A Street Museum in Korea downtown, Bukchon
‘Living Museum, Bukchon’, the Past and the Present of Korea Co-exist
Joe Young Eun (Kyung Hee University in South Korea /Student journalist from Visit Korea)
Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon Hanok Village is Seoul’s representative traditional residental area densely filled with traditional Korean houses. There are many historic sites, cultural assets, and folk materials in this area, it is also called ‘street museum in downtown Seoul’. The name, 'Bukchon,' which literally translates to 'northern village,' came about as the village lies to the north of Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. It covers Gahoedong, Songhyeondong, Angukdong, and Samcheongdong. Historic sites and cultural assets dating back to Joseon Dynasty through modern times, and antique Hanok houses located along the alleyways tell the visitors the history of Bukchon.
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★ Directions to Bukchon Hanok Village: Anguk Station (Seoul subway line3), exit 2, 10-minute walk
★ Hanok Village has many uphills and downhills, comfortable footwear is recommended (preferably sneakers).
Living Museum in Seoul
Bukchon : Bukchon 5th Great Scenery and 6th great scenery
There are Bukchon Eight Great Sceneries that best reflect the vernacular atmosphere of Bukchon Hanok Village. You can see the fifth and sixth sceneries while you are walking along the uphill and downhill in Gaheodongd. These sceneries are so attractive to catch the eyes of foreign visitors and they are always popular among tourists. The Hanok houses lined up along the uphill and downhill alleyways are beautiful enough to be called ‘Landmark of Hanok Village’. Especially inn autumn, the colors of Hanok houses created by the rays of autumn sunshine shining down on the wooden columns, loop-tiles, and the brick walls against the background of clear sky are stunning. The sixth great scene include distant view of tall buildings in downtown Seoul far behind the Hanok houses, reflecting the past and the present co-existing in Seoul. If you see N Seoul Tower from Bukchon Hanok Village, you will have offbeat feelings.
* Bukchon 5th great scenery (Gahoedong downhill alleyway) Bukchon 6th great scenery uphill alleyway) *
There are more diverse types of Hanok houses along the narrow alleyways branched off the Gahoedong alleyway. Kkokdurang Hanok located between the fifth scenery and the sixth scenery allows visitors to enter the house to have a look around.
* Kkokdurang Hanok (main gate and inside the gate) *
There are more diverse types of Hanok houses along the narrow alleyways branched off the Gahoedong alleyway. Kkokdurang Hanok located between the fifth scenery and the sixth scenery allows visitors to enter the house to have a look around.
Living Museum in Seoul
Bukchon : Bukchon 7th Great Scenery
After the Bukchon sixth great scenery is a small but peacefully located in a narrow alleyway from which you will meet the Bukchon seventh great scenery. With less people here than around the fifth sixth great scenery zones, you can enjoy the calm atmosphere and austere simplicity of Hanok village.
* Walls connecting to the Bukchon 7th great scenery & Bukchon 7th great scenery (Gahoedong 31) *
Living Museum in Seoul
Bukchon : Bukchon Observatory and 8th Great Sceneary Zone Stone Stairway
After the seventh great scenery, you will reach at the Bukchon Observatory to see the great view over the village. With the traditional tile-roofed houses and modern style houses closes located together, this is another place in Bukchon where you can see the past and the present co-existing in Seoul. From the observatory, it is also available to see the magnificent view of the Seoul’s representative Inwangsan Mountain covered with large granite rocks, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the pointy tower of National Folk Museum. At sunset, Bukchon is especially splendid.
After the observatory, stone stairway will lead you to the gingko tree-lined Samcheong-ro street. Walking along the stairway, you can still feel the calm and peaceful atmosphere of Bukchon Hanok Village. Samcheon-ro is full of art galleries and art shops, cafes and restaurants of exteriors well matched with the atmosphere of the Hanok Village, creating picturesque sceneries.
* Stone stairway connecting the Hanok village and Samcheong-ro *
Living Museum in Seoul
Bukchon : More Alleyways in Bukchon
Event without the Bukchon eight great sceneries, Bukchon is full of attractions. Narrow alleyways reflect the beauty of Hanok and the residents’ lives. Densely planted plants in a small yard, piano music played by a student pianist in a piano lesson, and sounds of bells ringing every hour lead visitors to the pleasant story of Bukchon. Looking at the cute mural paintings on the building walls, and even the electric poles and water pipes painted to be well matched with the atmosphere of Bukchon, you can feel the residents’ affection for the village and will automatically crack a smile. The atmosphere of the village spreads out from the peaceful Hanok houses to the surrounding narrow alleyways.
