Insadong is one of the districts in Seoul and it is considered to be South Korea's craft capital. Beautiful galleries and shops selling Korean arts, crafts and antiques line the streets of Insadong and we spent a very enjoyable afternoon exploring this area. Korea is known for its beautiful celadon pottery, embroidery, silk and hanji (traditional Korean paper made from the bark of the Mulberry tree). We visited Insadong on a Saturday afternoon, when the main street Insadong-gil was closed to traffic. Needless to say, this street was packed with people and the whole area was very busy. Insadong is also known for its great restaurants, cafes and tea houses, some tucked away in the smallest of alleyways.
Fortune Telling Services
Fortune telling is a common practice in Korea and we saw quite a few fortune tellers in Insadong. Many fortune tellers set up their services in makeshift tents on the sidewalks and in the streets.
Fortune telling is a common practice in Korea and we saw quite a few fortune tellers in Insadong. Many fortune tellers set up their services in makeshift tents on the sidewalks and in the streets.
Street Food Vendors
There were many street vendors in Insadong selling an array of Korean snacks and food.
There were many street vendors in Insadong selling an array of Korean snacks and food.
Interview
Sam was approached by two film students, who wanted to interview her for a documentary on tourism in Korea. They basically wanted to know where we were from, what sights we had visited, what our favourite tourist sights were and whether any tourist services could be improved upon.
Sam was approached by two film students, who wanted to interview her for a documentary on tourism in Korea. They basically wanted to know where we were from, what sights we had visited, what our favourite tourist sights were and whether any tourist services could be improved upon.
Tea at a Korean Tea House
The practice of drinking tea is very popular in Korea and tea houses can be found all over. We had read about a tea house poetically named "Moon Bird Thinks Only of the Moon" and decided to find it and have some tea there. After locating it on the map of Insadong, we finally found it in one of the hidden alleyways (good thing David is good at reading maps and has a great sense of direction). It turned out to be a very cosy wooden tea house packed with plants and rustic artifacts, with soothing music and the sound of running water adding to the intimate atmosphere. This tea house offers a selection of 15 teas and we ended up trying the Chrysanthemum tea and the Persimmon-leaf tea (both were great). The teas were served with a selection of Hangwa (traditional Korean confectionery), that included delicious Yugwa (sweet puffed rice cakes) and Yakgwa (sweet brown wheat cookies). We had an enjoyable break out from the cold and away from the crowded streets.
The practice of drinking tea is very popular in Korea and tea houses can be found all over. We had read about a tea house poetically named "Moon Bird Thinks Only of the Moon" and decided to find it and have some tea there. After locating it on the map of Insadong, we finally found it in one of the hidden alleyways (good thing David is good at reading maps and has a great sense of direction). It turned out to be a very cosy wooden tea house packed with plants and rustic artifacts, with soothing music and the sound of running water adding to the intimate atmosphere. This tea house offers a selection of 15 teas and we ended up trying the Chrysanthemum tea and the Persimmon-leaf tea (both were great). The teas were served with a selection of Hangwa (traditional Korean confectionery), that included delicious Yugwa (sweet puffed rice cakes) and Yakgwa (sweet brown wheat cookies). We had an enjoyable break out from the cold and away from the crowded streets.
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