Owl Museum (부엉이박물관)

534.9123323687807m 28269 2022-09-19

143, Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3210-2902

The Owl Museum is filled with over 2,000 pieces of owl-themed arts and crafts collected from all over the world by the owner. Renovated from a house, the museum has a feel of an antique café as the owner offers a cup of coffee or tea to visitors. Located near the city, those interested in owls should stop for a view and a drink. Various stories of how the collection was gathered as well as information on owls are also interesting.

Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을)

535.3918385244095m 1026637 2024-05-17

37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2148-4161

Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses, called hanok, that date back to the Joseon dynasty. The name Bukchon, which literally translates to "northern village," came about as the neighborhood lies north of two significant Seoul landmarks, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants and tea houses, providing visitors with an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse themselves in traditional Korean culture. As Bukchon Hanok Village is an actual neighborhood with people's homes, visitors are advised to be respectful at all times while looking around.

Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum (이리자 한복전시관)

548.9118376130787m 29389 2022-08-08

20, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-734-9477

The Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum displays the traditional clothing worn in Korea from birth to death. All hanbok displayed at the museum are created by the hanbok designer Lee Ri-Ja herself, who has over 40 years of experience.

Darakjeong (다락정)

556.2141109104557m 340 2021-03-26

131-1, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-725-1697

Darakjeong has been popular for a long time because of the simple taste of its traditional Mandu (Korean stuffed dumpling). Since its opening in 1991, tasty soup and scrumptious Mandu have been served. A fist-sized Mandu is fully packed with seasoned meat, bean-curd, and various vegetables. Its thick dough makes it chewy and delightful. For one person, “Manduguk”(boiled dumpling soup) is a good choice. The delicious and nourishing taste of Mandu goes well with the sweet, spicy, and fresh taste of the soup. Manduguk is served in a brass bowl which keeps the food warm while eating. For a large-size group, “Mandujeongol” cooked with various vegetables in a casserole is recommended. There are two types of Mandujeongol that have different tastes. The main characteristic of “Kimchi Mandujeongol” is its spicy flavor, which reminds people of the refreshing taste of Kimchi soup, and “Tojang Mandujeongol” expounds on the savory taste of bean-paste soup. Tojang means folk soybean-paste. “Nokdujeon”(a Korean pan-fried dish with green mung bean) is another famous dish at Darakjeong, which is pan-fried with a very light seasoning to emphasize the original taste of Nokdu (green mung bean). Salted oysters with hot pepper are served with Nokdujeon instead of soy sauce, which is a perfect match.

The Sool Gallery (전통주갤러리)

556.681137091756m 395 2024-01-12

18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Sool Gallery is an exhibition and experience space for traditional Korean liquor, established to promote the taste, style, and cultural values of the time-honored traditional Korean liquor. It provides various information about traditional Korean liquor for consumers or international tourists who can rarely obtain such information elsewhere. In addition, it provides traditional liquor education and business counseling to food service businesses and sales experts to continuously create demand for traditional liquor and expand the market. It is run by experts specializing in traditional liquor, including traditional liquor sommeliers, and it holds events to introduce various traditional liquors with different themes every month, as well as tasting events. Moreover, according to the monthly changing “Recommended Traditional Liquor by Month,” it displays a drinking glass and a bottle of the month recommended by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation.

The Place Seoul (traditional Korean-style guesthouse) [Korea Quality] / 멀티스페이스 곳 [한국관광 품질인증]

565.6996417538355m 601 2019-12-05

52-11, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-10-3255-1289

“The Place Seoul” is located in a small alley in Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is a guesthouse made by remodeling an 80-year-old traditional Korean house. The ondol room furnished with traditional beddings is popular not only among foreigners but also among Koreans due to its special ambience. The ceiling of the room dates back to 80 years ago. The rafter put on the roof at the time of construction of the house shows the antiqueness of the house. The toenmaru (a narrow wooden porch running along the outside of a room) that comes alive with the frequent coming and going of people adds to the ambience of the traditional Korean house, with the Sansuyu (corni) tree and vegetable garden beside the Korean-style house creating a leisurely atmosphere. Beyond being a mere place to sleep in, “The Place Seoul” aims to be a composite cultural space whose motto is “the place to fill.” A simple wedding or a small-scale performance is held in the garden during the day. The rooms can be rented for small meetings. “The Place Seoul” sponsors “WWOOF KOREA,” an NGO promoting environment-friendly agriculture as well as the right dietary life, “Slow Food Korea,” and “Slow Box.” As such, the place serves a special healthy breakfast consisting of homemade bread, handmade yogurt, and organic fruits and vegetables. In addition, the toilet paper, detergent, shampoo, etc. provided are all environment-friendly products. “The Place Seoul” is located on Gyedong-gil Road, a famous tourist attraction in Seoul. It offers easy access to Bukchon Hanok Village, which is on the other side of the Gyedong-gil alley, as well as other major tourist attractions within walking distance including Changdeokgung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Samcheong-dong, and Insa-dong. The convenient location of “The Place Seoul” makes it easy to tour downtown Seoul.