* Narrow alleyway with beautiful autumn leaves & Shelter with cute mural paintings *
Walking around Bukchon, it is easy to see a middle aged lady watering the plants in front of a Hanok house, a middle aged man delivering briquettes, clothes on clotheslines over the wall, and cones and red chillies dried in the sun because people actually still live there. After enjoying the beauty of traditional Korean houses along with the small stories of the residents’ mundane lives, Bukchon will be more meaningful to you.
*Alleyways in Bukchon *
★ Note : Bukchon Hanok Village is a residential area. Careful consideration on the residents and protection of their space are required. Do not use loudspeaker and microphone. Do not throw trash on the street. Do not take pictures of inside the houses or enter the houses through the open doors.
Living Museum in Seoul
Bukchon : Sneaks in Bukchon
* Samcheongdong Hotteok ( Yachae Hotteok, Kkul Hotteok )
Walking around the Bukchon area, you will see various street foods from large streets in Hanok Village to small alleyways. Among them is Hotteok. One of the Korea's representative street foods, Hotteok is a sneak beloved by Koreans of all ages. Hotteok is made by griddling dough from wheat or glutinous rice flour stuffed with nuts, honey, glass noodles and vegetables, or red beans. The most popular Samcheondong Hotteok in Bukchon sells more than 1,200 Hotteok a day. There is always a long line waiting for their Hotteok. Hotteok is expecially good in Winter, but Samcheondong Hotteok is popular all around the year. They sell Hotteok with Glass noodle with vagetables (called Yachae Hotteok) and Hotteok with honey and nuts (called Kkulhotteok). Prices are reasonable as 1,000 won and 1,500 won apiece each. Yachae Hotteok filled with glass noodles and vegetables has clean taste and it is filling. Kkulhotteok is the most typical type of Hotteok. Featuring harmonious taste of sweet honey and savory nuts, Kkulhotteok gives different taste with Yachae Hotteok. Hotteok is not pretty nor fancy because it has uneven surface and served in a paper cup, but the freshly griddled Hotteok filled with warm fillings reflects warm Korean sentiments.
Address: Seoul-si Jongno-gu Hwa-dong 138-16
Phone: +82-2-732-0420
* Saetbyeoldang (Dak-kkochi with chili pepper dressing or soy source dressing)*
Saetbyeoldang located in the Samcheongdong alleyway is a popular place for Kkochi, Korea's representative snack. Entering the alley with small stores after Jeongdok Library, you will get the great smell of grilling Kkochi. Kkochi is a food beloved by people across the world, but Koreans especially like Kkochi drenched with spicy sauce. Saetbyeoldang has two types of sauces including spicy red chilli sauce and soy sauce. Price of Kkochi is 2,000 for apiece. Kkochi served at Saetbyeoldang is expecially tastey because right after an order is received, pregrilled Kkochi is drenched with sause and grilled on a gridiron. When grilled on a gridiron, it absorbs a fiery scent that makes the Kkochi more tasty.
Address : Seoul-si Jongno-gu Sogyeok-doing 144-6
Phone : +82-70-7773-4773
* Insadong Specialty Bukchon Sonmando (Home-made dumplings (Steamed dumpling and Cold noolde) *
Entering the alley where Jaedong elementary school is located, there is a Naengmyeon and mandu restaurant. Naengmyeon is Korea's representative summer food, but it is enjoyed all year long. It was originated in the northern part of Korean peninsula. Two major nnaengmyeons are Pyeongyang Naengmyeon and Hamheung Naengmyeon.
Here, they serve Pi Naengmyeon, which is cold noodle soup with beef broth, watery radish kimchi, noddles, a few slices of meat, boiled egg, vegetables, and ice. Pi Naengmyeon has red colored spicy sauce that creates the tasty and spicy taste. if you eat their fully filled mandu together with Naengmyeon, it will be a great meal. They have steamed mandu (meat dumpling and kimchi dumpling), fried mandu(meat dumpling and glass noodle dumpling), Gullim Mando, shrimp mandu, and assorted mandu plate. Mandu soothes the stimulated taste buds by the spicy noodle, and the noodle can wash off the oily taste of dumplings. So, they are a great pair. Pi Naengmyeon is 6,000, one plate of steamed dumpling is 3,500won.
Address: Seoul-si jongno-gu bukchon-no 4gil 45-8
Phone : +82-2-745-2121
Thank you for reading my post . Visit Korea ^-^~
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