A trip around Bukchon Hanok Village is a peculiar experience. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be people, mainly young women, dressed in brightly coloured traditional Korean clothing being photographed in a variety of poses, in a variety of different locations. Around every corner individuals and groups were striking poses in doorways, alleyways and in front of historic buildings. There are around traditional houses, or hanok, in this area and it attracts a large number of tourists, domestic and foreign.
The influx of tourists โ over , foreign tourists alone each year โ has resulted in lot of restaurants, bars, tea houses and shops dotted throughout the area. Korean tourists flock here to have their photos taken in costumes that can be rented in numerous shops around the area. Its location close to the royal court meant it was originally an area for the nobility and high-ranking officials in the government.
Today, it forms one of the few remaining areas of traditional wooden houses in Seoul. There is a route that can be followed, but just wandering aimlessly around the narrow winding streets is just as satisfying. I know this because I started following the route and got hopelessly lost. The traditional building methods are perfect for coping with the extreme cold of Korean winters, and the heat of summer.
They are also remarkably robust, designed to withstand earthquakes. The day I visited there were plenty of tourists around, and the costume shops were doing a good trade.
After a couple of hours I ended my explorations, and my time in the city, drinking a Korean IPA at a cafe on the bustling Samcheong-gil, a street lined with restaurants and bars.
