Sightseeing in Seoul: The Insta-Popular #Insadong

Yes, Insadong is one of the most popular spots in Seoul for local and international tourists. 

Just like other famous Seoul attractions such as #Hongdae, #Gangnam, #Myeongdong, and #SeoulTower, #Insadong is also a popular hashtag mention, and I don't wonder why.

The first time I walked around Insadong more than a decade ago, it felt like a throwback to an old Seoul with its cobblestone walks and traditional artisan shops. Although this place is slowly turning modern with galleries and cosmetic shops, Insadong, in the olden times, was a place for artists and craftsmen given its proximity to Gyeongbukgung Palace.

(A flash mob at Insadong)

Insadong is a must-visit place when you're in Seoul because it's not only a place of traditional artisans and galleries, it's also full of interesting cafés and restaurants. On the main street, you'd find enterprising vendors selling Korean sweets, magicians, and food carts like the one selling my favorite strawberry-banana-Nutella crêpe.

Straight from my photo albums, here are my fun memories of #Insadong.

(Giant inflatables invade Insadong)

Insadong flashmob
This was the most fun day I had at Insadong. Why? I wasn't just a tourist; I was taking part in an 'instant' tourist attraction!

A few years back, during the launch of the Korea In Motion campaign, I got to participate in a flash mob activity by documenting its 'behind-the-scenes' story as a member of the K-Performance Supporters, a group of bloggers whose job was to help promote Korean tourism.

Of course, I didn't even think of volunteering to dance with the pack, lest I wanted to ruin the whole campaign.😄 Insadong was the best place to hold the flash mob as it was always full, although I was thinking, if it were held in Myeongdong, that place would have been too crowded for all the dancers, giant inflatable mascots, and camera crew.

(B-boys join the flash mob)

From their rehearsal in the morning until the flash mob in the afternoon, the day spent in Insadong was worth the excitement and the fulfillment that I was able to help promote Korea In Motion.

(B-boys join the flash mob)

A Jongno weekend
Insadong's location is perfect for tourists with limited time in Seoul. Since it's located in the Jongno District, which has a lot of tourist spots, one can just walk around its neighboring attractions like the Gyeongbuk Palace, Changdeok Palace, Tong-in Market, Bukchon Village, Samcheong-dong, and Jogyesa Temple.

That's why when, as a member of the Global Seoul Mate program, I spent a weekend pretending as a tourist in Seoul as a paid challenge (yes, the Seoul City government paid for my tourist expenses!), I chose to book at an Airbnb next to Insadong. It was not just very convenient and easy, it was also fun! I got to visit a lot of places around the area and savor Korean dishes and snacks like a tourist and got paid for it!

Insadong's mandu restaurant
And if there's one place in Insadong that I would go back to every now and then, it's Koong Mandu, Seoul's best mandu restaurant. Over the years, I brought friends here for lunch or dinner, including my former colleague, Agnes, and her pals when they were in Seoul. The grandma's yummy mandu recipe has been a reason why people keep coming back over the years.

And because Insadong was just five minutes away from Jongno's beer alleys, we simply walked towards the direction of Cheonggyecheon and continued the night with beer, chips, and stories.

               (My friends Fay and Joy about to 

                 enjoy mandu at Koong Mandu)

Although Insadong has restaurants that serve western cuisine, it should be interesting for tourists to enjoy the popular Korean dishes like my favorite mandu!

       (Joy, Loren and Fay at their 'Expressions' exhibit at an Insadong gallery)

Art galleries
Showcasing local painters and artists, Insadong has galleries as well as shops where you can purchase materials for your painting handicraft hobbies.

         (Fay, Loren and Joy at their 'Expressions' exhibit at an Insadong gallery)

When my friends Fay, Loren and Joy had a painting exhibition, they held it at Kyung-In Museum, one of the galleries in Insadong. That gallery, coincidentally, was located just across Koong Mandu, where we had lunch to celebrate their exhibition.

               (My mom and sister at Ssamziegil)

(My mom window shopping at Insadong)

Sightsee-Insadong
When I toured my mom and sister around Seoul, I made sure they got to see Insadong's interesting galleries, artisan shops, and cafés by walking its cobblestone main alley.

Ssamziegil, right in the middle of Insadong, is the most popular place to visit. This square is actually a 'street' because it's called 'gil', the hangeul name for 'street'. The building's design enables one to ascend to higher floors without taking the stairs.

Insadong welcomes Patricia 
And the latest guest Insadong welcomed?  Patricia. 

