Insa-dong (인사동)

650.0M 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.

Myeongdong Theater (명동예술극장)

658.1M 2021-06-09

35, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Myeongdong Theater is an exclusive theatrical performance center, located in what was originally the National Theater of Korea. From 1934 to 1973, the National Theater of Korea pioneered Korean arts and culture, serving as a movie theater, performance hall and art theater. Though it closed its doors in 1975, it was reopened on June 5, 2009 after 3 years of renovation under the name of Myeongdong Theater. The exterior of the theater was left untouched, while the interior was completely updated for a modern design. The theater has a mid-sized performance hall with state-of-the-art stage equipment and a seating capacity of 588 seats. The close proximity of the seats and the stage offers great views as well as allows the audience to share the passion of the performers on stage. The theater presents a range of performances such as theatrical plays, experimental plays, non-verbal performances, and musicals. In addition, the place is a popular venue for diverse events like acting contests, theater festivals and performance festivals.

Lime Tree Dental Hospital (라임나무치과병원)

662.8M 2025-10-23

7F, 43 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Located in Myeong-dong, the heart of Seoul tourism, Lime Tree Dental Hospital is a hospital-grade medical institute. It is led by In-su Kim, the Chief Director with 27 years of experience, and it has a team of specialists covering different departments. This hospital boasts superb accessibility as it is right near Myeong-dong Station (Subway Line 4) and Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station (Subway Line 2).
Skilled medical staff in esthetic prosthodontics are in charge of procedures such as One-day Veneer and All Ceramic Crowns. Additionally, medical staff who have experience placing over 35,000 dental implants directly perform implant procedures.
A leader in K-medicine, Lime Tree Dental Hospital is committed to giving customers the utmost satisfaction.

Sejong-ro Park (세종로공원)

688.1M 2022-08-31

jiha 189, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Sejong-ro Park is located next to Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. Inside the park, there are wooden benches and shaded areas where people can sit and relax. Also available are water fountains, a round outdoor stage, and various sculptures. The lunch crowd from the nearby office buildings often come to the park during weekdays. On the weekends, the park is also used as a venue for outdoor weddings.

Seoul's anthem and the poem "Bulnori" by Ju Yo-han are written on a memorial stone that can be found inside the park.

Beauty Play (뷰티플레이)

698.1M 2025-11-14

73 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience center operated by the Korea Cosmetics Industry Institute and supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It offers a wide variety of sample Korean beauty products for testing as well as diverse beauty experience programs such as makeup touch-up service (choice of base, eyes, or lips), personal color test, and skin evaluation. Visitors can also ask for product recommendation based on their skin type or skincare concerns. Beauty Play also frequently hosts free one-day classes, which are announced online via its official website. It also hosts a variety of sample product giveaway events and the exhibited products get changed every two months, allowing visitors to get familiarized with lesser known quality products as well.

Myeongdong Nanta Theatre (명동난타극장)

701.2M 2021-07-23

26, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Nanta, Korea's representative non-verbal performance, opened their fourth exclusive theater in Myeong-dong, the center of shopping. The 386-seat theater is located within the UNESCO Building. It is the largst of the Nanta theaters, and was the first to present foreign actors within the performances. There are 3 shows every day, all year round.

Deoksugung Palace's Daehanmun Gate (덕수궁 대한문)

707.2M 2025-01-13

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Located near City Hall station, Daehanmun Gate is the main gate of Deoksugung Palace, one of the princiapl five palaces of Joseon dynasty. The name "Daehan" means wish for eternal prosperity of the Korean Empire. In front of the gate, the Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is held twice daily, along with the reproduction of costumes and style throughout the year.

Matthew Chang Anguk (메튜장 안국)

709.6M 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.

Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) (서울공예박물관)

710.6M 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.

Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

742.7M 2025-07-11

99, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-737-6444

Deoksugung Palace has held a guard changing ceremony since 1996 after thorough historical research by leading historians. The ceremony, which is held in front of Daehanmun Gate of Deoksugung Palace, is a tradition similar to the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and offers a rare opportunity to experience royal culture. The royal gate is opened and closed at pre-determined times, and the gatekeepers in charge of guard duty and patrols hold a shift ceremony three times a day.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a highly recommended event for tourists. It is held three times a day, with each ceremony following the same procedure and lasts for forty minutes to an hour, and the ceremony is free of charge. There are no ceremonies on Mondays as well as on severely cold or hot days.

As the ceremony begins, the changing of the guards commences replete with traditional musical instruments, and exchanges a password for verification. An eight-minute guard ceremony ensues, followed by a seven-minute change ceremony, and finally a patrol that completes the ceremony. The procedure takes a dramatic turn when 18 guards in six official positions beat a drum and bellow some orders.

The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is a great opportunity to experience a rare traditional scene. The guards’ splendid costumes, with their brilliant primary colors, are a pleasure to view. Once the ceremony is over, visitors can take pictures with the gatekeepers.

Insa-dong (인사동) - Area information - Korea travel information