A Rainy Day Escape: Naksan Park, Ihwa Mural Village, and Hakrim Dabang
My goal for this 6-night, 7-day Chuseok holiday was to complete the Seoul City Wall Stamp Tour...
Unfortunately, Seoul is expecting rain. ☔️
On October 3rd (Friday), National Foundation Day,
Even though walking the entire Seoul City Wall trail might be difficult, I thought we could at least visit Naksan Park.
So, we decided to go to Naksan Park on a rainy day! ☔️
We took the Jongno No. 3 village bus from Changsin Station Exit 4, near the Sungin 1-dong Community Center. Zoom!
I suggested walking since it didn't seem that far, but I'm so glad I listened to my family and took the bus...
It was such a steep hill! The terrain was incredibly inclined. ㄷㄷ
I almost fell backward even while sitting on the bus.
Naksan Park:
From the relocation of the capital to Hanyang in 1394 to becoming a popular tourist destination...
Taking the bus from Changsin Station drops you off at Naksan Nori Madang.
It's like arriving right at the top!
The view becomes amazing as soon as you get off the bus. (?)
You can see Changsin-dong, Samseon-dong, Hyehwa-dong, and Ihwa-dong surrounding Naksan, and
In the distance, you can see Namsan towering in the center, and Bukaksan Mountain to the north, all at eye level!
✨
The 360-degree panoramic view of the city and the old-fashioned fortress walls
Make it hard to leave.
✨
✨
They say the Seoul City Wall pilgrimage course is relatively easier starting from Hyehwamun Gate and heading towards Gwanghuimun Gate, but
For our family, with an average age of 50, the full pilgrimage would be almost a challenge...
This time, we decided to take it easy
And just get a taste of the Seoul City Wall trail,
Heading down towards Hyehwa Station.
That spot in the drama!
Seeing the sign, I felt a sense of accomplishment (smugly) and glad that we visited.
Turning down towards Ihwa Village,
You'll find the Naksan Exhibition Hall in Naksan Park's central square.
I highly recommend visiting this meaningful exhibition hall where you can learn about the history of Naksan. 💯
The right-hand stele is inscribed with President Syngman Rhee's calligraphy:
"Respect Heaven and Love People."
Ihwa Mural Village: Enjoying the Wall Art 🎨
I've always wanted to visit Ihwa Mural Village,
But never had the chance when I used to hang out in Daehakro.
In 2025, I finally got to visit Ihwa Village after Naksan Park!
But it was quiet, perhaps because it was National Foundation Day & Chuseok holiday…
What's amazing is how the murals really
Blend well with the atmosphere of the buildings!
The themes and colors match perfectly without feeling artificial at all.
So much fun! 😄
My Godmother loved the traditional Korean house...
It looked even more charming and elegant from the front.
These kids seem to be famous dogs & cats actually living in this neighborhood...
We came down from Naksan Park, but
Looking at the map, it seems like you need to go up the stairs from here to the upper area (?) to
See more of Ihwa Village properly.
Gallery Naksan
The following photos show how steep Ihwa Village is…
Going from the bottom
To the top
Must have been quite difficult. 😅
Choosing the course to descend from Naksan Park to Ihwa Village
Was an excellent choice! 👍
Hyehwa-dong, Hakrim Dabang ☕️
We walked a lot; it's time to rest.
I felt like going to a cafe,
Although there are like two cafes every block in Daehakro,
I was looking for something special, and we headed to Hakrim Dabang!
Hakrim Dabang
The place where the first meeting of the National Federation of Student Associations (Jeonminhakryeon), organized for the 1980s democratization movement, was held.
At 1:45 PM, after a 10-minute wait,
We were able to get a seat.
Hakrim Dabang on a rainy day! ✨
The subtle aroma of coffee brewing, the sound of music filling the cafe,
The appropriately spaced tables and the sounds of people talking,
The warmth of the group huddled together on the narrow table and sofa ❤️
Ah~ so relaxing and nice! 😍
The menu at Hakrim Dabang...
Since there was no ssanghwa-cha (a traditional Korean herbal tea) fitting for a teahouse,
I replaced it with a cappuccino with a hint of cinnamon.
The cream cheese cake we ordered for dessert was too small, but
It was delicious enough to eat with coffee and tea.
Visiting Naksan Park for a taste of the Seoul City Wall trail,
And then Ihwa Mural Village in Ihwa-dong and Hakrim Dabang in Hyehwa-dong,
Turned out to be a scenic walking tour where you can feel the old charm on a rainy day.
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