Bukchon Hanok Village and Neighborhood of Samcheong-dong, Seoul , South Korea

It is always a source of inspiration to see a city that kept its tradition against the modern development and the view of giwa (tiled roof) of Korean traditional houses against the background of skyscrapers that symbolizes Seoul position in 21st century will remain as one of my favorite.

Arriving very late from Singapore to Seoul, the following day I planned a packed day of city exploration starting with the northern village of Bukchon and the “hanok” houses .

I specifically choose my accommodation for my trip to be located close to the northern area of Seoul where most of the palaces I plan to visit are located, thus making Bukchon Hanok Village easily accessible on foot in a matter of minutes starting from Exit 3 of Anguk Station.

In general, most of the places of interest in Seoul are properly marked thus navigating either by subway or by foot is relatively easy, though it is always a good practice to grab the free city map at the airport.

It requires a little steep climbed to reach the main village of Bukchon and see the “hanok” (traditional Korean houses) up close. However, all you can do is admire the exterior of these houses as there is no access to see the inside unless you booked an accommodation to one of the guesthouses.

The hanok at Bukchon said to be dated back to the Joseon Dynasty offers a remarkable insight to the cultural side of Seoul. It is quite noticeable that most of the home nowadays have undergone quite few repairs and upgrades, though the elevated location and backdrop mountain view help to keep the over-all traditional ambiance .

Bukchon Hanok Village,even small in size is one of the most visited place in the city and in fact an active residential area, therefore visitors are expected to follow the reminder pasted on the walls.

Instead of taking the same way up and head back to Anguk Station, I took the opposite direction by climbing down a set of stairs towards the hip neighborhood of Samcheong-dong. Actually this is also a good approach for those wanting to explore Bukchon Hanok Village in the opposite direction. The starting point is clearly marked.

Bukchon Hanok Village is located at the neighborhood of Samcheong-dong, which I can say is one of the best in Seoul. Its location is the perfect spot to see everything cultural about the city from hanok to the grand palaces and museums.

Apart from everything cultural about this neighborhood, it is also one of the best places for a stroll, where all you wanted to do is admire the shop window display, gawk over the wall graffiti and maybe pop into the miniature café for some tea.

The neighborhood of Samcheong-dong is quite pleasant; though popular it never feels crowded. All those cute shops kind of reminded me of Shimokitazawa in Tokyo, though less re-sale shop.

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