Bukchon Hanok Village | Guide To Best Views, Best Teahouse, & Best Places

Bukchon Hanok village, located in the heart of Seoul, is full of beautiful traditional Korean houses, or hanok, that date back to the Joseon Dynasty era.

It’s steeped with history as this is where high ranking Joseon Dynasty officials lived from the 14th-19th century. It’s located between Gyeongbokg Palace, the first and largest palace, and Changdeokgung, one of the best preserved palaces. Bukchon is also close to Jongmyo Shrine, which is dedicated to the forefathers of the Joseon dynasty.

Although many homes were demolished here when citizens started moving into modern high rises, about 900 traditional homes have been preserved. Many are set up as tea rooms, museums, cultural centers, cafes, restaurants, and art galleries. Some are also guest houses, so you can also stay in one of these incredible homes.

Top Sites in Bukchon Hanok

This area is delightful to walk around in the afternoon to admire the architecture, the culture, and the views. Many people even visit dressed in traditional hanbok to get the perfect photo (which you can rent nearby). Below are some of the best spots for photos, followed by the best places to walk and explore or have traditional tea.

There are no signs and it’s difficult to navigate the winding alleyways, so it’s best to use GPS to navigate. If you plan to take photos, I would definitely take those early on as it can get quite hot waking up and down the steep streets. Especially if you’re wearing a hanbok.

Top Bukchon Village Photo Spot

The most popular place for photos is at the top of Bukchon-ro 11 gil street. This is one of the longest and more picturesque streets in the village, lined with traditional hanok and with a view of Namsan Mountain and Seoul Tower in the distance. Simply Google “Bukchon Village Photo Spot” and you will get the location and directions.

The bottom of this street looking up is also a popular photo spot. There are several doors near the bottom that many people use to take close up shots with the gorgeous Korean wooden doors in the background. The photo below shows the bottom of this street.

Bukchon-ro 11 ga-gil

The next street east of his street, labeled as Bukchon-ro 11 ga-gil, is another excellent street for portrait photos. There are nice spots at both the top and bottom of this street. As you head down this street, it loops back to Bukchon-ro 11 gil above. This street is nice as there are often fewer people posing on it.

Gahoe-dong Scenic View

Scenic View Gahoe-dong (31) is another great photo spot. If you have time to stop here first, it’s only partly up the hill. It’s not as nice as the spots above, but great in addition to them. Google “Scenic View Gahoe-dong” to find it.

Gahoe-dong Alley

There are two other interesting spots; Gahoe-dong Alley (Old and New)and Gahoe-dong Alley (Harmony). These do not show up on a Google search, but if you use maps.me (it’s free) they’re listed there as photo spots on the map of Bukchon. Just search for them. Note that with maps.me you will need to download the city of Seoul in advance when you have wifi. You can then use it offline to navigate.

The photo below is at the Gahoe-dong Alley (Old and New). It’s a sea of rooftops on an alley that transitions from older, traditional hanok to new ones.

Bukchon Hanok Observatory

The Bukchon Hanok Observatory is actually higher on the hill, closer to the Bukchon-ro photo spots at the top of this post. You can either track back up to it, or stop on the way down to the other photo spots. It’s not easy to find, so use GPS to find it. When you do find it, walk up to the 3rd floor of the building. There is a ₩3,000 entrance fee (about $2.25), but you get a free coffee, tea, or orange juice with it.

The observatory has a small air conditioned balcony area with a beautiful view of the rooftops and the Seoul skyline in the distance. Unfortunately, the balcony is glassed off, so it’s hard to get pictures from the balcony, but they do have two small windows (not on the balcony) that open for photos. The best view is from the window right behind the entrance door (image below).

From here, I wandered around back alleys, and up and down hills. Then I walked down to the Chat-teul Traditonal Teahouse below to relax and enjoy the views there.

Cha-teul Traditional Tea House

The Cha Mashineun Tteul Tea House is considered the best tea house in Bukchon Hanok and one of the best in Seoul. It’s about 100 years old. It sits lower on the hill and features mountain views.

They offer a variety of interesting teas, rices, and other treats. I wanted to try the beautiful glutinous rice cakes, but they were out of it, so I tired the Jeju Dried Tangerine in Honey instead. Seating is traditional, on cushions on the floor.

See the link here at Cha-teul for location. Cha-teul is closed on Mondays.

Greenmile Coffee Buckchon

If you prefer coffee, visit Greenmile Coffee. It offers a balcony upstairs with views of the Bukchon rooftops. They focus on coffees, green tea-based drinks, and desserts. Greenmile is open daily.

Bukchon Traditional Culture Center

The Bukchon Traditional Cultural Center offers educational information and cultural experiences on Buckchon tradition to promote history and traditional Korean culture.

There are classes, lectures, programs, cultural events, and much more for Korean and foreign visitors.

Entrance is free. The cultural center is open daily except Mondays.

