Week 3 – Bukchon Hanok Village

The next beautiful location of my blog takes place near the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine.

Bukchon Hanok Village.

This lovely and quaint Bukchon Hanok Village is a traditional Korean village located in Seoul. It is home to a multitude of traditional houses with sleek wood and stone design that are reminiscent of the Joseon dynasty from the 14th century. Historically, these homes housed high officials, nobility, and the wealthy and powerful. The name of Bukchon Hanok can be explained in two words. Bukchon means Northern, which referred to the location. And Hanok refers to a house, specifically a traditional korean style home. These elegant houses are build from earthly materials.

There are many beautiful hanoks in South Korea and many have turned into a variety of new roles. Several hanoks were hotels, restaurants, tea houses, centers of culture, artistic shops, and many more interesting ideas. However, many homes are still in use to this day—so it is important to be mindful and quiet when you come visit the Hanok villages!

Specifically, the Bukchon Hanok Village is quite easy to access by subway as it is located close to the center of Seoul.

Hanoks are truly unique in the way that they design and stand in their environments. Hanoks are specially designed with a holistic mindset. The physical environment, spirit, and harmony of the environment is crucial to the building of a Hanok home, not just the design and construction. The hanok is intended to blend with nature and the spiritual environment.

As mentioned earlier, Hanoks are made from earthy materials which means it is eco-friendly! The homes are biodegradable and made of no artificial materials (with the exception of some modern-day amenities). The hanoks create a beautiful space for people to live in harmony with their surroundings.

When you get off at Anguk Station on Line 3, you will be placed directly at the front of the village area. Walk towards the direction of the village which you can easily find by following the many people who are also visiting! You will pass by many beautiful stores and shops where you can buy souvenirs and traditional hanboks!

As I walked by with friends, we came across a little corner with wooden capsule vending machines. There were twelve animals that represented each zodiac, as well as six other special wooden machines. Beind a dragon, I used 1,000 won to crank the wooden machine and out popped a blue capsule! Then, I proceeded to the table with a cute hammer that I used to break the capsule open. I obtained my fortune reading! Unfortunately, I couldn’t read Korean but I plan to learn enough to read by the end of my stay in Seoul.

After we all acquired our mysterious fortunes, we continued our way through Bukchon Hanok village where we were greeted by the beautiful buildings. Wandering through those streets brought me back to the Korean dramas about the Joseon dynasty—film came to life. Here in Bukchon, there is much to see, so make sure to add this area to your list when you arrive in Seoul!