Unhyeongung Royal Residence (서울 운현궁)

1.3Km 2024-03-04

464, Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-766-9090

Located near the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Unhyeongung Palace was a residence of royalty in Joseon period. It was the place where Gojong (1582-1919, reign 1864-1907), king of Joseon (1392-1897) and emperor of the Korean Empire (1897-1910), was born in, as well as the place where Heungseon Daewongun (1821-1898), his father, had resided in. Buildings include Noandang Hall, Norakdang Hall, and Irodang Hall. The Royal Residence offers programs like traditional weddings and traditional culture experiences, while the exhibition hall showcases Joseon-era artifacts.

Woo Lae Oak (우래옥)

1.3Km 2024-03-07

62-29 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2265-0151

Woo Lae Oak is a Pyeongyang naengmyeon (Pyeongyang cold buckwheat noodles) restaurant established in 1949. Its signature dish is the Pyeongyang naengmyeon, known for their clean and light broth. Alongside the onmyeon (warm noodles), they also serve bulgogi, which complements the warm broth perfectly. The restaurant is renowned to the extent that customers often line up to dine, and it was selected for the Michelin Guide 2023.

Larva Town (라바타운)

1.3Km 2022-12-23

1, Gyeonghuigung 1-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-70-4609-6492

Larva Town is divided into areas of three different themes: TUBAn Yard, TUBAn Goods, and Cafe Wingcle. TUBAn Yard greets visitors with animation character Larva dressed up as a gatekeeper from the Joseon dynasty along with other amusing sculptures that serve as excellent props for taking souvenir photos. The yard is open to public, welcoming any passerby to stop by and relax. As for TUBAn Goods, the shop is filled with character merchandise targeted towards consumers of diverse age range. Featured characters include TUBAn's iconic Larva, Dinocore, and Wingcle. After looking around TUBAn Yard and TUBAn Goods, visitors can stop by Cafe Wingcle where they can enjoy a cup of coffee with dessert surrounded by adorable Wingcle and friends.

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

1.3Km 2024-06-20

31-18, Samil-daero 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-745-8008, +82-10-8704-9981

The Moon Guesthouse is situated near a number of interesting tourist destinations including Unhyeongung Palace (3min on foot), Bukchon Hanok Village (5min on foot), Changdeokgung Palace (5min on foot), and Changgyeonggung Palace (10min on foot). The guesthouse was named ‘moon’ (‘door’ in English) because it has many 176 doors and windows. Upon entering by the gate, visitors will see a ‘ㄷ’-shaped hanok building in the courtyard, in which a wooden bedstead and a table are placed. On the opposite of the hanok building there is a wall roofed with tiles engraved with Korean patterns such as deer, pine, turtle, etc. Flowers in the flowerbed lined up along the wall are in bloom and the bonsai are also well-kept in the house. Renovated and opened as a guesthouse in September 2011, Moon Guesthouse consists of a bonchae (main building) and a byeolchae (detached house). The rooms are decorated with red clay and hanji (traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees), and have under-the-floor heating (ondol). Each room is equipped with an air-conditioner, and has a 40cm-thick layer of red clay over the ceiling for insulation, making the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The house has seven individual guestrooms and five modern bathrooms, but the entire building (bonchae or byeolchae) can be rented, too. In particular, the unhyeondang of the bonchae is very popular as it can be converted into one large space for special events, group workshops, etc. simply by opening all the sliding doors (Bunhapmun – Goryeo construction style). This room, which is decorated with a flower-patterned windscreen, a landscape painting, and calligraphy, has been used as a shooting location for various TV programs including KBS2’s TV reality program Man’s Qualification and its variety show The Human Condition. The guestrooms are also equipped with traditional furniture including a cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The guesthouse also provides a variety of experience programs from 11am to 3pm, including tea ceremony, wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), making kimchi and gochujang (red chili paste), playing a traditional musical instrument, making a rubbing of a stone inscription, calligraphy, drawing orchids on a fan, and so on. The house has about seventy hanbok and other clothing accessories, as well as a royal costume. Its calligraphy and drawing orchid programs are run directly by the owner, who used to work as a classical Chinese teacher at a high school.

