Ikseondong | Oppa's Guide
Touring around the trendiest hanok village in Korea
Hello everyone! We're Creatrip, your group of Korean travel experts.
Ikseondong, the oldest hanok village in Seoul, has been a trending place among young locals in the last couple of years. With its aesthetic cafes, restaurants serving up fusion foods and street foods, and 'Newtro' clothing, Ikseondong is the best place to experience Korea's old mixed with the new. We'll show you guys around Ikseondong and places worth considering for your trip. Follow Creatrip's Oppa Juwon!
Ikseondong Meat Alley
(Jongno 3-ga Station exit 6)
You'll find clusters of barbeque places with outdoor tables and grills. It sets the perfect mood for some meaty goodness and alcohol. This is one of the best ways to experience locals' barbeque.
Hanok Village
As Seoul's oldest hanok village, Ikseondong has maintained its old classic looks well whilst mixing in new cafes, restaurants and shops into it. Locals refer to this phenomenon as 'Newtro,' a slang that refers to new plus retro. The small alleys of this village are full of interesting things worth checking out.
1. Flower Cafe, Madang
This hanok cafe is surrounded by flowers and their aromas, stunning on the inside and outside. Hanok and flowers sound like an unusual mix but they do go well together! Madang sells flowers, tea and desserts. Oppa Juwon said the yogurt (9,000KRW) he got had fresh fruits in it and was very appetizing.
2. Teterot Salon
Unlike traditional hanboks, contemporary hanboks with modern touches can be worn on a daily basis. Teterot Salon is a popular contemporary hanbok shop loved by young generations.
3. Retro Clothing Rental Shops
If you've done the hanbok rental experience already, how about retro clothing rental now? Renting out retro clothing and walking around the hanok village are what girlfriends like to do in Korea. We recommend Ikseon Boutique and Jongno Boutique. Both places rent out stylish clothing that was in style decades ago!
4. Kom Kom Arcade
Com Com Arcade has old games that were trending back in the days. You'll find classics that are not so easy to find these days. Look at how classic the game Oppa Juwon is playing is!
5. Jalppajin Maemil
Boiling, steamy mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot) and refreshing jeonbok makguksu (abalone buckwheat noodles) are served here. The mandu jeongol with meat is 12,000KRW per person and without meat 9,000KRW. You'll get lots of dumplings of different sizes and colours, as well as crunchy bean sprouts. The secret ingredient inside the makguksu (8,000KRW) is jeonbok (abalone)! You get a whole chunk of abaolne per serving and the chewy, tough texture of the buckwheat noodles is interesting.
Weekdays 11:00-21:30 / Break 15:00-17:00
6. Pojang Macha Street
At exits 3 and 4 of Jongno 3-ga Station, you'll see lines of outdoor stalls cooking and selling foods that go well with drinks. They start opening late evenings, so if you don't see any open in the afternoon, don't be disappointed! You'll experience the street food vibes you've seen on K-dramas here. But, I wouldn't recommend it to travellers who take hygiene of their food seriously.
Ikseondong tends to be on the pricy side compared to other destinations of Seoul, but it is a one-of-a-kind place where you can experience Korea's old hanok atmosphere with small modernized shops and restaurants packed in between. Whether it's renting retro clothing and purchasing contemporary hanboks or grabbing a beer with a barbeque on the streets, Ikseondong's got it all.
Check out Oppa touring around Ikseondong Hanok Village!
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