Insa-dong (인사동) - Area information - Korea travel information

Insa-dong (인사동)

Insa-dong (인사동)

1.2Km    2024-05-17

62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-734-0222

Insa-dong, located in the heart of the city, is an important place where old but precious traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Within these alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, teahouses, and cafes.

The galleries are the heartbeat of Insa-dong. There are about 100 galleries in the area offering every example of traditional Korean fine art from paintings to sculptures. The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which functions as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center.

The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect complement to the galleries. They are hidden deep within the twisting alleyways, making it feel like a treasure hunt. The shops in Insa-dong are very popular among all age groups, because each one is unique.

Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street is blocked to vehicular traffic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and Korean candy merchants and fortune teller stalls can easily be found; there are traditional performances and exhibits as well. Insa-dong is especially popular among international tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture first-hand, and also purchase pieces of fine art.

Inwangsan Mountain (인왕산)

Inwangsan Mountain (인왕산)

1.2Km    2024-03-04

San 2-1, Muak-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2148-2834

Inwangsan Mountain is a rocky mountain located to the northwestern side of Seoul. It stands 338m tall.  The Seoul City Wall is built along its ridge, connecting to the Baegak Mountain Trail. From the summit, one can see the three mountains of Naksan Mountain, Namsan Mountain, and the Bugaksan Mountain surrounding the historical center of Hanyang, the historical name for Seoul in Joseon period, with the Gyeongbokgung Palace at the center. There are five hiking trails, all taking about two hours to complete. It takes about three hours if you want to visit all the peaks of the mountain.

Cheongwonsanbang Studio (청원산방)

Cheongwonsanbang Studio (청원산방)

1.2Km    2019-10-02

27, Bukchon-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-715-3342

Located in Samcheong-dong and established in 1981, Cheongwonsanbang Studio is an art studio by Sim Yong-sik (Intangible Cultural Property designated by City of Seoul). He works on various traditional windows and doors with his students, promoting them in Korea and other countries. Doors and windows with beautiful patterns are all over the place in this studio: doors that can hang against a wall, windows decorated with cherry blossoms, comb-patterned windows and so many more. Visitors can also enjoy beautiful crafts in various exhibition events.

Insa Art Plaza (인사아트 프라자)

Insa Art Plaza (인사아트 프라자)

1.2Km    2020-04-23

34-1, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-730-9969

Korea Medical Tourism Promotion Association ((사)대한의료관광진흥협회)

1.3Km    2025-07-29

(#601) 29-3 Saemunan-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Korea Medical Tourism Promotion Association aims to attract over 100,000 medical tourists within three years by establishing a structured system for attracting medical tourists, training specialized personnel, and supporting both domestic and international medical tourism. With the increasing number of foreign visitors coming to Korea for various purposes beyond tourism, such as international conferences, business, and exhibitions, there is a growing need for specialized services.

Plans is a company that can meet all these diverse customer needs. ceremonial arrangements, tours, and events often proceed irregularly due to changes in weather, group size, and transportation. To address these variables, Plans, the plural form of "Plan," represents a company that is always prepared from start to finish. It is a leading VIP travel agency in Korea, tailored to meet the needs of its clients.

Jogyesa Temple (조계사(서울))

1.3Km    2024-10-25

55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

As the main temple as well as the district head temple of the Jogye order in Seoul, Jogyesa Temple is the center of Korean Buddhism. The temple was built in the late 14th century during the Goryeo period but was completely destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt under the name of Gakwangsa Temple in 1910 with the effort of many respectful monks, namely Han Yong-un and Lee Hee-gwang. The temple was given a role as the head temple of Korea’s Buddhism and renamed to Tegosa Temple in 1936. In 1954, a purification drive took place to eliminate Japanese influence and revive traditional Buddhism, which established the present day Jogyesa Temple as a result.

Jogyesa Temple plays an important role in Korean Buddhism as the head temple of the Jogye order. Jogyesa Temple’s Dharma Hall serves as the main venue for several Buddhist events, holding rituals, lectures, ceremonies, and other events all year long. The annual lantern festival in celebration of Buddha's birthday also takes place at this temple.

Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문))

Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문))

1.3Km    2020-04-02

118, Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2148-1822

Changuimun Gate was often called Jahamun Gate. It was one of four mini-gates in the north surrounding the walled city of Hanyang (Seoul) during the Joseon dynasty. After the closure of Sukjeongmun Gate, one of the four main gates, Changuimun Gate became a favorite north gate. Hence, people also called Changuimun the North Gate. It is the only gate among four mini gates that is still in its original state. Although it is small, almost 50m² in terms of size, it looks very firm and sturdy. While Dongsomun Gate, another of the four mini gates, is decorated with a phoenix, Changuimun Gate is adorned with a wooden chicken along its rafters. The reason behind the wooden chicken was that the chicken was believed to be the nemesis of the centipede. People believed that installing the wooden chicken was important to overcome the harmful spirit of the centipede.

Lagidang [Korea Quality] / 락이당 [한국관광 품질인증]

1.3Km    2024-08-27

121, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-507-1358-3701

Lagidang is a foreigner-only guesthouse in the heart of Bukchon Hanok Village in Jeongno-gu, Seoul. Public transportation links are good, with Exit 3 of Anguk Subway Station just a seven-minute walk away. The house has a fine view over Bukchon Hanok Village, and early-rising guests will also catch the sunrise in the south-eastern sky. The guesthouse is decorated with art works and Joseon-period antiques. 

The Sool Gallery (전통주갤러리)

The Sool Gallery (전통주갤러리)

1.3Km    2025-06-19

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.

HANSIK Space E:eum (한식문화공간 이음)

1.3Km    2025-06-16

18 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

HANSIK Space E:eum, located in Jongno, is a cultural space operated by the Korean Food Promotion Institute. It offers visitors an opportunity to delve into Korean cuisine through exhibitions, performances, educational programs, and a library.