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Insadong |
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Description
Insadong and the surrounding area were the residences of Joseon
Dynasty (1392-1910) officials, extended royal families, and the
yangbanaristocratic class. The antique art shops that were established
here during the Japanese Colonial Period carried everyday items of the
privileged class as these items became antiques in the face of
modernity. Since then, Insadong has been home to dozens of art
galleries and antique shops. Insadong's narrow alleys branch out into
all directions from one main street. To explore the interesting places
on these side alleys, it would be helpful to get a map of Insadong at
one of three Tourism Information Centers that are located at the
center and the two ends of the main street.
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Antiques
41% of Korea's antique shops. These shops display and sell quality
antiques such as old paintings, ceramics, woodenware, metalware, old
furniture and many other items. Among them, ceramics are found
abundantly. Numerous antique shops are renowned for specific
merchandise: Tongmungwan for old documents, Haedonggodoja Research
Institute for ceramics, Godosa for daily utensils of the past,
Dongmundang and Gonghwarang for calligraphy supplies, and Naraksil
and Gayajae are famous for old furniture.
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Art Galleries
Art galleries began to settle in Insadong from the 1970's and
presently account for more than 70 shops. Galleries in Insadong
display and sell modern art pieces as well as antiques. The price of
artworks range from a few U.S. dollars to ten thousand U.S. dollars.
Exhibitions are held frequently in these galleries and give good
chances for Korean artists to gather. Insa Art Center and Gyeongin
Art Gallery are famous in Insadong.
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Hanbok Korean
Traditional Clothes, Ceramics, Handicrafts and Souvenirs
Most hanbok shops in Insadong sell a simplified version of hanbok.
hanbok usually costs about two hundred U.S. dollars, but the price
of high-quality hanbok could go up to a few thousand U.S. dollars.
Jilgyeongyi Wuriot is a famous hanbok shop. Ceramics is another
popular shopping item in Insadong. Good quality ceramics have a
clean color and make a pure sound when tapping it with a finger.
Bakyeongsukyo is a prominent ceramics shop which even was visited by
Queen Elizabeth ?? of England. If hanbok or ceramics are too
expensive, traditional-style daily items might be a good option.
Wuri Segye, Sori Hana, and Tongin Gagye are good shops to get
souvenirs such as silk pouches, oriental fans or mobile phone
strings. Gana Art Shop inside of Insa Art Center offers traditional
high quality items. Awon Gongbang is a good shop for metal crafted
products and the National Souvenir Center and Seoul Souvenir Shop
are specialized souvenir shops in Insadong.
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Food and Drink
Most restaurants in Insadong are on alleys near Sudo Pharmacy.
(Please refer to the map of Insadong.) Traditional restaurants in
Insadong serve Korean dishes cooked without synthetic seasonings in
remodeled traditional Korean houses. Sanchon serves good temple food
along with a traditional performance. The Restaurant Jirisan
Restaurant is famous for delicious dishes that taste of Korean home
cooking. Sadongmyeonok is renowned for manduguk dumpling soup,
Insadong Hangari Sujebi is recognized for sujebi clear soup with
wheat flakes, and Gaetmaeul Milbatjip is celebrated for kalguksu
noodle soup. Yetchatjip, Gwicheon, and Jeontong Dawon located inside
of Gyeongin Art Gallery are popular traditional teahouses. A fun
experience in Insadong is to try hotteok Chinese stuffed pancake or
ggultarae from a street vendor.
Transportation Map
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Seoul Subway Line 1,
Jonggak Station, 5 minute walk
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Seoul Subway Line 1,
Jongno 3-ga Station, 5 minute walk
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Seoul Subway Line 3,
Anguk Station, 5 minute walk
  
  
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Noted Shops
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Insa Art Center
Insa Art Center is an art complex with 4 exhibition halls and Gana
Art Shop which sells quality traditional items. It's easy to find
since it's located on the main street.
Tel : +82-2-736-1020 (Kor)
Hours: 10:00~19:00(Gana Art Shop 10:00 ~ 19:30)
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
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Gyeongin Art Gallery
Gyeongin Art Gallery is an art complex with 3 indoor exhibition
halls, 1 outdoor exhibition hall, traditional teahouse and a garden.
