Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone (종로 청계 관광특구) - Area information - Korea travel information

Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone (종로 청계 관광특구)

829.7M    2021-12-30

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone stretches from Seorin-dong to Changsin-dong between Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jong-ro. It includes Youth Street, Gwangjang Market, Sewoon Electronics Department Store, lighting stores, pharmacy & medical device stores, badge stores, Stamp Street, Stationery · Toy Market, Aquarium Street, Shoes Market, and other markets totalling to approximately 14,000 shops. Nearby attractions include modern high-story buildings as well as Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Unhyeongung Palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Insa-dong, merging traditions, modernism, culture, and markets alike.

Thought to be at the heart of Seoul, Cheonggyecheon Stream is located in the dense cultural area of Seoul where various press networks, organizations, bookstores and other major corporations are situated. Walking along Cheonggyecheon Stream is a famous activity for tourists. Also, the area is the venue for the Seoul Lantern Festival every winter. Keeping its traditional scene including narrow alleys, old-fashioned hanok buildings and various stores still fully intact, the tourist zone has enough fun places for sightseeing as well as tasty restaurants in every corner for a more enjoyable visit.

Naksan Park (낙산공원)

846.5M    2025-12-16

41 Naksan-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Naksan Mountain (alt. 125 meters) is one of the four inner mountains of Seoul, and can be accessed by following the road leading to the mountain entrance from Daehangno and Dongdaemun. It was also called Naktasan Mountain, which can be translated to Camel Mountain, because the terrain resembled a camel's back. It also had another name, Taraksan Mountain, “tarak” meaning fermented milk, because there was a royal ranch in the area that supplied milk to the palace. After the 1960s, the original appearance of Naksan Mountain disappeared due to apartments and dense housing, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government established a restoration plan. As part of this plan, a park project was carried out, and it opened Naksan Park in July 2002. Currently, Naksan Park has established itself as a resting place for citizens to feel the beautiful atmosphere of Hanyangdoseong, or the Seoul City Wall, and green forests. It has gained much popularity as a place for seeing the most beautiful night view in Seoul.

◎ Travel Information to Discover Hallyu’s Charm - Netflix Series "KPop Demon Hunters (2025)"
The fortress walls at Naksan Park served as the backdrop for Rumi and Jinu’s conversation in the Netflix series "KPop Demon Hunters." The view of the walls and the cityscape beyond adds to the unique atmosphere of the show, and visiting Naksan Park in person offers an expansive and memorable view of Seoul’s city center.

Kansong Art Museum (간송미술관(서울 보화각))

861.1M    2025-06-30

102-11 Seongbuk-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Kansong Art Museum was the first private art museum in Korea, opened as Bohwagak in 1938 by Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil. The name was changed to the current Kansong Art Museum in 1966. Bohwagak was designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 768 on December 30, 2019. Jeon Hyeong-pil dedicated his life to preserving and researching Korea’s representative relics that were devaluated and purposefully obliterated during the Japanese colonial era, as well as to acknowledging their cultural excellence and beauty. The museum houses 11 national treasures and 24 treasures.

Daraenamu Tree in Changdeokgung Palace (창덕궁 다래나무)

969.6M    2025-01-13

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Daraenamu Tree in Changdeokgung Palace is estimated to be 600 years old, meaning it had likely been planted before the palace was built. The tree stands 19m in x_height, and has six separate trunks sprawling in all directions. It is the biggest and the oldest in Korea. It is designated and protected as a National Natural Monument.

Seongbuk-dong–Bukchon Hanok Village Course (성북동고택북촌산책길)

1.0Km    2025-11-06

68, Seonjam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

The Seongbuk-dong–Bukchon Hanok Village Course is a nostalgic path connecting famous old houses in Seongbuk-dong and Bukchon Hanok Village, divided by the old city walls. Along the way, you'll find historic sites like Gilsangsa Temple, Jeongbeopsa Temple, Han Yong-un’s Simujang House, and novelist Lee Tae-jun's House. The trail also features charming cultural spots, such as the traditional tea house Sooyeon Sanbang and the Seongbuk Museum of Art.

◎ Travel information to meet Hallyu’s charm - "Parasite"
The scene in the alley where Ki-woo visited Mr. Park's house in a wealthy neighborhood for expensive tutoring was filmed in a residential area in Seongbuk-dong. Seongbuk-dong, an old wealthy village, has luxury mansions lined up in. There are many pretty cafés and galleries here and there, so it's good to take a leisurely look around. Mr. Park's house was a filming set, which was demolished after filming.

Nakseonjae Hall (낙선재)

1.0Km    2021-09-30

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Located inside Changdeokgung Palace, Nakseonjae Hall is a one-story structure built in ikgong style (bird wing-shaped eaves placed on top of the pillars) with a hip tiled and gable roof. It has 6 kan in the front and 2 kan (traditional unit of measurement of the space between pillars) to the sides. It originally belonged to the nearby Changgyeonggung Palace, but came to be considered a part of Changdeokgung Palace in more recent years.

The hall was constructed in 1846 (12th year of King Heonjong’s reign) and it is collectively called Nakseonjae together with the adjacent Seokbokheon Hall and Sugangjae Hall.

Behind the building is a flower garden made of stacked large stones. The chimney, the flowers, and the oddly shaped stones harmoniously blend into one another to create an outstanding landscape gardening.

Korea Art Festival (대한민국 미술축제)

1.1Km    2025-07-31

57 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-70-7575-0980

Korea Art Festival is the nation's largest art festival that connects the 12 major art fairs and biennales taking place nationwide. The 2025 festival takes place in September, inviting visitors to enjoy the world of art.

Sooyeon Sanbang (수연산방)

1.1Km    2025-10-23

8 Seongbuk-ro 26-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Sooyeon Sanbang is a traditional tea house located in Seongbuk-dong. It was originally built during the Japanese colonial period and was the hanok of the literary figure Lee Taejun. Today, it is operated as a tea house by the writer's granddaughter. The name Sooyeon Sanbang means "a house where literati gather in the mountains." Visitors can enjoy traditional teas such as daechucha (jujube tea) and ssanghwacha (medicinal herb tea), along with snacks like injeolmi (bean-powder-coated rice cake).

Bukjeong Village (북정마을)

1.1Km    2024-02-15

132-3 Seongbuk-ro 23-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Bukjeong Village, situated along the slopes of Seongbuk-dong, offers a glimpse into Korea's old alleyways. The village expanded as refugees from the Korean War (1950–1953) and people from various regions settled, building houses under the collapsed walls of Hanyang doseong (Seoul City Wall). Presently, the village is home to young artists, and the broad street in front of the village bus stop hosts various community events.

Going to the End(끝까지 간다)

1.1Km    2025-09-15

서울특별시 종로구 이화장1길 24 (이화동)