Ikseondong is a maze of narrow streets with many hanok houses that have been converted into trendy shops and restaurants. Just a short walk from the palaces, the century-old village was destined to be redeveloped but local residents fought to preserve the 1920s architecture, with young entrepreneurs moving in to make something unique.
A new subway line opened in June 2023 in the western part of the city. I took a ride on the new Seohae Line section from Neungggok to Sosa, which passes through Gimpo airport.
Hidden away along Seoul's hillsides near the old city walls, a number of residential side streets have been decorated with murals by local artists and students thanks to a cultural project in 2006 by the government to transform a poor neighbourhood into an artistic landmark. This area was once home to refugees who lived in shacks after the Korean War.
Attracting scores of tourists, it was a mixed blessing to locals, who had to cope with noise and nuisance. Some residents set out to vandalize and paint over the works to make their point in 2016, but when I arrived on a sunny Sunday afternoon in 2023, I was surprised to find deserted streets and plenty of interesting artworks all to myself. Where did the tourists go?
Located at the top of Insadong's pedestrian street, the Museum of Craft Art opened in 2021 in what was the former Pungmoon Girls' High School, and the site of a royal residence.
Exhibitions are spread across several buildings, but all indoors with ample air-conditioning to shielf from the intense summer sun. Admission is free and you need at least 2 hours to go through the museum.
Bojagi is a rectangular wrapping cloth used to store, decorate, and carry valuable items. This exhibition showcases a variety of these items from royal to ordinary uses. Official records from the Joseon Dynasty already noted bojagi of different colours, sizes, and materials were used in the palace.
Kwangjang Market has gotten famous, making it less desirable to visit as it is now bursting with tourists. The food corridors are crowded and with the intense 30C+ heat, it has become an awful place to sit down and try the food. The non-food areas still look authentic though but I prefer the real local markets that are going to be outside this central area.
Hanok is a historic local-style house that people of yesteryear lived in. Many have been refurbished into cafes and hotels with modern amenities today.
Great Photos! My first visit to Ikseondong was in 2005 and it was way different. Amazing when we returned to that part of the city Dec 2022 what it had turned into (great little gay bar there). So this past October we went there a few times at night and it was a wonderful time. Amazing and so happy they kept the original buildings.
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Hanok is a historic local-style house that people of yesteryear lived in. Many have been refurbished into cafes and hotels with modern amenities today.
So just a name for some type of vernacular architecture? Like a rowhouse in the Northeast US or shotgun house in the Southeast US?
Located at the top of Insadong's pedestrian street, the Museum of Craft Art opened in 2021 in what was the former Pungmoon Girls' High School, and the site of a royal residence.
Exhibitions are spread across several buildings, but all indoors with ample air-conditioning to shielf from the intense summer sun. Admission is free and you need at least 2 hours to go through the museum.
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