It is surprising, as a Korean, to see how many people have got interested in Korean culture recently, such as K-pop and K dramas, and therefore plan on a trip to Korea.
I’m writing about a good place to visit in Seoul, but actually I was born and raised in a different city in Korea and lived in China and the United States for the past seven years. But I think that makes me a good fit for this subject, because I’m exploring Seoul as well with an outsider’s perspective, just like other tourists.
What makes me different from other tourists is, however, that I can collect more in-depth info from my friend groups in Seoul and also popular Korean websites.
So, let me introduce this place where I recently visited and fell in love with: Ikseon-dong, Seoul.
Ikseon-dong is a place where there are narrow alleys with old traditional buildings, which now are trendy restaurants, shops, or cafes.
https://blog.naver.com/nhp12/221098363744
https://blog.naver.com/nhp12/221098363744
https://blog.naver.com/nhp12/221098363744
- A place where latest Korean trends and traditions coexist
Ikseon-dong is located nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Insa-dong, which you should be familiar with if you have been to Korea or if you are planning on a trip here. Because of all these nearby beautiful palaces and Hanok Village, where you can see many beautiful traditional Korean housings, Ikseon-dong has its own unique atmosphere. First of all, Ikseon-dong has many traditional buildings. However, there is an unique and trendy taste in it. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
As you can see in the picture, the old traditional house is now an cafe.
There is a trendy but nostalgic sentiment in this place.
You can see that the building has a traditional style, but the dry flowers in front of it are a thing in Korea these days.
- Ikseon-dong is a place with beautiful and interesting shops
You can also see various shops, such as traditional Korean clothes shops or a comic book cafe. Even though Ikseon-dong is a small place, you can spend quite a long time because there are a lot of interesting and fun shops you can see and explore.
http://picbear.online/media/1762378474034387258_288946697
- Ikseon-dong is a good place to eat, too!
There are many good restaurants, too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlGUAgnlq4R/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlF728OHVLo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
If you get a chance to come to Korea, I hope you could also visit this place. It is a great place to see how Koreans tried to preserve tradition and add current sentiments to it.