Korea House (한국의집) - Area information - Korea travel information

Korea House (한국의집)

1.1Km    2025-10-23

10, Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

The Korea House was opened in 1981. It is a traditional Korean building that introduces the culture and lifestyle of Koreans, where you can experience traditional architecture and a classical atmosphere. The building was built in the style of the Joseon Dynasty's Jagyeong-jeon building at the Gyeongbok Palace. It is the only building built in the traditional architectural style. You will feel its antiquity as you enter the building.

It is divided into the Haerin-gwan (a space for people to get acquainted with each other), the Traditional Theater, and three annex buildings (Munhyang-ru, Nokeum-jeong and Cheongwu-jeong). At Haerin-gwan, you can enjoy traditional music at Garak-dang and try traditional food at Sohwa-dang. In the square of Garak-dang you can view a traditional wedding (on the weekends) or people playing folk games. Also, at the Traditional Theater, about 156 seats are available, and in the afternoons Human Cultural Assets or members of the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts and the National Corps members present traditional music and dances. Sinayui, Salpuri, Pansori, the Drum Dance and the Bongsan Mask Dance are the most popular programs for foreigners. The programs are all explained in English and Japanese.

In the Cultural Gift Shop you can view various crafts made by traditional craftsmen. It is always open and the crafts are for sale as well. There are pottery, ceramics, golden crafts, knots and embroidery etc; approximately 500 pieces of artwork made by craftsmen from 20 different fields. Next to the House of Korea is the Namsan-gol Hanok Village where visitors can explore traditional houses.

Korea House (한국의집)

1.1Km    2024-03-05

10 Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2266-9101

Located in the center of Seoul, Korea House is a must-visit tourism spot as a high-end cultural complex offering Hanjeongsik (Korean table d'hote), traditional refreshments, traditional performance arts, and traditional weddings, allowing visitors to feel the beauty of Korean culture and the taste of Korea. Guests can also enjoy the elegant beauty of hanok.

Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art (경인미술관)

1.1Km    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.

Jeontong Dawon (전통다원)

1.1Km    2024-03-18

11-4 Insadong 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-730-6305

Jeontong Dawon is a hanok-style tea house located in Insa-dong. It offers seating both inside the hanok and in the outdoor garden, allowing guests to choose their preferred spot. Visitors can enjoy various types of traditional Korean tea along with traditional Korean snacks such as yugwa (fried rice sweet). It is situated within the Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art premises, offering the opportunity to explore the museum as well.

Vegetarian Restaurant Osegyehyang (채식요리전문점 오세계향)

1.1Km    2024-03-18

14-5 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-7171

Osegyehyang is a vegetarian restaurant located in Insa-dong. It specializes in vegetarian cuisine, offering a variety of dishes including noodles, traditional Korean dishes, and specialty items. Some of its popular dishes include maesil tangsuchae (vegan deep-fried pork with sweet and sour sauce), pyogobeoseotmari (rolled shiitake mushrooms), vegan yangnyeom chicken (vegan seasoned fried chicken), tteokbokki, jjajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodles), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), vegan steak, and bulgui ttukbaegi (vegan bulgogi), all prepared without meat but still delicious.

Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을)

1.1Km    2025-07-14

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsangol Hanok Village opened in 1998 on the northern side of Namsan Mountain in the center of the capital. This village has five restored hanok (traditional Korean house) premises, a pavilion, a traditional garden, a performance art stage, and a time capsule plaza, making it a perfect spot for locals and tourists to take a leisure walk. Upon entering from the front gate, visitors will get a taste of Korea's traditional life while escaping from bustling city life. The traditional garden with its pavilion and old houses creates a peaceful ambiance before the forested Namsan Mountain. A time capsule commemorating Seoul’s 600th anniversary was buried in 1994 at the highest point of the village and is scheduled to be reopened 400 years later in 2394.

The five hanok premises at Namsangol Hanok Village once belonged to aristocrats and government officials of the Joseon dynasty. Each house was originally located in a different neighborhood, but they were all moved to this area and restored to their original form. The houses were rebuilt using their original materials, except for one house, where the materials were too old and deteriorated to be reused. The premises were carefully restored and replicated according to their original form to depict the owners’ social class and personality. These buildings are now used as an exhibit to portray the living environment during the Joseon dynasty and as a venue for educational and cultural programs for children and tourists.

Some of the unique programs and activities to participate in include wearing hanbok, folding hanji (traditional Korean paper), writing in Korean, traditional tea ceremony, traditional etiquette school, and herbal medicine experience. There are also taekwondo demonstrations and other various performances held around the village. Visitors can also try traditional games such as yunnori (traditional board game), or understand more about the area through a guided tour.

Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Seoul Namdaemun (라마다 호텔앤스위트 서울남대문)

1.1Km    2024-12-23

27 , Chilpae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-775-7000

Ramada Hotel and Suites Namdaemun in Jung-gu, in the heart of Seoul,is famousd of for foreigner tourists and vacationers. Transport is convenient, with Seoul Station and City Hall Subway Station close by. Major Seoul tourist attractions such as Namdaemun Market, Myeong-dong, Gwanghwamun, and Deoksugung Palace are easily reachable on foot. A range of room types are offered, and additional facilities include a business center, restaurants, cafes, and an underground shopping mall. Dogs are allowed in rooms, but an extra cleaning fee is payable.

Ikseon-dong Hanok Street (익선동 한옥거리)

1.1Km    2025-10-27

Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Ikseon-dong is a place where the harmony of alleys and hanok houses exudes beautiful charm and is a must-visit spot for tourists of all ages and genders. It is also an area that connects the younger and older generations.

853 (팔오삼)

1.1Km    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.

Tteulan Teahouse (뜰안)

1.1Km    2024-12-10

Tteulan Teahouse is a cafe that really allows one to feel the tradition and flair of Korea. Tteulan has two entrances: one facing the wide alley and the other facing the smaller one. The smaller entrance is decorated like a garden, so it feels as if one is stepping into a land of fairy-tales. The café has a floor seating tables with traditional items like gadari soban (a table with legs that curve like a dog's legs), and jogakbo (a textile woven from several pieces of scrap cloth), all of which add to the traditional Korean aesthetic. The menu features ssanghwacha (medicinal herb tea known to help the immune system), a favorite among middle-aged and elderly Koreans; omija tea (omija is a tart berry that grows in East Asia known to be good for lung and bronchial health and boosts immunity); citrus tea (usually made with yuzu which is rich in vitamin C and said to help mitigate fatigue); and pour-over coffee. Traditional desserts include mugwort rice cake (rice cake with mugwort added for herbal flavor, best enjoyed with malt syrup), pumpkin rice cake, and roasted grain powder (a nutritious beverage made with a variety of powdered grain). It can be hard to find seating in the afternoon, so visitors are advised to avoid these hours if they seek to enjoy their drink in peace.