Explore Bukchon Hanok Village Seoul South Korea
Bukchon Hanok Village is my favorite place in Seoul, South Korea. This dreamy village was built 600 years ago, and it still retains its beauty now.
This article includes the following sections:
- Information about Bukchon village
- Reasons to visit
- How to get there
- Best time to visit
- Best things to do at Bukchon village
- Travel cost
- Tips to make the best of your trip
About Bukchon Hanok Village Seoul
Nestled in the middle of Seoul with high-rise buildings and bustling streets is the beautiful ancient Bukchon Hanok village.
About 600 years ago, the architects built Bukchon “northern village” with unique architecture.
The village was where Joseon dynasty officials and wealthy nobility lived hundreds of years ago. About 900 houses with Hanok architecture still retain the pristine ancient beauty despite the changing times.
Together with hundreds of traditional houses of simple clay and stone, Bukchon embodies a miniature Joseon-era Seoul. There is no better place for you to learn the long history stories and bold colors of Korean traditional culture than Bukchon.
Coming here, you can also spend time visiting nearby monuments and interesting places like Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok, and Jongmyo Shinto Shrine.
Address: 03055 16 Bukchon-ro 7-gil (Gahoe-dong), Jongno-gu, Seoul
Why should you visit Bukchon Hanok Village?
Bukchon is not the only place with hanok pavilions in Korea, but it is on the list of top places to visit in Seoul, South Korea. That’s because of the unique things that only Bukchon hanok village has:
Prime location
Located in the hills between two famous palaces in Seoul, Gyeongbok Palace, and Changdeok Palace, Bukchon brings an even more ancient and magical atmosphere like a miniature Joseon country.
Bukchon is like a maze that makes visitors admire and go on forever with winding alleys on the hills and beautiful houses.
The place with the most traditional hanok houses
Bukchon village has more than 900 hanok houses, home to the most extensive collection of privately owned hanoks in Seoul and South Korea.
The hanok houses here also retain the simple simplicity with clay, stone floor, ancient tile roof.
Not only has a harmonious appearance, but the interior design is also Korean-style, neat, clean, and eye-catching.
How to get to Bukchon Hanok Village by subway?
You can easily get to Bukchon on subway line 3 to Anguk Station (exit 2). When you exit the subway station, continue to walk another 480m.
You will see a smaller street on the left where the rows of gray-tiled roofs lie along the walkway up the slope. It’s the old village of Bukchon.
Note: There are many maps and signs along the sidewalk, so you can easily find the way.
When turning into a small alley, the beautiful old houses have gradually appeared before your eyes and just waiting for you to explore them.
Best time to visit Bukchon Hanok village
Spring or Autumn is the best time to visit South Korea, Seoul, and Bukchon Hanok in particular.
The ideal hour to visit Bukchon village is early morning or afternoon (4 pm-5 pm). As it’s a tourist attraction, it helps you avoid big crowds when visiting during these times.
Best things to do in Bukchon Hanok Village
1. Stroll the village in Hanbok
If you are interested in Korean heritage and style, renting Hanbok and visiting Seoul’s ancient village is an excellent idea.
Hanbok is the beautiful traditional dress of Koreans with bright colors, simple lines, and no pockets. And it looks so good in the pictures!
Also, wearing Hanbok will give you free entrance to the places, so I recommend renting Hanbok for a day, visiting the village and the palaces for free. Read my Hanbok experience here.
Tips: If you visit Seoul with your significant other, try the couple-themed Hanbok, just for fun.
2. Enjoy a panoramic view of the village
To get a panoramic view of Bukchon and take Instagramable pictures, walk up the hill, and take photos from the top down. Layers of roof tile are extremely eye-catching from there!
3. Visit Baek In-je House
If you’re interested to learn more about Korean culture and architecture, don’t forget to visit the Baek In-je Museum, a well-preserved example of modern hanok.
The house was built during the Japanese colonial era and has been open since November 2015 for all visitors.
You can register for English tours to listen to the stories of the aristocratic families who have lived here since the early 20th century. Also, you can maybe take a flyer to walk and explore the house itself.
Foreign language tour schedule
You can reserve Foreign Language Tours in advance or on-site on the day of the tour. Click here to book the tour.
- Wednesday (4 pm) Japanese
- Thursday (4 pm) Chinese
- Friday (4 pm) English
Information
- Admission: free
- Opening hours: 9 pm to 6 pm (last entry 5:30 pm)
※ Visitors not on a guided tour may only tour the grounds
※ Open until 8 pm on weekends (Fri, Sat) during August
4. Visit traditional houses, cafes, and shops
Most of the houses in Bukchon are restored and preserved into relics, cultural centers, and shops selling local specialties and handicrafts.
So take your time, stroll the narrow, check out the shops, or relax at the cafe.
5. Participate in craft-making classes
You can also experience craft-making classes such as folk painting, making embroidery bags, dyeing fabrics, or participating in traditional activities at shops or cultural centers.
It can be complicated at first glance, but by following the step-by-step instructions, you can create necklaces, bracelets, and phone bands with intricate patterns and attractive colors.
The cost of visiting Bukchon Hanok village
You do not need to spend money to visit Bukchon hanok village because it is a residential area anyway, so there is no entrance fee.
However, some attractions in the village have entrance tickets and different operating hours. So make sure you check the information before you want to visit those points.
Tips for visiting Bukchon Hanok village
- You should wear comfortable shoes because the streets in Korea are quite steep.
- Bukchon is a heritage neighborhood, so it is advisable to follow a group of no more than ten people to view the old town. Don’t forget to be quiet because this is still a residential area. It is not uncommon to see signs that notice noise in the area.
- You should purchase a 4G sim card or rent pocket wifi to travel easier.
- Taxis in South Korea run 24 hours, starting at 2,800 Won for the first 2km and 100 Won for every 144m after that (midnight to 4 am charged an additional 20%). Buses and subways cost 1,350 Won/way.
- Travelers shopping in Korea can get a tax refund. Don’t forget to retain the invoice for a tax refund at the airport.
Wow, 900 traditional houses is an enormous amount! The architecture is so beautiful. I’d also love to take a craft-making class after strolling through the village. Seoul has been on my travel list for a while, so I’m glad I found out about Bukchon Hanok Village!
I love architecture! I would love to go see some of the shrines.
We had a very busy day when we visited Seoul. But we missed the Bukchon Hanok Village on that first trip. It does look like a colorful spot to learn more about the history of Korea and its traditions. It would be lovely to just wander and take in the house designs. That panoramic view would be worth the climb up the hill.
I remember seeing my sister’s pictures from Bukchon Hanok Village in a hanbok. Like you mentioned above, I think it’s a smart idea to rent the hanbok when visiting this village. The village’s architecture amazes me. I hope to get to visit this village in the future and rent the couple-themed hanbok. It will be fun.
I am recommending this to my daughter and her husband. They thoroughly enjoyed a heritage village in Japan, renting kimonos for a day. I am sure they will also enjoy Bukchon.
Hi there, thank you for this insightful article. Do you know if we can explore Bukchon from the top of the hill and then walk down (by taking a cab first)? Or is the only option from Anguk Station then walk up the hill? Thank you.
Hi,
I saw cars around the area, so probably you can take a cab up the hill. The streets in Bukchon Hanok are quite small and pretty easy to walk, so I find most travelers prefer walking up the hill. But the choice is yours.