Seodaemun Prison History Museum (서대문형무소역사관)

1.3Km 2024-12-02

251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Seodaemun Prison was built under the Japanese administration to imprison independence movement activists. It first opened on October 21, 1908 under the name Gyeongseong Prison. Eventually, so many activists were imprisoned that the building had to be expanded. At that time, the name changed to Seodaemun Prison on September 3, 1912. Eighty years later, the prison was turned into Seodaemun Independence Park on August 15, 1992 to commemorate the Korean patriots who were tortured in prison, giving their lives for freedom. Of the many buildings, only seven were preserved for their historical significance, among which three prison buildings and the execution site were designated as a Historic Site. In 1998, the park underwent another transformation into today's Seodaemun Prison History Hall to educate the public on the importance of Korea's independence and the sacrifices of those who fought to achieve it.

Jirisan Restaurant (지리산)

1.3Km 2019-08-01

30, Insadong 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-723-4696

Jirisan is one of the representative Korean restaurants in Insa-dong, an area known for its traditional culture. One of the trademarks of this restaurant, besides its amazingly delectable bean and tofu dishes, is a wooden sign that welcome guests into a neat and cozy interior.

Each day, fresh beans are ground at the restaurant to prepare dishes such as soybean paste, soft tofu, and bean-curd tofu stew. Bean-curds are prepared by using seawater, which gives the tofu a unique flavor. The fresh and clean taste of the tofu is one of the many reasons that choosey tofu aficionados flock to the restaurant.

Not just limited to tofu, Jirisan presents customers with a full-range of side dishes such as kimchi, japchae (glass noodles with sautéed vegetables), cucumber kimchi, seasoned seaweed, braised lotus roots, roasted yellow corbinas (a type of fish), leafy greens, bean-curd stew, and more. The restaurant gives visitors a chance to experience a hearty traditional Korean-style meal, but has thoughtfully toned down its seasonings to appeal to a wider audience (particularly those not used to spicy foods).

One of the recommended menu items is the Jirisan set meal, which offers diners the chance to sample foods that are popular in the Jirisan region. Adventurous diners may want to try the sea urchin soup or dried Pollack soup.

The restaurant, originally a traditional Korean house, has been modified over the years to better suit the needs of its customers. The walls surrounding the structure were removed and a glass ceiling was installed to allow guests to enjoy the natural light of the sun as they sample some of the area’s best traditional Korean cuisine.

Roomin Bukchon (루민북촌)

1.3Km 2024-12-13

13-12 , Bukchon-ro 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-70-8098-4497

Located in Gahoe-dong, Seoul, Roomin Bukchon is a private hanok accommodation in a residential area near Bukchon Hanok Village. It is 23.14㎡ in size, so it is not very spacious, but it is sufficient to accommodate two people. It is equipped with a Balmuda toaster, an induction cooktop, a bathroom with a shower, and a bedroom with a beam projector to ensure that there are no conveniences. Guests are also provided with aromatherapy amenities and drip coffee bags from a popular cafe nearby, as well as access to a washing machine. You will find major tourist attractions nearby, including the Palace, Insa-dong, and Hanok Village.

Neulmajung (늘마중)

1.4Km 2024-01-12

11-5 Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Makgeolli is a traditional liquor made from rice or wheat as a main ingredient and with yeast and various other ingredients. Its uniqueness lies in the main ingredient or yeast used, thus a variety of makgeolli made with local specialties can be found throughout Korea. Neulmajung is a pub restaurant that serves 34 types of makgeolli from all over the country, as well as many foods that go well with them. In addition, its soft wooden interior creates a comfortable atmosphere. Its representative dish is haemul pajeon (seafood and green onion pancake), made with plenty of ingredients. They also serve crispy pan-fried gamja jeon (potato pancake) and memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepe), rich in both flavor and taste as it is made with buckwheat from Bongpyeong, Gangwon-do, all of which are a perfect paring to makgeolli.

Baengnyeon Tojong Samgyetang (백년토종삼계탕)

1.4Km 2021-03-24

41, Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-747-5535

This is the place featured on the Michelin Guide. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The representative menu is ginseng chicken soup.

DAHMSOJUNG[Korea Quality] / 담소정[한국관광 품질인증/Korea Quality]

1.4Km 2025-01-06

16-2, Bukchon-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
010-3749-9550

Dahmsojung, meaning ‘a house full of laughs’, is a hanok guesthouse that provides sincere services and comfortable relaxation. Located in the middle of Seoul’s city center, this hanok hotel-class guesthouse was built using traditional hanok construction materials including the 200-years-old Korean land pine from Gyeongju, and clay for rooms. The owner originally bought the land to build the residential area for the family, but wishing to promote the charms of the hanok building to foreigners, it was opened as a guesthouse in October 2012. This hanok guesthouse with modern elements is decorated with refined interior items. It provides a special breakfast that consists of steamed rice wrapped in a lotus leaf and tasty side dishes without any artificial seasonings. All the vegetables used for the meals are organic and cultivated by the owner. It also uses refined objects including high quality tableware, bedding (cotton bedclothes with colored stripes), authentic ceramics, lacquered painting by an artisan, and artistic living items. It carries out a cleaning and disinfection process every day as well. In particular, Hinoki cypress with a subtle scent was used for the bathroom. The home bar was installed especially for foreign guests who find it difficult to sit on the floor in the kitchen. These detailed consideration and decorations have attracted many guests including foreign diplomats, VIPs, and so on. It also operates a hands-on programs including ‘calligraphy’ and ‘making a fan’ that are held on the main floored room and are popular among foreign guests. Dahmsojung offers guests sophisticated services and comfortable facilities with a clean and traditional atmosphere that attracts many domestic and foreign guests.

Insadong Sagwanamu (인사동사과나무)

1.4Km 2021-03-29

24-1, Insadong 14-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-722-5051

This is where you can dine on the outdoor terrace. This restaurant's signature menu is steak. This Western dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Gaeseong Mandu Koong (개성만두 궁)

1.4Km 2023-05-24

11-3, Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-733-9240

Gaeseong Mandu Koong has served Gaeseong-style mandu (dumplings) for more than 30 years. The elderly proprietor, who fled south during the Korean War runs this restaurant with the help of her granddaughters. Characterized by its delicate taste, Gaeseong mandu stuffing consists of pork and various vegetables such as cabbage and pumpkin. This restaurant's mandu is so popular that it sometimes gets sold out even before evening. Typical menu includes mandu jeongol (hot pot) and mandu guk (soup). The hot pot is made of various ingredients including mandu, rice cakes, mushrooms, and meat, and serves two to three persons. For several persons, it's recommended to eat bossam (boiled meat slices wrapped in lettuce leaves or kimchi) and Korean-style pancakes.

Deoksugung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (덕수궁 왕궁수문장교대의식)

1.4Km 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.

Dolsilnai - Insa Branch (돌실나이 (인사점))

1.4Km 2022-12-26

35, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-737-2232

To popularize hanbok, Dolsilnai offers modified hanbok suited for daily use. Focusing on simple elegance, Dolsilnai hanbok is known for all-cotton fabrics and pigment dyeing. While it doesn't ignore the beauty of traditional hanbok, Dolsilnai hanbok also emphasizes functional and practical qualities essential for modern daily living.

Seodaemun Prison History Museum (서대문형무소역사관) - Area information - Korea travel information