Tel : +82-2-733-4448(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~19:00
Closed on every last Tuesday of the month, New Years Day, the Lunar
New Year Day and Chuseok Korean Thanksgiving Day.
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Wuri Segye
Wuri Segye offers small daily items (around 20 U.S. dollars) and
textile bags with Korean traditional designs (around 40 U.S.
dollars). The owner designs the items herself.
Awon Gongbang
The owner designs and sells metal handicrafts. Awongongbang has
interior decorations such as bronze mirrors and accessories with a
price ranging from around 25 U.S. dollars to over 250 U.S. dollars.
Tel : +82-2-734-3482(Kor)
Hours : 10:30~19:30
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.Tel : +82-2-725-1216(Kor)
Hours : 09:30~21:30
Open year round
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Tongin Gagye
Tongin Gagye mostly offers daily items and souvenirs with a price
ranging from a few U.S. dollars to 500 U.S. dollars. Located on the
main street, it's easy to spot.
Tel : +82-2-733-4867(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~19:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Koean Thanksgiving Day.
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Gilgyeongyi Wuriot
Gilgyeongyi Wuriot sells simplified versions of hanbok (Korean
traditional costume) with a price ranging from 200 U.S. dollars to
1000 U.S. dollars.
Tel : +82-2-734-5934(Kor)
Hours : Mon.~ Sat.10:00~21:00/Sun.11:00~20:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
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Sori Hana
Sori Hana is a good place to shop for small souvenirs such as
pouches, fans, picture frames, and accessories.
Tel : +82-2-733-8335(Kor)
Hours : 09:30~19:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Koean Thanksgiving Day.
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Tongmungwan
Tongmungwan is the most famous shop for old documents on
archaeology, historical science and Korean literature in Insadong.
Major customers are scholars.
Tel : +82-2-734-4092(Kor)
Hours : 10:30~18:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
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Bakyeongsukyo
Bakyeongsukyo is a well-known ceramic shop and was visited by Queen
Elizabeth of England.
Tel : +82-2-730-7837(Kor)
Hours : 09:30~18:00
Closed on Sundays and National Holidays
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National Souvenir Centre (NSC)
NSC offers inexpensive souvenir items. Located at the entrance of
Insadong from Jongno, it's easy to access.
Tel : +82-2-734-2234(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~21:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Korean Thanksgiving
Day.
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Seoul Souvenir Shop (Insadong)
Seoul Souvenir Shop displays and sells items from the Korean
Souvenir Contest. Next to Insadong Tourist Information Center, where
free internet access is also available.
Tel : +82-2-3210-0328(Kor)
Hours : 10:05~22:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
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Food
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Sanchon
Sanchon serves a full course temple food which has 16 dishes served
at one time. Traditional dance performance are provided during the
dinner hours(19:15~21:00).
Tel : +82-2-735-0312(Kor)
Hours : 12:00 ~ 22:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Eng/Jap
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Gaetmaeul Milbatjip
The specialty of this restaurant is bajirak kalguksu clam noodle
soup. Kongguksu bean noodle soup and mandu dumplings are also
popular. It is at the entrance of Insadong from Jongno, it's easy to
locate.
Tel : +82-2- 737-0227(Kor)
Hours : 11:00 ~ 21:30
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok Korean
Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Eng/Jap
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Hangari Sujebi
Chewy sujebi soup with wheat flakes at this restaurant is served in
a small jar of clay. Gulpajeon oyster and green onion pancake and
golbaengi spicy seafood salad are popular as well. Cold kongguksu
bean noodle soup is added to the menu during the summer.
Tel : +82-2-735-5481/3361(Kor)
Hours : 11:30~21:30
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok Korean
Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Eng/Jap
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Jirisan
The owner grows beans and vegetables and makes tofu to serve the
best Korean home dishes. Casserole of bean-curd dregs is served for
free during the lunchtime.
Sambodang Hotteok
Sambodang serves Hotteok (Chinese stuff pancake) and Odaeng (fish
cake). Hotteok is a fried pancake made of glutinous rice, black
sugar, and peanuts and tastes sweet. (500 won for one Hotteok)
Tel : +82-2-722-1052(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~20:30
Closed on Monday of every first and third week of the month.Tel :
+82-2-723-7213(Kor)
Hours : 11:30~22:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok Korean
Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Jap
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Sadong Myeonok
The specialties of Sadongmyeongok are mandu dumplings jeongol beef
and noodle casserole, manduguk dumpling soup, doganitang ox knee
bone stew) and Bulgogi.
