Namsangol Hanok Village: A Traditional Korean Village Near Chungmuro Station in Seoul
Jung-gu District in Seoul is located in the heart of the city and is home to many of Seoul's major facilities and popular attractions. To visit Namsangol Hanok Village in Jung-gu, I exited from Exit 4 of Chungmuro Station, where a sign introduced several places to visit along with the Chungmuro and Euljiro Alley Tour course.
Namsangol Hanok Village, which I'm introducing today, is one of the must-visit places in Jung-gu.
To get to Namsangol Hanok Village, take Subway Lines 3 or 4 to Chungmuro Station and go out through Exit 4. Then, walk about 300m along the alley.
There is a public parking lot at the entrance of the Hanok Village, but since it is near Chungmuro Station, it may be more convenient to take the subway.
Operating Hours: 09:00 - 22:00
Parking Fee: ₩430 per 5 minutes for passenger cars
Namsangol Hanok Village, established in 1998, can be visited free of charge and is located in the city center, making it a popular destination for foreign tourists.
Looking at the Namsangol Hanok Village map, it consists of five Hanoks (traditional Korean houses), a traditional craft center, Cheonugak Pavilion, a traditional garden, the Seoul Namsan Gugakdang (traditional music hall), and the Seoul Millennium Time Capsule Plaza.
This is an information sign at the main entrance. Reading it before looking around will be very helpful for your visit.
As soon as you enter the main gate, you can see the Seoul N Tower, a landmark of Seoul, right in front of you, and landscapes that transcend time, unlike the bustling city center.
The first thing you'll see is Cheonugak Pavilion and Cheonghakji Pond, marked as number 12 and 13 on the map. This area has been restored to its original form. In the Joseon Dynasty, it was located next to a valley and served as a playground for summer retreats.
Cheonghakji Pond was a pavilion where many people gathered to enjoy poetry and music. There were quite a few people sitting there to escape the summer heat.
This is the entrance to the area where the five Hanoks are located. There are restrictions on the visiting hours here. The traditional garden is open 24 hours, but the Hanok area is open from 9 AM to 9 PM from April to October, and until 8 PM at other times. It is closed on Mondays.
You can enter the traditional experience center first and then look around the Hanoks, but since the traditional experience center also serves as a shelter from the heat in the summer, I looked around there first.
In the photo below, the place seen over the wall is the Okin-dong House (1910s), which was restored based on the architectural style of the house owned by Yun Deok-yeong, the great-uncle of Empress Sunjeonghyo. In front of it is the Jaesil (ancestral shrine) of Yun Taek-yeong, Haepung Buwongun (the father-in-law of Emperor Sunjong), which was built when his daughter, Empress Sunjeonghyo, entered Changdeokgung Palace in 1907.
I was in front of house number 5, but a foreign tour group was touring with a guide, so I skipped the Okin-dong House to keep up with their route.
The Okin-dong House was restored with new materials, while the other buildings were relocated with their original parts.
This is a photo zone where you can take pictures with the Namsan Tower.
The place I was most interested in was the House of Carpenter Lee Seung-eop in Samgak-dong.
The House of Carpenter Lee Seung-eop was built in the 1860s by Lee Seung-eop, a carpenter who participated in the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace. A Dopyeongsu (chief carpenter) was the head of the carpenters in charge of construction projects during the Joseon Dynasty. Since the Dopyeongsu was building his own house, he must have put a lot of effort into it.
Look at the details of the railing.
You can see that the window frames are different from ordinary craftsmanship.
The Seoul Namsan Gugakdang is also located in Namsangol Hanok Village. This is a performance hall specializing in Gugak (traditional Korean music).
Inside the Gugakdang, there is a grass yard surrounded by Hanoks, and a Dalgang Cafe on one side.
There are tables outside the cafe, so it seemed like a good place to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the traditional Korean houses.
On the way to the Seoul Millennium Time Capsule Plaza, you can also see pavilions and ponds such as Cheongnyujeong, Gwaneojeong and Gwanaji.
The Seoul Millennium Time Capsule Plaza, located at the highest point of the traditional garden, is where 600 items representing Seoul's appearance and citizens' lives were placed in a capsule and buried on November 29, 1994, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Seoul's establishment.
This time capsule is scheduled to be opened on November 29, 2394, which is the 1000th anniversary of Seoul's establishment.
You can end your trip to Namsangol Hanok Village here, or if you plan to visit Namsan Tower, it is good to look at the village from the Hanok Village Observatory on the way to Namsan Circular Road.
However, the view is obscured by trees, so it is not a dramatic view and can be skipped.
Many people already know about this place, but I have introduced Namsangol Hanok Village as a place to visit near Chungmuro Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. It's good to look around like we did, but there are various experiences that you can enjoy here, so it's good to check the website and participate.
Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)
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