Ilmin Art Museum (일민미술관) - Area information - Korea travel information

Ilmin Art Museum (일민미술관)

1.1Km    2022-09-27

152, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Ilmin Art Museum located in former Dong-A Newspaper Building, was formed in honor of their honorable and late CEO Kim Sang-man. The museum was established in December of 1996, and with a full renovation in 2001, large exhibition hall and Ilmin collection was placed in. Through the renovation, the combination of glass and steel made Artrium aimed to become one of the best comtemporary museum, connecting the museum to the streets of Gwanghwamun. 

 This museum boasts a large Ilmin collection. There are 430 pieces of Ilmin collection from Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) to present, 1,200 pieces in the Donga Newspaper's collection of art, and 100 pieces of art owned by Hyundai Corporation. The Ilmin Collection mostly consists of pieces that Kim Sang-man collected from ceramics to aesthetic paintings. The Dongah Newspaper's collection has time-relevant pieces that are important in history.

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

1.1Km    2025-06-19

4 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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.

Seoul Hiking Tourism Center - Bugaksan Branch (서울도심등산관광센터(북악산))

1.1Km    2024-03-05

88 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Bugaksan branch of Seoul Hiking Tourism Center is located on Samcheong-dong Culture Street and provides various services to hikers. It provides hiking course guidance and information (available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese) about the mountains of Seoul, including Bukhansan, Bugaksan, and Inwangsan Mountains, as well as promotional materials such as Seoul hiking tourism guidebooks and maps. Also, it operates hiking tour programs with various themes every week for foreigners and offers hiking gear rental services such as hiking boots, hiking attire, trekking poles, gloves, and crampons for foreigners. (Koreans accompanied by foreigners can also rent the gear.) In addition, there is a storage locker and lounge for visitors, so they can pack up and rest before hiking.

Gwanghwamun Deungsim (광화문등심)

1.1Km    2021-07-20

34, Jong-ro, 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-722-2020

A restaurant that’s popular among workers for group dinners, it sells grilled meat. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The representative menu is grilled boneless ribs.

Tea Therapy (티테라피)

1.1Km    2024-12-13

74 Yunboseon-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-730-7507

Located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tea Therapy can be of help to those who chronically feel unwell even though they do not have any serious diseases that need to be treated. It is a place where medicinal herbal teas, which once seemed difficult to enjoy, can be enjoyed without hassle and in a unique way. The teas found at Tea Therapy can be brewed within three minutes, similar to herbal teas found in other countries, and are both delicious and good for your health. Tea Therapy recommends tea through testing so even novices can have fun selecting teas that suit them. Tea products are sold here as well, allowing you to enjoy the same flavors at home.

Fatum (파툼)

1.1Km    2019-12-20

86-5, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-739-9888

FATUM is famous for its great view of Samcheong-dong. Each floor is decorated with a different theme, from natural rocks on the first floor, comfort on the second floor, and indoor viewing places on the third and fourth floors, and outdoor seats on the fifth floor. The view features beautiful scenery including Bugaksan Mountain, Inwangsan Mountain, and Gyeongbokgung Palace at once, as well as a fantastic sunset from the café.

The Painters Season 2(페인터즈 시즌2)

1.1Km    2025-04-28

3 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Mijin (미진)

1.1Km    2024-03-06

19 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-732-1954

Mijin is a Korean-style cold buckwheat noodle restaurant located near Gwanghwamun, specializing in Korean-style naeng memilguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). They offer a broth that is richer in flavor compared to Japanese soba bonito soy sauce, along with chewier buckwheat noodles. The restaurant produces the broth and noodles in-house and serves them directly to customers. The cold broth and buckwheat noodles condiments can be adjusted according to preference. Another popular menu is the memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepe) filled with bean sprouts, bean curd, aged kimchi, and ground pork.

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

1.1Km    2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-2038

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

Insa-dong (인사동)

1.1Km    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.