Namsan Arts Center (남산예술센터)

5.9Km 2021-08-26

138, Sopa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsan Arts Center, reopened as a creative space in Seoul in September 2009. It redefined the colors and characteristics of the theater, aiming for a modern theater production center centered on creative premieres, a contemporary performance venue where visitors can feel the pulse of the times, and a theater capable of various experiments.
Namsan Arts Center Drama Center is the first modern folk theater in Korea and the oldest performance hall in which the original architectural form has been preserved. Under the concept of "Contemporary & New Wave," the center continues to produce domestic original plays, and through active exchanges with excellent overseas theaters, build a repertoire of high-quality works that can read domestic and overseas trends, and present contemporary cultural diversity.

The Children’s Museum of the National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관&국립민속박물관 어린이박물관)

6.0Km 2025-06-19

37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Children’s Museum of the National Folk Museum of Korea, located within Gyeongbokgung Palace, showcases artifacts related to Korean traditional culture. This interactive museum allows children to experience and learn about various aspects of Korean traditional clothing, food, society, culture, and games firsthand. Especially catering to children from Asian countries, there is a service for renting items, and reservations are required for admission.

HILLS & EUROPA (힐즈앤유로파)

6.0Km 2025-11-05

35 Sinheung-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Haebangchon's Hot Place
Singer Lee Hyori's OTT entertainment program 'Seoul Check-in' was filmed, and you can enjoy the atmosphere of Haebangchon properly. The low wooden ceiling and walls filled with unique objects and LPs from all over the world create a unique and cozy atmosphere. It is always full of customers as you can enjoy great visual cocktails and delicious dishes against the backdrop of various genres of music. During the day, it is good to enjoy coffee and dessert like a cafe. It is famous for its delicious cream caramel pudding, along with coffee that makes use of the taste of coffee beans from each region of origin. There are also various types of signature cocktails, but we recommend the unique visual 'Cigar in a Glass' that Lee Hyori and Park Narae drank.

Sonjung Bossam (손정보쌈)

6.0Km 2025-07-25

24 Samil-daero 15-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Sonjung Bossam offers dishes with a modern touch by reinterpreting traditional meals. Passed down for three generations, this restaurant values sincerity and careful attention in food making in order to serve every customer a heartwarming meal. Sonjung Bossam's signature dish Premium Gabri Bossam takes only the rarest pork cut, the blade-end fatback called "gabri" in Korean, and boils the meat using the restaurant's secret recipe for tender, juicy meat. The restaurant also serves their own special version of spicy stir-fried fish roe and intestines and haemultang (spicy seafood stew), boasting a generous amount of various seafood and rich broth. All meals are prepared wholeheartedly as if they are being served to a family.

Whanki Art Museum (환기미술관)

6.0Km 2024-03-04

63, Jahamun-ro 40-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Whanki Art Museum exhibits the works of Kim Whanki (1913-1974), the pioneer of Korean abstract art. Kim was inspired by traditional features such as Korean mountains and streams, the sky, moons and clouds, the white porcelain and traditional patterns, and worked to express them in abstract forms through points, lines, and surfaces. The main collection features nearly 300 works by Kim. One can also find an art shop and a café.

Insa-dong (인사동)

6.0Km 2024-05-17

62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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.

Hyosajeong Pavilion (효사정)

6.0Km 2025-01-13

55, Hyeonchung-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul

Hyosajeong Pavilion is where Nohan, the second vice premier of the Joseon dynasty during King Sejong and King Sejo’s reign, stayed. After he lost his mother, he built the pavilion to mourn at her grave while still being able to see his father’s grave in Gaeseong to the North. His brother-in-law, then Minister of the Interior, Gang Sa-deok named the pavilion “Hyosajeong,” which means pavilion of filial piety.

In order to find the original location of the pavilion, poems by Jeong Inji and Seo Geojeong and an old map of Korea were referenced, but the pavilion was not found because the surrounding landscape had changed too much. As a result, a location was selected and the pavilion was reconstructed at its current location. The house is 3 kan* in the front and 2 kan* on the side. The roof is a hip-and-gable roof. The pavilion has one room with under floor heating and a railing around the pavilion

(* kan: a traditional measurement that corresponds to the space between two columns)

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

6.0Km 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.

Matthew Chang Anguk (메튜장 안국)

6.0Km 2025-07-14

33 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Matthew Chang Anguk flagship store uses the whole space to bring the brand's philosophy to life through fragrance. Located in Anguk, the heart of Korea's tradition and aesthetics, the store's tranquil atmosphere sets the mood for visitors to try on and experiment with the brand's carefully selected perfume collection. The staff provides assistance in recommending the perfect scent according to visitor's preference, mood, and nostalgia. The store also has a section dedicated to body care products, such as hand wash and body lotion.

Kukje Gallery (국제갤러리)

6.0Km 2021-07-29

54, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Kukje Galley has been committed to presenting the work of significant Korean and international contemporary artists to the public since 1982. The gallery has established itself as a leading venue for international exhibits such as Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Francis, Jim Dine, Frank Stella, Robert Mangold, Anthony Caro, Cy Twombly, Edward Ruscha, Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys, and Bill Viola, attracting enthusiastic responses from both the public and the media.

The gallery has placed emphasis on collaborations between artists, galleries, and art dealers around the world and nurturing upcoming artists by sponsoring their artwork and giving them international exposure.

Namsan Arts Center (남산예술센터) - Area information - Korea travel information