Kumho Museum of Art (금호미술관)

566.856355164857m 14508 2020-06-11

18, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-720-5114

The Kumho Museum of Art was opened to celebrate the diversity of art. The museum displays new pieces of art from promising new artists and accomplished artists every year. The museum first opened its doors in Gwanhun-dong in 1989, but moved to a larger area in 1996 where it stands today. The Kumho Museum of Art stands on the east side of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The museum is surrounded by other cultural and folk museums. The B1 floor features artwork of new artists while the 1st and 2nd floors feature project exhibitions and invitation exhibits. About once a year foreign artists are invited to display their art in the museum. There are official invitation exhibitions of seven artists yearly. These are artists who have strongly influenced Korean art. On the 3rd floor of the museum is a small concert hall, also known as Kumho Recital Hall. Although the capacity is only 171 people, all concerts are executed with professional care. On the 1st floor there is a coffee shop and an art shop. The coffee shop and art shop remain open on days the museum is closed.

Nunnamujip (눈나무집)

572.5084075472274m 12551 2020-06-16

136-1, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-739-6742

Nunnamujip is famous for a North Korean dish called, “Kimchi mari guksu”, which is a noodle dish in cold kimchi soup containing toasted laver, a boiled egg, and sesame. The soup is refreshingly cold and a little spicy. For “Kimchi mari bap”, a bowl of rice is put into cold kimchi soup instead of noodles. The taste is very unique. In addition to Kimchimari, “Tteokgalbi” is a popular dish on the menu as well.

The main restaurant is located in the basement, which has only limited seating capacity with a few tables. As a result, many people usually wait in line for lunch or dinner. A second franchise has opened in a three-story building across the street. To enjoy a quaint atmosphere, the first establishment is better, but the new one’s interior design is much more modern and fancier, giving it a fresh altering look.

Hangeureut (한그릇)

574.9981689292098m 104 2021-03-18

136, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-720-5613

A store that also serves delicious meat noodles. The best menu at this restaurant is rice soup. This is a Korean cuisine located in Jongno, Seoul.

Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁)

581.7413805889371m 1752365 2024-05-07

161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

Gyeongbokgung Palace was built as the official palace of the Joseon dynasty by Yi Seong-gye, who becomes King Taejo and the founder of the new regime. Gyeongbokgung Palace is commonly referred to as the Northern Palace because its location in the north of Changdeokgung Palace in the east and Gyeonghuigung Palace in the west. Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and is the largest of all five palaces. Many Joseon kings were crowned here, including the 2nd King Jeongjong, 4th King Sejong, 6th King Danjong, 7th King Sejo, 9th King Seongjong, 11th King Jungjong, and the 13th King Myeongjong. The premises were once destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592-1598). However, all of the palace buildings were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun during the reign of King Gojong. The assassination of Empress Myeongseong, however, resulted in Gyeongbokgung Palace losing its function as a royal palace, eventually witnessing the downfall of the Joseon dynasty. Gyeongbokgung Palace retains the original Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, a prime example of Joseon architecture, and the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion and pond. The sculptures in the Geunjeongjeon Hall exemplify Joseon-era sculpture techniques. The west side of the area outside Heungnyemun Gate is occupied by the National Palace Museum of Korea, while the eastern side of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion within the Gyeongbokgung Palace is occupied by the National Folk Museum of Korea.
* Major cultural heritages
1) [Historic Site] Gyeongbokgung Palace
2) [National Treasure] Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace
3) [National Treasure] Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace
4) [Treasure] Jagyeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace
5) [Treasure] Chimney with Ten Symbols of Longevity in Relief at Jagyeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace
6) [Treasure] Chimneys in Amisan Garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace
7) [Treasure] Geunjeongmun Gate and Corridor of Gyeongbokgung Palace
8) [Treasure] Wind Streamer Pedestal of Gyeongbokgung Palace

Owl Museum (부엉이박물관) - Area information - Korea travel information