Insa-dong

About

Nowhere exudes more local and traditional charm than Insa-dong, a quaint neighborhood in the center of Seoul that transports visitors back to a time when women wore hanbok and men rode horses. With its wooden tea houses, boutique galleries and street vendors selling traditional snacks, a stroll through Insa-dong is mandatory for all visitors, especially on Sundays when the streets become traffic free and come alive with street performances, buskers and throngs of young and old who have come to experience one of Seoul’s most fascinating and creative neighborhoods. While the entertainment here is free, Insa-dong is also one of the best places in Seoul to purchase traditional Korean art, products, and other souvenirs, as it is filled with antique shops, art galleries, traditional stationery shops, handicraft shops, pottery and porcelain shops, bookstores, and art supply stores. Insa-dong is also home to many traditional restaurants and teahouses.

Must-see Attractions
Ssamzie-gilSsamziegil is a traditional culture and shopping complex that houses over 70 stores that sell various items, ranging from fashion and art to food and accessories, on four floors above the ground that are connected by spiral staircases. 

Mokin Museum & GalleryMokin Museum & Gallery is a popular themed gallery that houses an array of interesting, mysterious, and bizarre Asian wooden sculptures from Korea, Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, and Tibet. The word "mokin" refers to wooden sculptures based upon human and animal shapes.

Gallery LuxOpened in 1999, Gallery Lux is Insa-dong's first photography art gallery.

Toto's Nostalgia Museum and Giftshop
Toto is a museum that displays items that were common in Korea in the 1960s and 1970s including vintage toys, snacks, household items, and stationary.

Kyungin Museum of Fine ArtThe Kyungin Museum of Fine Art is a museum that mixes traditional and modern culture through exhibited works, events and the traditional ritual of Korean tea drinking. The museum is built in the style of a hanok (traditional Korean house).

Address	39-1, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Subway	Line 1 Jongno 3(sam)-ga Stn. Exit 4 or 5. Walk 10 minutes.    Line 3 Anguk Stn. Exit 5 or 6. Walk 5 minutes.
Bus	Jogyesa (Temple) 704, 406, 172, 151, 708, 401, 162 8000, 7022 9401, 9710

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  Various traditional accessories can be found.
  
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  Take a break along these engraved stone benches.
  
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  Insa-dong is filled with traditional knick-knacks.
  
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  Unique vendors selling trinkets on the street.
  
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  In Insa-dong there is a unique Starbucks sign in Korean, and many tourists like to take photos in front of it. 
  
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  There are many hanji (traditional Korean paper) shops throughout the area.
  
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  Jongno 3(sam)-ga, near Insa-dong
  
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  Insa-dong is always bustling with people all throughout the day.
  
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  Insa-dong is very popular with foreign tourists.
  
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  Large stone statues can be found in the streets of Insa-dong.

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Milan Tomic

Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.

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