Insa-dong (인사동)

6.7Km 2024-05-17

62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-734-0222

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.

Gyeongbarwon (경발원)

6.7Km 2021-03-26

34, Mangu-ro 21-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2244-2616

It is a Chinese-run store. This Chinese (cuisine) restaurant is located in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. The most famous menu is sweet and sour chicken.

853 (팔오삼)

6.7Km 2024-03-15

16 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-70-8832-0853

853 is a pork barbecue restaurant located in a renovated hanokin Insa-dong, offering various cuts of pork such as shoulder, belly, blade-end fatback, and pork neck. They use thick cuts of domestically sourced pork and grill them to perfection, ensuring they are juicy and flavorful. Customers can enjoy dipping their meat in one of four sauces: Himalayan rock salt, mustard seeds and wasabi, salted cutlassfish intestines, and barley mixed paste. Their flying fish roe riceball mixed with pickled radish salad, burdock root, flying fish roe, perilla leaves, and mayonnaise pairs perfectly with the meat.

Hanok Guesthouse Dongchonchae [Korea Quality] / 한옥 게스트하우스 동촌재 [한국관광 품질인증/Korea Quality]

6.7Km 2021-03-26

21-10, Jahamun-ro 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Built in 1939, Dongchonchae was designated as Seoul Well Hanok by the Seoul Metropolitan City in 2016. In 2020, this hanok (traditional Korean house) received the Certificate of KOREA QUALITY from the Korea Tourism Organization in the Heritage Hanok field in recognition of its historicity and quality of services. Dongchonjae is located in the western side of Gyeongbokgung Palace, at Seochon. When one passes through its main gate, one sees the yard, with anchae (women's quarters), sarangchae (men's quarters), and byeolchae (detached quarters) surrounding the plot. Anchae has four rooms, daecheong (wood-floored main hall), a kitchen, and a restroom. One of the rooms is used for tea ceremonies as well. Outside of the sarangchae and byeolchae, which are the living spaces for the owners, visitors have free access to the numaru (raised open floor) and the yard. The anchae’s rooms “Bom” and “Yeoreum” can accommodate 2 to 3 adults each, while the rooms “Gaeul” (Tea Room) and “Gyeoul” are optimal for two. The building is rented out as a whole, so no more than one group may stay in the building at any given time. Standard occupancy is four persons, and eight is the maximum number. There are two restrooms, one within the anchae building, one out in the backyard.
Cooking is not allowed in the kitchen, but guests are free to bring in outside food. Experience programs on offer include nighttime exploration of Seoul City Wall, tea ceremony, folk songs, and rice cake making. Additional payment is only required for rice cake making. Guests may choose between two types of complimentary breakfast: Korean, which comes with rice, soup, and three side dishes; and Western, which comes with bread, salad, and coffee. There are a 100-in screen and mini projector for film watching in the yard or daecheong. Towels, toiletries, hair dryer, bottled water, traditional tea, and capsule coffee are included. The kitchen is equipped with kitchen utensils, a microwave, and a coffee pot, enough for instant foods. Guests also have access to refrigerator and washing machine

Cheongansa Temple (천간사)

6.7Km 2021-10-12

20-8, Bulgwang-ro 10-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul
+82-2-355-7430

Cheongansa Temple was first built in 1960, and was re-built in 2009. It has many pagodas and monuments: a pagoda filled with sari relics of Buddha; Budotap Pagoda, which is a shrine to the monk who found the temple and his sacred relics; and a monument honoring the late first lady Yuk yeong-su. The re-built temple was awarded the Hanok Prize in the Hanok Competition 2011. Located along the Bukhansan Mt. Dulaegil Trail, the temple provide visitors with the chance to enjoy fresh air and a rest from hiking along the trail.

Sarangchae (사랑채)

6.7Km 2016-12-30

6, Insadong 16-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-737-1155

Sarangchae is located in Insa-dong, one of the most famous neighborhoods visited by tourists. Majority of the restaurant's customers are foreigners, and they offer reasonably priced Korean dishes that are highly popular among foreign visitors.

Okjeong (옥정)

6.7Km 2021-03-19

18, Insadong, 12-gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul
+82-2-733-5412

A traditional Korean restaurant serving hanjeongsik (Korean table d'hôte) for 30 years now. The representative menu is Korean table d''hote. This is a Korean cuisine located in Insa-dong, Seoul.

Hotel Crown Insadong (호텔 크라운-인사동)

6.7Km 2021-02-10

9, Samil-daero 30-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3676-8000

Hotel Crown is a premier hotel that was renovated in May 2002. The hotel is in close proximity to Jongno and Insa-dong, making it a convenient place to stay for tourists.

Haemul Saryeongbu (해물사령부)

6.7Km 2021-03-19

10, Jong-ro 31ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-763-8882

Blowfish broth is used for all dishes. The representative menu is braised beef short ribs and seafood/braised spareribs and seafood. This is a Korean cuisine located in Jongno, Seoul.

Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art (경인미술관)

6.7Km 2024-03-04

11-4, Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-733-4448

Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art is located in Insa-dong. It has six exhibition rooms, an atelier, an outdoor exhibition area, and a traditional tea house. It hosts outdoor concerts in spring and fall, and Q&A sessions with authors can also be found as well. The traditional tea house offers about 15 types of traditional Korean tea in a space that overlooks the garden.

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