Ahn Junggeun Memorial Museum (안중근의사기념관)

1.3Km 2024-03-06

91, Sowol-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
82-2-3789-1016

The Ahn Junggeun Memorial Museum honors the memory of Ahn Junggeun (1879-1910), an independence activist and soldier who advocated for Korean independence and peace in Asia. He fought against the Japanese to defend the Korean Empire (1897-1910). He was executed in 1910 for assassinating Hirobumi Ito, the Japanese who led the invasion of Korea in 1909, in Harbin, China.

Jeongdong Guksi (정동국시)

1.3Km 2024-06-19

5 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
02-732-0114

Jeongdong Guksi features a rich soup with a clean taste, created by carefully removing the oil dozens of times while boiling Korean beef bones for 15 hours. The restaurant uses this same beef bone broth in their mandutguk (dumpling soup), something not many restaurants do. The rich flavor of the broth combined with the soft dumplings, made in-house daily, is a must-try. The restaurant is also surrounded by many cultural and artistic spaces, making it a great addition to tours in the area.

Seoul Museum of History (서울역사박물관)

1.3Km 2023-08-11

55, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seoul Museum of History covers everything about Seoul's history and culture from the prehistoric era to modern times, focusing especially on the Joseon era. The museum aims to raise cultural awareness and build a strong bond within the community by collecting, preserving, researching, and displaying artifacts and materials related to Seoul as well as promoting the city's history and culture to an international audience.

Rawrow - Kwangjang Market Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (로우로우 광장시장)

1.3Km 2024-04-19

Store #239, Gwangjang Market, 88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Let's Jongno Festival (종로축제 렛츠종로)

1.3Km 2023-09-19

84 Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-10-4746-1773 / +82-70-4600-5719

Let's Jongno Festival is comprised of nine smaller festivals themed on traditional culture taking place throughout the Jongno district in October. Both local residents and visitors from near and far are invited to participate in the many activities. The festival kicks off with Jongno Culture Night during the first week of the month, followed by Gugak-ro Road Festa, Donghwamun-ro Road Culture Festival, and K-Jewelry Festival the second week; Jongno Hanbok Festival, Bukchon Craft Studio Festival, and Traditional Food Festival the third week.

Jongmyodaeje (Royal Ancestral Memorial Rite of Joseon) (종묘대제)

1.4Km 2022-10-05

157, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-3210-4806, +82-2-6011-1067

Jongmyodaeje, Korea’s Royal Ancestral Memorial Rite, is a traditional ritual that has been recognized with many important designations. It is a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 56 (Jongmyo Jerye), and Korea’s Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 1 (Jongmyo Jeryeak). The ritual is held yearly on the first Sunday of May. It begins with eogahaengnyeol, the fabulous royal parade dating from the Joseon dynasy, which is truly a sight to behold as it moves through the modern city.

Jongmyodaeje originated as a royal ancestral ritual to honor the past kings and queens of the Joseon dynasty. During the Joseon era, the ritual was held five times a year (spring, summer, autumn, winter, and December) until it was abolished by Japanese colonial rule. In 1969, Jongmyodaeje was reinstated and has been held in May every year since.

Jongmyo Shrine, the destination of the procession, was the setting of ceremonial rituals during the Joseon dynasty. Originally, Jongmyo only referred to Jeongjeon (Main Hall) where the memorial tablets of Joseon’s reigning kings and queens are enshrined. Today, however, Jongmyo also encompasses Yeongnyeongjeon (Hall of Eternal Peace) where the tablets of posthumous kings and queens are enshrined and Gongsindang (Hall of Meritorious Subjects) where the tablets of esteemed ministers of the state are kept.

Unhyeongung Royal Residence (서울 운현궁) - Area information - Korea travel information