Baek In-Je Historic House Museum

Baek In-Je is one of the largest and best-preserved Hanoks in Seoul, dating from the early 20th century. It’s set in a hill with with nice views of the village and features a main building with large bedrooms, a guesthouse, and a large garden with beautiful intricate woodwork.

You can do a self-guided tour around the outside on your own. There are also several guided tours daily in Korean and a guided tour in English Friday afternoons. For more detail, check the schedule at museum.seoul.go.kr.

This museum is free and open daily except Mondays.

Bukchon Asian Cultural Art Museum

The Bukchon Asian Cultural Art Museum displays Korean and Asian art. It also offers tea and coffee that you can enjoy on their balcony enjoying the skyline of rooftops, as well as a small garden you can walk in with a pond.

There is a ₩5,000 entrance fee. This museum is closed on Mondays.

Gahoe Museum

The Gahoe Museum is a Korean Folk Art Museum with folk art paintings and craft art. They also offer classes in traditional folk art painting. This museum is also closed on Mondays.

Samcheong-dong Street

Near Buckchon Hanok is Samcheong-dong Street, a picturesque street lined with trendy cafes, galleries, and boutique shops. Many of the buildings here have traditional Korean architecture from the Joseon Dynasty.

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Tours

If you would prefer a guided tour of Bukchin Hanok, I recommend these two:

The Seoul Walking Tour_(Gyeongbokgung to Bukchon Hanok Village) starts at nearby Jogyesa Temple, one most important temples in Seoul, then heads to Gyeongbokgung Palace (Changdeokgung Palace on Tuesdays). I after the Palace, tour Buckchon Hanok. The tour ends at Insa-dong street, which is a charming street full of galleries and cafes.

There is also a walking tour noted on the Bukchon Hanok website. The link to the left takes you to a reservation form for the 2-3 hour tour.

Where To Stay Near Bukchon Hanok

For a complete experience, why not stay in a Hanok? These four are all highly rated. Note that I did not stay in any of these, but did research them for you.

These beautiful guests houses are located in traditional homes in Bukchon Hanok, featuring the dazzling intricate woodworking details, but with modern conveniences.

Budget

• The budget stay of Bukchonae offers simple accommodation with beds as futons on the floor and a shared kitchen in a great location.

Splurge

• Luxury Hanok with private bathtub – AREUMJAE offers a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom with a hot tub.
• Luxury Hanok with private bathrub – Yoojundang is a luxury 2 bedroom Hanok villa, renovated with modern conveniences including a kitchen and a terrace.
• Luxury Hanok with private foot bathtub – Onyouheon offers luxury accommodation with 2 bedrooms, a living room, and a fully equipped kitchen.

How To Get To Bukchon Hanok

To get to Bukchon Hanok, take the subway (line 3) to Anguk Station. At the station, take exit 3. Use your GPS and desired location above from here.

Entrance Free For Bukchon Hanok

The entrance for Bukchon Hancock is free.

Best Time To Visit Bukchon Hanok

Bukchon Hanock Village is open every day from 10 AM to sunset, except Sundays.

Although you can visit any time of year, the best time to visit temperature-wise is in the spring, from May to June, and the fall, from September to November. Temperatures in the summer can be very hot and humid, especially difficult if wearing a hanbok. June to September is also monsoon season which can bring frequent rain.

Tips For Visiting Bukchon Hanok

Similar to the palaces, it’s common to rent a hanbok (traditional dress) to visit Bukchon Hanok. There are several rental shops on the main street near the village ready to help you. You can often rent for a few hours or for a full day. For a day, costs can range to $20 to $24 for a rental.

You can wear any color hanbok, whether you are Korean or not, although historically, colors were designated by class, age, and status. I through it was interesting to learn that the hanbok was worn in South Korea up until the early 20th century.

Want To See More Of Seoul?

Gyeongbokg Palace and Changdeokgung are both very close to Bukchon Hanok. Gyeongbokg Palace, was the first palace and is the largest. Changdeokgung is one of the best preserved palaces. Entrance is free if wearing a hanbok. If you only have time for one, I would choose Gyeongbokg Palace.

Another charming little area nearby is Insa-dong. Walk down historical Insa-dong street and admire all the art galleries, boutique shops, and cafes. Stop at Ssamziegil Market to look for gifts and souvenirs. This fun little “mall” spirals up several flights as you walk, so you don’t need steps.

Dongdaemun Market is a short subway ride away. This market offers tons of street food, cafes, and shops with just about everything.

Jogyesa Temple, known for its golden Buddha is also nearby. This is the main temple of the Jogya order of Buddhism, dating to the 14th century.

Ihwa Mural Village, considered a moon village, makes a funday trip to see the artwork and murals of this old village area.

Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway is a great getaway. This urban oasis is in the heart of town, far below elbow street level, meandering this lovely stream for miles and miles.

To see an overview of all the highlights of Seoul, see my post on the Best Things To Do In Seoul.

Safe Travels!

Julie