Visiting Hyehwa, Insadong, and Sinchon
On one Saturday morning I decided to take a quick day trip up to Seoul. I took the bus from Yeoju up to Seoul Bus Terminal and then caught the metro to Hyehwa Station.
Hyehwa 혜화
The area close to Hyehwa station used to be Seoul's center for art and music. It is one of my favorite areas in Seoul. Since it is close to a few learning institutes, many students gather to dance, sing, or play music. Besides performances going on, there are small booths filled with arts and crafts, tasty eateries, and aesthetically-pleasing cafes filling the streets.
I definitely recommend going here if you want to eat some good food, enjoy a nice cup of coffee, and watch some performances. If you have time, Ihwa Mural Village and Naksan Park are just up the hill.
Address:
120 Daehak-ro, Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
서울시 종로구 이화동 대학로 120
Insadong 인사동
Insadong is a beautiful area that sells traditional goods. While the main street is lined with shops, the alleyways are filled with galleries, cafes, traditional restaurants, and teahouses. The street is also filled with small carts selling delicious snacks. Music from street performers drifts through the street adding to the bustling atmosphere.
If you're looking for the perfect traditional souvenir or something of quality, this is the place to go. It's also a lovely place to just stroll around with friends and pop into a cafe or restaurant for some traditional food or beverage.
Address:
62, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
서울특별시 종로구 인사동길 62 (관훈동) 일대
Located on Insadong's main street is a four floor shopping center called Ssamjigil 쌈지길 that sells clothing, art, and home decor. It is a beautiful place where the floor winds up the whole building and ends at cafe on the rooftop.
Address:
44, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
서울시 종로구 인사동길 44
Jongno 종로
After wandering around Insadong, I was quite hungry and decided to walk over to Jongno area for a meal. This area is always so active at night. Conveniently, there are lots of cafes on the main road. My friend and I were overwhelmed by all the different restaurants, but we finally settled on eating dakkalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken).
After filling up on dakkalbi, we leisurely walked along the brightly lit streets admiring the nightlife. After strolling around Jongno, we also briefly stopped at Cheonggyecheon Stream before heading back to Yeoju.
Address:
area outside Jongno 3ga subway station exit 3