We all know that when visiting a country, one of the most important things is to get to know and immerse yourself in the culture of the place, which is why today I will tell you about one of the most traditional neighborhoods in Seoul: Insadong!
But where is Insadong located, and how was this neighborhood born?
Insadong (인사동) is located in the Jongno district – we have already encountered this district in previous articles –
Anyway: Insadong is made up of many small streets that brings you to different areas of the city, plus, this beautiful neighborhood is home to a vast number of art galleries and tea houses, and is also known in history as the largest antique and art market in Korea.
Insadong began 500 years ago as a residence area for officials, and after the end of the Korean War, this area became the center of cafés and artistic culture.
Furthermore, this area became very popular among foreigners during the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Continuing to attract tourists from all over the world, this neighborhood offers traditional-style accommodation, cafés and restaurants.
So what to do in Insadong?
Well first of all it is an excellent place to fully experience Korean tradition, visit the artisan shops that sell traditional products such as ceramic objects, tea and traditional Hanji paper (한지) and its calligraphy brushes. -I highly recommend this area to buy souvenirs as you have the possibility to find cheap or slightly more expensive items depending on your budget-
You can also take long walks through the streets of the neighborhood and find your own suitable place to eat something or drink a traditional coffee or tea.
Ssamziegil (쌈지길)
Ssamziegil (쌈지길) is a shopping center located in the heart of Insadong and is the center of many small artisan shops, cafes and art galleries. The interesting thing about this place is that in addition to being outdoors you have the possibility of going up a spiral encountering a vast amount of tradition, including food and handmade objects. At the top of the shopping center you can also have a nice view of the neighborhood and its surroundings.
Address: 44 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Annyeong Insadong (안녕인사동)
About 1 minute walking from Ssamziegil (쌈지길), there is another shopping mall, called Annyeong Insadong (안녕인사동), this place also offers many activities to do and cafes to visit. I would really like to recommend you to stop by Seollaeneun Majung (설레는마중) café, this place offers delicious traditional Korean desserts, such as Hangeul Bread (한글빵) -the red bean ones are amazing, I recommend you try them-
And if you are a fan of Line characters, you can find their ”Line Friends” store as well.
Address: 49 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
What to see nearby?
Since we are in the center of Seoul, there are a thousand other activities you can do but I personally feel like recommending two places in particular: first of all I find it necessary to check out the Jogyesa temple (조계사), which is the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. (4 minutes walk from the two shopping centers)
Address: 55, Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
The second place I would like to recommend is the ”Seoul museum of craft art” (서울공예박물관) which exhibits a series of traditional and modern Korean crafts. (also 4 minutes walk by the main street of Insadong)
Address: 4 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
How to get there
The direct subway lines to get to Insadong are: Line 1 (the blue one) with stop at Jonggak Station (종각역), or you can also get off at Jongno 3ga (종로3가역)
You can also take subway line 3 (the orange one), and get off at Anguk Station (안국역) -exit 6-
*all photos were taken by me
*Sources for the historical part: Wikipedia