Yeon Deung Hoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) (연등회)

6.0Km 2025-04-09

55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2011-1744~7

Started approximately 1,200 years ago during the Silla dynasty and continued through the Goryeo Yeon Deung Hoe and Joseon lantern festival, the Yeon Deung Hoe Festival is a traditional festival registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage and UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The lanterns at Yeon Deung Hoe Festival brighten the heart and the world!

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

6.0Km 2024-12-10

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA), the first public museum of craft art in Korea, opened its doors in Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, in July 2021 after renovating five buildings of the former Pungmoon Girls’ High School. SeMoCA studies and shares not only works, but also information, records, people, and environment related to craft art with the goal of becoming a dynamic platform for experiencing the technical, practical, artistic, and cultural values of craft.
SeMoCA holds a collection that comprises various crafts and craft materials covering multiple fields and eras from the traditional to the present. SeMoCA also holds exhibitions that feature the history of craft from traditional to contemporary art as well as local and children’s crafts, along with programs that utilize the museum’s craft installations, craft archives, craft library, and craft resource management system.
The site of the museum has deep historical roots as it is also the Andong Secondary Palace Site, where a detached palace was constructed as a royal residence for King Sejong’s son Prince Yeongeung, and served as a venue for royal celebrations, such as the wedding of King Sunjong. The site is also at the center of Jongno-gu, where Joseon-era master artisans (“gyeonggongjang”) of the royal palace produced and delivered craft works.
<Credit: Seoul Museum of Craft Art>

Aromind (아로마인드)

6.1Km 2024-01-30

19-7 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Aromind is a perfume workshop that offers a perfume-making experience with a professional perfumer in a quiet hanok building. Visitors can create their own one-of-a-kind perfume by choosing three out of 30 different scent options that change on a seasonal basis. A perfume one-day class is held for one to eight people for one to one and a half hours. The fee for the experience includes a 50 ml product and a 10 ml sample. They also offer the class in Korean with English interpretation when there non-Korean speaking participants. Aromind is the perfect place to create your own scent to associate your memory of Korea.

Insa-dong (인사동)

6.1Km 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.

Olive Young - Dohwa-dong Mapo Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 마포도화)

6.1Km 2024-04-18

20, Samgae-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

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Choryuhyang (초유향)

6.1Km 2017-11-23

24-10, Dadong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

This restaurant's feature items are its Samseon-nurungjitang, Dongpayuk, and Seafood Galbi. Seafood is plentiful in the Samseon-nurungjitang, making for a delicous soup base to which nicely browned rice is added later. When the browned rice is added to the soup base, a loud crackling noise is heard, which signals the beginning of a delicious meal.

Yonggeumok (용금옥)

6.1Km 2024-03-13

24-2, Dadong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-777-1689

Established in 1932, Yonggeumok specializes in Seoul-style chutang (loach soup), renowned for using whole loach in its preparation. This method distinguishes it from the more commonly known Namwon-style chutang, which involves grinding the loach. At Yonggeumok, guests can savor the tender and savory texture of the loach flesh in their chutang, offering a unique and authentic dining experience.