Seoul, South Korea in this inside look.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
(Opened from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM : Closed every Tuesday)
(Costs: 3,000 KRW or Free entry wearing a Hanbok)
If you are visiting Seoul for the first time and not going to Gyeongbokgung Palace, then you are doing something wrong. Built in 1935, Gyeongbokgung Palace is the most beautiful and largest palace within Seoul. You can enter the palace through any one of its four entrances on each side and will cost you 3,000 KRW. However, you can get into the palace for free if you rent a hanbok and wear it while visiting.
A Hanbok is a traditional Korean dress for semi-formal or formal attire. Hanbok come in many different colors and styles and their are different versions for both men and women. There are many places around Gyeongbokgung Palace that allow you to rent hanbok in various vibrant colors for around 5,000 KRW — 10,000 KRW for two hours. When I visited we went to a local hanbok shop called The Artist Hanbok. Here you can rent a hanbok and additional accessories for 5,000 KRW for two hours.
The Artist Hanbok
During your visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace you can see the changing of the guards twice a day at the main gate at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m and it lasts for around fifteen minutes. Be sure to get their earlier because there are crowds of people all around to watch the guard change and it is a spectacular sight to see so many guards dressed up.
Inside the palace there were many different and beautiful areas to see. Here are a few key places to see inside.
1. Heungnyemun Gate
If you go through the main entrance of the palace, you will have to go through this gate in order to get anywhere else in the palace. If you went through any other entrance, make sure to visit this spot.
2. Geunjeongjeon (Main Throne Hall)
This is the most formal hall in the palace where the King met his officials and discussed problems within the nation. It was also a place where the king held meetings, handled state affairs and even held receptions for foreign dignitaries or visitors. Usually this section is very busy and packed with tourists all around the clock.
3. Sajeongjeon
Sajeongjeon is a hall was built to be the main executive office of the King. The king held his daily meetings and delegated orders and tasks for his officials here. Inside you can see a painting of a dragon, throne and other various artifacts.
4. Gyeonghoeru Pavilion
The pavilion was used for banquets and entertainment for the king and his guests. Surrounding the pavilion is a man-made lotus pond, making it an attractive place to take pictures or selfies. In order to go in, you must reserve a spot a day before and it cost nothing to do so. In order to make a reservation you can use this foreigner exclusive line at (+82–2–3700–3904).
The National Folk Museum of Korea
(Opened from 9 AM to 6:30 PM everyday)
(Free entry everyday)
Located within Gyeongbokgung Palace, The National Folk Museum of Korea offers free entry to everyone and is a place where you can learn and see Korea’s historical artifacts used in the daily lives of Korean people in the past. We entered the Folk Museum when we exited through one of the side entrances of Gyeongbokgung Palace and easy to spot because of the tall and ancient looking tower.
Inside the Museum has three different exhibit halls and a temporary hall displaying a certain aspect of Korea.The first exhibit features the history of the Korean people and has artifacts displaying ancient times all the way to modern times for Korea.
In the second hall you can learn about the Korean Way of Life, visitors can learn about the daily agricultural lives of farmers and how they prepare for each season, the development of farming and harvesting tools, irrigation systems and the type of food grown.
In the third all you can see the life cycle of the Korean people overtime.The hall traces the life of an upper class citizen from birth to death, including birthdays, marriage, education, careers and families.
There was also a special exhibit on display about the Incheon region of South Korea and what life is like there. There was a display of different farming items, books and additional items.
The Museum also features a children’s folk museum next door and is a good place to take your children. Outside the Folk Museum you will find an old fashion small replica of a village that is cool to see, different artworks and more.
The traditional village takes visitors back to the late 19th century when a new modern culture was arriving when electricity was first made available. Here you will see an old style grocery store, cafe, a barbershop, comic book stores, and more. You don’t have to spend all your time here, but taking a quick glance in the Folk Museum is definitely worth it because it’s free.
Bukchon Hanok Village
Located in the area next to Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village has hundreds of traditional houses that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. Many of the buildings along this street operate as cultural spots, guesthouses, restaurants, cafes, tea houses and more. Around the village you will see some shops selling traditional Korean souvenirs or stumble upon hidden workshops filled with beautiful local artwork.
The name Bukchon translates as northern village and Hanok means traditional houses. Due to the village being close to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace, it was home to many high-ranking government officials and their families.
Around the village you will see helpful guides that will help you navigate or give you some information. These people will be wearing red and they work for the Korea Tourism service. Nearby you can visit Samcheongdong Culture Street and even a cafe area.
One coffee shop called Blue Bottle Coffee literally has lines running out the door. Having locations all over the world their coffee tasted really good and they specialize in hand drip coffee, single origin blends and the freshest coffee possible.
The service their is great too with employees serving water to you while you wait and they offer umbrellas for you to hold outside if its sunny or rainy. Inside you can find three different floors. The first floor is where you order you beverage and the second floor is where you pick it up. A great spot to relax for a little bit after touring Bukchon Hanok Village.
Insa-dong
Insa-dong is a cultural center for Korea’s traditional and modern aspects. Here on this large and long creative street you will find Korean made handicrafts, cafes, tea houses, restaurants, museums, and antique shops. Of course there are many areas that sell Korean souvenirs, but Insa-dong is one of the best places to buy because of the amount of vendors and there seems to be more variety in the different items you can purchase.
Some examples of unique goods are Korean traditional snacks in gift boxes, Traditionally made Soju, and even large chests. A lot of the restaurants in Insa-dong also offer many unique meals and there are also a lot of vendors selling street food like tteokbokki, hotteok, beef skewers, smoothies and etc.
One of the most unique dining experiences that you can do in Insa-dong is the temple food experience. Korean temple food is a type of cuisine that originated in the Buddhist temples of Korea and all of the dishes are meat free because Korean Buddhism forbids meat. Basically when you do the temple experience you are eating a variety of vegetarian options that include mountain herbs, wild greens, roots, stems, fruits, and flowers prepared in all sorts of ways. They can be served as kimchi, tempura, in a stew and more. I rarely eat vegetables on a daily basis, but the temple food was pretty tasty. The flavors of the different dishes and variety of dishes served offers something for everyone to try.
One interesting fact of the street is that all of the shops and stores in Insa-dong must have their name displayed in Hangul and that includes the local Starbucks and other chain stores. Some notable places within Insa-dong are
- Tapgol park where you can see the Wongaksa Pagoda that dates back to 1467.
- The Beautiful Tea Museum offering over 130 different types of tea from countries within Asia.
- Ssamiziegil a building that has a spiral outdoor courtyard walkway and over 70 stores.
- Toy Museum
- Savina Museum of Contemporary Art
We hope this guide will be helpful for when you plan your global travels to Seoul, South Korea.
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