Tel : +82-2-735-7393(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~22:30
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok Korean
Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Eng/Jap
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Ggultarae
Ggultarae is a snack with a very interesting appearance. It looks
like strands of white silk wrapped into little balls. These threads
are actually made from honey, pine nuts, cornstarch, chestnuts, and
peanuts. It tastes sweet and two kinds of Ggultarae, Peanut
Ggultarae and Almond Ggultarae are available.
Tel : None
Hours : 10:00~21:00
Open year round
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Jeontong Dawon
(Traditional Tea House)
Located inside Gyeongin Art Gallery, Jeontong Dawon serves good
quince tea and citron tea inside a Hanok (traditional Korean house)
with a spacious garden. Gyeongin Art and Craft Shop next to the
teahouse is another attraction that draws many tourists.
Tel : +82-2-730-6305(Kor)
Hours : 10:00 ~ 23:00
Closed on New Years Day, Lunar New Years Day and Chuseok Korean
Thanksgiving Day.
Languages: Kor/Eng/Jap
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Yetchatjip
Located on the main street, Yetchatjip is easy to spot and serves
good jujube tea. It has 19 tables and ondol floor heating system
rooms as well. 30% of customers are Japanese tourists.
Tel : +82-2-722-5332(Kor)
Hours : 10:00~23:30
Open year round
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Gwicheon
The wife of a famous poet Cheon Sangbyeong, runs this tea house and
she does her utmost to serve high quality tea cultivating all the
ingredients at her home. Gwicheon is visited by many famous writers
in Korea.
Tel : +82-2-734-2828(Kor)
Hours :11:00~22:00
Open year round
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Tourist
Information Center
Opened on January 5, 2003, Insadong Tourist Information Center offers
three computers with free internet access and English, Chinese and
Japanese speaking staff. Other facilities are ATM, public phones, fax
and copy machine.
Tel : +82-2-731-1676(Kor/Eng/Jap/Chn)
Hours : 10:00-22:00
Open year round
Tourist Information Center ("TIC")
Two Tourist Information Centers are located at the two ends of the
main street of Insadong providing well-trained staff fluent in English
and Japanese, maps and useful brochures and booklets. Public bathrooms
are located next to TICs as well.
Nam (South) Insa Tourist Information Center : +82-2-731-1622 (Kor/Eng/Jap)
Buk (North) Insa Tourist Information Center : +82-2-734-0222 (Kor/Eng/Jap)
Hours : 10:00-18:00
Closed on Lunar New Years Day and Thanksgiving Day
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Shopping tips
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Visit several shops to
compare prices before purchasing any item.
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On Sundays, Insadong
becomes automobile-free. Various stalls and booths are opened along
the street selling antiques paintings, and handicrafts.
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Tourism Information
Centers ("TIC") are available at the center and the two ends of the
main street of Insadong. It's advisable to stop by a TIC for a map
of Insadong. Insadong has many side alleys which makes it helpful to
have a map when looking for your destination.
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Public bathrooms are
located next to Tourism Information Centers at the two ends of the
main street of Insadong.
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Insadong Insights
"Hottoek tastes really good" is what Ms. Haruna Takano(Student, Japan)
said about Insadong with a big and satisfied smile on her face.
She went on to say, "Most tourist magazines in Japan introduce
Insadong. It's worth visiting. There are so many things to see and
eat." Then she showed what she bought, "I bought key holders and
postcards for my friends, then had bulgogi for dinner. It feels just
great. Though I have to go back to my hotel now because most shops
close by 9 pm, I only hope that the shops in Insadong close late for
shoppers late at night."
To the question "What did you like the most about Insadong?," one of
Ms. Haruna's companions (Ms. Mariko Nisida, Student, Japan) picked
food vendors on the street, and the other (Ms. Azsa Takano, Student,
Japan) referred to the convenient transportation. |
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 Information
provided by Korea National Tourism Organization. |
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Insadong
