Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문)) - Area information - Korea travel information

Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문))

Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문))

2.7Km    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.

Baekbeom Kim Koo Statue (Baekbeom Plaza) (백범김구선생상(백범 광장))

2.7Km    2024-10-22

Hoehyeon-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

Baekbeom Kim Koo Statue is located in Baekbeom Plaza in Namsan Park, Seoul. Erected in August 1969, the statue stands at a x_height of 10 meters. It commemorates the patriotic spirit of Kim Koo, who was both an independence activist and a politician in South Korea. During the Japanese colonial period, he actively participated in anti-Japanese movements, and after liberation, he played a leading role in the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea.

Bugaksan Mountain (북악산)

Bugaksan Mountain (북악산)

2.7Km    2024-03-04

Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-765-0297

Bugaksan Mountain is the mountain that one can see behind the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Cheong Wa Dae to the north. Hanyangdoseong, the city wall that surrounded the historic capital of Hanyang, was built by connecting the ridges of this mountain. These walls can still be found today, having been preserved quite well. Different trails weave through the area along the Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, and one can visit these trails at night as well. Bugak Skyway is a road that connects Changuimun Gate to Jeongneung Royal Tomb, and one can get a great view of Seoul’s city center from the Palgakjeong Pavilion on Bugak Skyway. 

Mok In Museum Mok Seok Won (목인박물관 목석원)

Mok In Museum Mok Seok Won (목인박물관 목석원)

2.7Km    2021-09-01

46-1, Changuimun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-722-5066

Mok In Museum Mok Seok Won relocated in 2019 from Insa-dong to Buam-dong. Six exhibition halls offer visitors a look at wooden figures from around the world. Mokin refers to traditional wooden sculptures carved in shapes of human figures or various animals. The museum holds around 12,000 wooden folk sculptures including those used to decorate funeral carriages and temples mostly from the Joseon dynasty up to modern times. The museum also has an outdoor exhibition hall that harmonizes the sculptures with nature.

Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town (신당동떡볶이골목)

Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town (신당동떡볶이골목)

2.7Km    2022-10-25

10-18, Dasan-ro 33-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2236-9135

Sindang-dongTteokbokki Town started in the late '70s, although the alley did not become famous until the '80s. At that time, each restaurant had its own DJ booth, with the image of the "cool DJ" who played the music becoming a symbol of Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town. In addition, this period also marked the prime time of high school baseball where students would crowd the streets on days when Duksoo Commercial High School and Sunrin Commercial High School (now Sunrin Internet High School) played against one another. Although these high school students have aged, they continue to visit the area, reliving their youth and continuing to indulge in the specialty tteokbokki.

However, some claim the history of this alley began in the 1950s. The owner of Mabongnim Halmeoni Tteokbokki restaurant says tteokbokki was being sold as early as 1953 as the area used to be home to Donga Theater and she sold tteokbokki, corn and potatoes to those visiting the theater. At first, tteokbokki was simply made with gochujang (red chili paste) but as time went by, cooks decided the dish could be more than just a snack. By adding ingredients like eggs, cellophane noodles, fish cakes, instant noodles and more recently squid, prawn and cheese, tteokbokki can be made more delicious and turns this beloved snack into a full meal.

I Love Sindangdong Tteokbokki (아이러브신당동떡볶이)

I Love Sindangdong Tteokbokki (아이러브신당동떡볶이)

2.7Km    2024-03-07

50, Toegye-ro 76-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2232-7872

Situated in Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town, I Love Sindangdong Tteokbokki is a famous tteokbokki restaurant. Tteokbokki is a typical Korean street food, consisting of rice cakes made with flour or rice flour and stir-fried in red chili paste. The rice cakes are simmered in a broth with seasonings, along with fish cakes, vegetables, boiled eggs, mandu, and other ingredients. The best thing is that the dish can be customized with various ingredients such as cheese, ramyeon noodles, chewy noodles, and ham. Leftover broth can be fried with rice for a satisfying meal.

Bijindo Haemulttukbaegi (비진도해물뚝배기)

Bijindo Haemulttukbaegi (비진도해물뚝배기)

2.7Km    2021-03-30

53, Seosomun-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-312-2867

It is a place that many tourists, as well as office workers, visit. This seafood restaurant is located in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. The representative menu is seafood hot pot.

Inwangsa Temple (인왕사 (서울))

Inwangsa Temple (인왕사 (서울))

2.7Km    2020-04-02

16-1, Tongil-ro 18ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-737-4434

Inwangsa Temple refers to the entire cluster of small Buddhist temples located on Inwangsan Mountain (alt. 338m) in the heart of Seoul. The eastern foot of the mountain has many scenic spots with its distinctively cozy and tasteful atmosphere, and the northern area called Mugye-dong also offers beautiful scenery. Inwangsa Temple was established in the early Joseon period (1392-1910) to guard the national palace Gyeongbokbung. The temple is comprised of 11 shrines from five different Buddhist orders. The unique design of each shrine adds pleasure to hikers on their way up to Seonbawi, an unusual rock formation that is a site of many folk beliefs and shamanist rites.

Club Espresso (클럽에스프레소)

Club Espresso (클럽에스프레소)

2.7Km    2024-02-20

132 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Club Espresso is a café that opened in 1990, constructed with red bricks. They roast their own coffee beans, offering a diverse coffee menu. The Moon Blend, a blend of Colombian, Brazilian, Ethiopian, and Guatemalan beans, is a favorite among regulars and is made with the coffee bean ratio favored by former President Moon Jae-in. Nearby attractions include the Yun Dongju Hill (Cheongun Park) and the Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum, dedicated to the poet beloved by Koreans.

Mabongrim Halmeonijip (마복림할머니집)

Mabongrim Halmeonijip (마복림할머니집)

2.7Km    2024-03-07

5, Dasan-ro 35-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2232-8930

Mabongrim Halmeonijip specializes in instant tteokbokki. The spicy and flavorful tteokbokki with gochujang sauce is their signature dish. It is served in a hot pot, it can be customized with rice cakes, fish cakes, extra ramyeon noodles, mandu, and other various ingredients. The restaurant is so famous that it is said to be the original restaurant of tteokbokki, and has been featured in several TV programs.