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

Insa-dong (인사동)

8.3Km    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.

European Christmas Market (유러피언 크리스마스 마켓)

8.3Km    2024-12-03

B1 Samseongyo-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2241-6381

European Christmas Market aims to exchange and promote cultural values with international visitors and local residents by celebrating Christmas according to its area of origin, Europe. Visitors can experience European Christmas through food, music, performances, and other enjoyable events.

Kyobo Book Centre Gwanghwamun (교보문고)

8.3Km    2024-12-04

1 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
02-3295-0312

Kyobo Book Centre is the first large-scale bookstore in Korea, and this particular store can be found next to Gwanghwamun Square. Kyobo Book Centre Gwanghwamun divides its internal area into 11 sections and organizes them in a way that allows readers to find books easily. The store also has specialized shops for stationery, digital devices, and accessories, as well as exhibition spaces and cafés.

Hottracks - Gwanghwamun Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (핫트랙스 광화문점)

8.3Km    2024-04-23

1, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Seoul Yakhyeon Catholic Church (서울 약현성당)

8.3Km    2020-03-26

447-1, Cheongpa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-362-1891

Yakhyeon Catholic Church was established as a result of Korea gaining religious freedom in the 23rd year of King Gojong’s reign (1886) and the subsequent increase of the Catholic population. In 1891, Myeongdong Cathedral's head priest Doucet laid down the foundation stone in Hap-dong. Coadjutor bishop Coste was in charge of design and construction and the building was eventually completed in 1892. The church was named after "Yakjeonhyeon," or a hill of medicinal herbs. This is because the place where the church is located was once a hilly area covered with medicinal herbs. Later on, Yakjeonhyeon was shortened to Yakhyeon and it became the name of the hilly area between Malli-dong and Seoul Station.

Yakhyeon Catholic Church was the first Western-style church ever built in Korea. It's Gothic architecture features a 12-meter-wide and 32-meter-long cruciform construction with low arched windows and a pointed-arch entrance gate.

Kim Koo Museum & Library (백범김구기념관)

8.3Km    2022-08-30

26, Imjeong-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
+82-2-799-3400

Kim Koo Museum & Library was built in Yongsan-gu, Seoul to commemorate Baekbeom Kim Koo (1876-1949), a highly respected Korean independence activist. It opened on October 22, 2002 to commemorate Kim Koo's efforts and achievements in Korean history. The main hall is comprised of two floors, exhibiting relics related to his entire life. A statue of a seated Kim Koo is situated in the central space of the first hall.

Jeongdong Theater (국립 정동극장)

8.3Km    2024-06-19

43 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-751-1500

Jeongdong Theater is located along Deoksugung Stone Wall Path and serves as a cultural hub for local citizens. Opened in 1995, Jeongdong Theater is historically significant as it was established to restitute the legacy of Wongaksa, the first modern theater in Korea. Jeongdong Theater features numerous critically-acclaimed productions, such as “Traditional Art Performance,” “Masters Exhibition,” and “Art Frontier,” as well as programs like “Art Stage at Noon” that are geared toward the general public. As a result, Jeongdong Theater has become one of Korea's representative traditional arts performance theaters and was designated as a Seoul Future Heritage in 2015.

The theater successfully held the performance “Miso” in 2010, featuring the traditional musical "Love Songs from Chunhyang," written and created by Jeongdong Theater. The musical attracted many international visitors from all over the world, passing on Korean cultural values and beauty, as well as gaining the attention of critics worldwide. In addition, the theater also produced "The 2nd Story of Miso: Baebijang-jeon," offering a modern interpretation of the fundamental values found in Korea's culture and art.

The Dresser(더 드레서)

8.3Km    2025-05-21

서울특별시 중구 정동길 43 (정동)

Chungdong First Methodist Church (서울 정동교회)

8.3Km    2020-06-25

46, Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-753-0001

Chungdong Church, having being completed in 1897, was the first Christian church that was built after the spread of Protestantism in Korea. The church was founded in 1887 as a small worship house under the name Bethel by Henry Gerhard Appenzeller, an American missionary. As the number of followers increased, the building underwent construction and officially became a church in 1895. Chungdong Church is the only remaining church building from the 19th century. The church was expanded once more in 1926, changing its from a cross-shaped building to a square one. The expansion was made by adding walls using bricks as not to damage the original building structure. The architecture was built in a simplified version of an American gothic house with arched window frames.

Dongwha Duty Free Shop (동화면세점)

8.3Km    2021-06-04

149, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-399-3000

Dongwha Duty Free offers only the world’s best brands for sale. Visitors can shop for the latest popular brands in perfume, cosmetics, accessories, leather goods, and more. Apart from Korean brands and popular imported brands, visitors can also shop for specialty Korean products and folk crafts from all around the world.