My niece, Patricia, recently came to Korea to work and I just had to introduce her to Insadong just as I did my family and friends. Patricia got to know Insadong by strolling around its corners and alleys after our lunch at the Philippine market in Hyehwa-dong  along Daehangno in the Jongno District.

                 (Patricia on top of Ssamziegil)

From our heavy lunch of Filipino dishes, we just had to walk off the few calories we gained that day, and climbing all the way up to the rooftop of Ssamziegil helped. 

(Patricia ordering her crêpe)

But since we didn't have our dessert yet, I brought Patricia to my favorite crepe stall at the end of Insadong. 

For KRW3,000, the ajussi prepared the yummiest strawberry-banana-Nutella crêpe right in front of Patricia. To pay, Patricia simply dropped the KRW3,000 at a small box on the table. For sanitary reasons, the ajussi doesn't touch the cash; he simply lets his customers drop their payment and get their change, if any, from the box.

(Patricia enjoying her 

strawberry-banana-Nutella crepe!)

Since she now knows the interesting shops, cafés, and galleries of Insadong, Patricia can also bring her family and friends visiting her to this place as well.

Just like other tourist attractions in Seoul, Insadong has its special vibe and character not found in any other place in the city. It is unique on its own and you have to visit it to feel it.

So, have you also visited the Insta-popular Insadong lately?  

By the way, here's the video of our #Insadong flash mob:

Insadong's Ssamziegil: Shopping All The Way Up!

Yes, that is Insa-dong in the picture with a few rooftops covered with thin snow from the night before. Looking at Insa-dong from the B&B where I stayed over the weekend was weird. From the ground, Insadong would look culturally interesting if one strolls its cobblestone alleys and just ignore the garish and tacky cosmetic shops that have invaded this artsy area recently.

         (Ready for your close-up? The portraiture corner)

But there's one street in Insadong where you can still avoid the inescapable posters of Korean celebrities selling cosmetics and facial cleansers. (Sometimes, seeing this overload of celebrity posters is sickening and ruins one's day! Ha-ha-ha!).

That street is Ssamzie-gil. 'Gil' in hangeul means 'street'. So, it's Ssamzie Street. But if you're in Insadong and have to ask where it is, just ask for Ssamziegil.

This street is actually a complex, where one walks up from the ground up to the higher floors by just tracing the labyrinth path that elevates continuously floor by floor. One doesn't need stairs or an elevator, actually. Although there's a stairwell at a corner for those in a hurry going up, or going down.

                   (Bags made from recycled wet suits)

And last weekend which I spent around the Jongno District, I visited Ssamziegil and saw for myself the interesting shops that filled up all the floors and attracted tourists, both local and international.

                 (I bought one of those red Korean fans)

     (Korean fans, small bags, scarves, trinkets and souvenirs)

Since it was a weekend, the whole 'street' was full, and even in this very cold weather, couples, kids and their parents, and group of friends seemed to enjoy the complex and all the interesting trinkets, bags, clothes and other unique souvenirs that filled the display windows from ground floor up to the top. There was even a corner where you can have your portrait drawn.

                     (Big roses are red, stairs are multi-colored)

I entered one shop which sells interesting-looking Korean fans. From their display, one caught my eye. I thought this would a good Korean souvenir and a gift; I bought it. Although I could speak survival Korean, I deliberately abandoned the idea of speaking hangeul to continue my pretense that I was a tourist that day. Ha-ha-ha!  Although the husband and wife (I think) who were manning the shop could speak a little English, they were ready with a big calculator (like most vendors in Korea) to make sure there was no misunderstanding when it came to the price. After a few seconds of haggling, I got the Korean fan for KRW15,000.

I walked the whole stretch of the 'street' to see for myself all the shops. I also entered a bag shop and queried the Korean lady about her colorful bags. We conversed in English and she told me that some of her bags are made of recycled wet suits. Yes, those worn by scuba divers. No wonder they were pricey! Those suits must have reached far into the ocean depths and must have logged hundreds of diving hours.  

At the top floor is a small covered restaurant and an outdoor cafe, which looks enjoyable if the weather isn't as freezing as these days. But I think it would be a good idea to just sit there during day time and chat with friends, away from the noisy chaos of the life below and away from the in-your-face posters of Korean celebrities displayed at the cosmetic shops on Insadong's main alley. Ha-ha-ha!

So, if you're in this neighborhood, you now know where to escape. On the uppermost photo, that's Ssamziegil that I encircled in red, where you can go shopping all the way up, and relax when you get to the top.