Jirisan Restaurant (지리산)

1.3Km 2019-08-01

30, Insadong 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-723-4696

Jirisan is one of the representative Korean restaurants in Insa-dong, an area known for its traditional culture. One of the trademarks of this restaurant, besides its amazingly delectable bean and tofu dishes, is a wooden sign that welcome guests into a neat and cozy interior.

Each day, fresh beans are ground at the restaurant to prepare dishes such as soybean paste, soft tofu, and bean-curd tofu stew. Bean-curds are prepared by using seawater, which gives the tofu a unique flavor. The fresh and clean taste of the tofu is one of the many reasons that choosey tofu aficionados flock to the restaurant.

Not just limited to tofu, Jirisan presents customers with a full-range of side dishes such as kimchi, japchae (glass noodles with sautéed vegetables), cucumber kimchi, seasoned seaweed, braised lotus roots, roasted yellow corbinas (a type of fish), leafy greens, bean-curd stew, and more. The restaurant gives visitors a chance to experience a hearty traditional Korean-style meal, but has thoughtfully toned down its seasonings to appeal to a wider audience (particularly those not used to spicy foods).

One of the recommended menu items is the Jirisan set meal, which offers diners the chance to sample foods that are popular in the Jirisan region. Adventurous diners may want to try the sea urchin soup or dried Pollack soup.

The restaurant, originally a traditional Korean house, has been modified over the years to better suit the needs of its customers. The walls surrounding the structure were removed and a glass ceiling was installed to allow guests to enjoy the natural light of the sun as they sample some of the area’s best traditional Korean cuisine.

Culture Station Seoul 284 (문화역 서울 284)

1.3Km 2024-12-04

1 Tongil-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Culture Station Seoul 284 opened in 2011 by restoring the old Seoul Station. The complex holds various programs including exhibitions, performances, cultural events and workshops. It holds over 100 years of history with Namdaemun Station being the original name of the station in 1900 and changing to Gyeongseong Station, Seoul Station, and now Culture Station Seoul 284. The look of 1925 Gyeongseong Station offers visitors a flashback to the past, providing a fun and special experience.

◎ Travel information to meet Hallyu’s charm
This is where Mok-ha (played by Park Eun-bin) waited for Ki-ho (played by Chae Jong-hyeop) with flowers in the TV series "Castaway Diva." As the restored historic Seoul Station, it also appeared in "Reply 1994" as the location where Samcheonpo (played by Kim Sung Kyun) first arrived in Seoul.

Cheong Su Dang Bakery (청수당 베이커리)

1.3Km 2023-08-31

31-9, Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-507-1318-8215

Cheong Su Dang Bakery is a large hanok bakery cafe that combined six hanok houses into one with a garden. Visitors can relax in a forest-like setting within the city. Various desserts are available including a special present package. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere as time moves slower with the calmness.

Namsan Library (서울특별시교육청 남산도서관)

1.3Km 2021-07-07

109, Sowol-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-754-7338

Namsan Library opened as Kyeongseong Prefectural Library in 1922 as a public library in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. The library was moved to the current site in 1964 with a newly built building and its name changed to Namsan Library in 1965. This concrete building was built in 1964 and was designed by architect Lee Haeseong. It was designated as Seoul Future Heritage in 2013, credited for its preservation value.
It is comprised of 19 rooms and educational areas including the Humanity and Social Science Hall, Nature Science Hall, Language and Literature Hall, Electronic Information Room and more. Since opening, the library has collected nearly 500,000 books, 16,000 non-book materials, 700 continuing resources, and other special materials like old books, oriental books (including Japanese books), and more. Namsan Library also operates a reading treatment program unique to this library that began in 2005. The program includes remodeling of reading consultation room, training for people in charge of reading treatment, workshops, programs for individuals and groups. Also, various exhibitions, lectures, shows, cultural classes and other events are available all year long to enhance lifelong education.

Hosujip (호수집)

1.3Km 2021-03-30

443, Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-392-0695

It is a restaurant where people wait in line as a hidden restaurant for locals in Chungjeong-ro. The best menu at this restaurant is spicy braised chicken. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Haepungbuwongun Yun Taekyeong's Jaesil (해풍부원군윤택영댁재실)

1.3Km 2021-11-10

28, Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3396-5882

Haepungbuwongun Yun Taekyeong's Jaesil is a shrine house built by the father-in-law of King Sunjong of Joseon dynasty in 1906 when his daughter was proclaimed the crowned princess of Joseon and entered Changdeokgung Palace to later become Queen Sunjeong. Red pine trees salvaged from the demolition of Gyeongungung Palace were used to construct the house. It was originally located in Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, but was later restored and moved to its present location. The shrine of the house that was destroyed in 1960 was also restored.
Because the house is more of a shrine rather than residential living quarters, it has many unique features. For example, unlike other houses, it has the anchae (women’s quarters) located across from sarangbang (men’s quarters) with daecheong (living room) positioned between them.

Oncheonjip Ikseon (온천집 익선)

1.3Km 2023-08-07

31-8 , Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

A restaurant with a pond and garden in the courtyard for the feel of old hanok style architecture, visitors can enjoy a meal with a view of the pond anywhere in the restaurant. The white gravel floor looks like a snow covered ground, and the brazier that burns wood daily gives off the mood of real hot springs motel.

Seosulla-gil Road (서순라길)

1.3Km 2024-10-14

150-3 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seosulla-gil Road is a road that was used by the nightguards during the Joseon dynasty. The road is on the west of Jongmyo Shrine with various attractions nearby including Ikseon-dong, Insa-dong, Bukchon, and Samcheong-dong, as well as restaurants, cafes, and handicraft workshops. The road is also a beautiful date course with flowers in spring and fall foliage in autumn..

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

1.3Km 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.

Best Western Premier Hotel Kukdo (베스트웨스턴 프리미어 호텔국도)

1.3Km 2020-04-04

164, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-6466-1234

The Best Western Premier Kukdo (opened on March 1, 2007) was the first Best Western in Korea. Since then, the Best Western chain has expanded to include 15 different facilities (a total of 1,900 guestrooms) located all around the country.

Best Western Premier Kukdo offers subsidiary facilities such as a fusion restaurant, sky lounge, fitness center, and business center. Each of the 295 guestrooms has a bidet and high speed internet. Double rooms have a shower booth, while twin rooms have a bathtub.

From the sky lounge (21F) guests can get a great view of Bukhansan Mountain, Cheongwadae, Dongdaemun shopping center, and Myeongdong, not to mention a bird’s-eye view of Seoul nightscape. The hotel also offers VIP rooms that can accommodate up to 20 people and a number of other conveniences that makes this an ideal choice for those traveling for business. Myeongdong and Dongdaemun are only a 10-20 minutes away on foot.

Jirisan Restaurant (지리산) - Area information - Korea travel information