Charming Ihwa Mural Village | How To Get There & What To See

Visiting charming Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul to explore its art murals, installations, and cafes makes a wonderful day trip. It’s located in Ihwa-dong, adjacent to Naksan Park.

Ihwa Mural Village is one of the oldest villages in Seoul. Located on a hill close to a section of Seoul’s old city walls, it’s considered a hilltop, or moon village. After the Korean War, refugees moved into this area, building shacks to live in. Later it became home to working class citizens.

In more recent history this area was seen as a slum and planned for demolition. In 2006 under an “Art in City Project” local artists were bright in to beautify the area, creating murals and installations. The project was a success, drawing tourists in to see the area.

Unfortunately, some of the citizens here were not happy with the new attention, the lack of privacy, and the noise the city’s newly found fame brought. In fact, in 2016, two of the most famous murals, a staircase artwork of flowers and a staircase artwork of koi fishes, were painted over by locals in the village. If you search, you can still find images of them on the internet, and banners of the artwork can be seen hanging in Ihwa Mural Village.

It’s a poignant reminder, however, to remember that this is a local neighborhood and should be treated with respect. Remember to speak in whispers and respect the people and their property. See Tips For Visiting Below.

How To Get To Ihwa Mural Village

The best way to get to Ihwa Mural Village is to take the line 4 subway to Hyehwa Station. Walk to exit 2 and walk up the steps. After the steps, continue walking straight, towards Marronnier Park (it’s just a few steps away from exit 2 so don’t pass it).

When you get to the giant sculpture in the image below, you’ll see the Dachangno Information Center just past it on your left. This is where you turn left to head up towards Ihwa Mural Village.

Stop at the Information center first though. There is no entrance fee to Ihwa Mural Village, so you don’t need a ticket, but there is a map on the wall inside that you can take a photo of to help guide your visit. My photo is from September 2023, but make sure to get the latest one as things to change here.

As you exit the information center, continue walking back, away from the main street and up the hill, following the signs to Naksan Park and Ihwa Mural Village along the way.

It will only take 10-15 minutes to walk up. The village begins after you crest the top of the hill. It’s a fairly steep walk, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring some water with you. Especially if it’s a hot day.

Ihwa Mural Village

If you followed the directions above you will see is this area.

And this.

Continue to wander down the hill, following the map image from the information center.

When you reach the area with steps crossing the road up and down (you should see the puppies on the wall below), turn left and walk up the stairs. This is where you’ll find a series of charming cafes and shops to rest at and enjoy the spectacular views of Seoul from Ihwa Mural Village.

I stopped at the Cat Reading Cafe near the top, a cat themed art gallery and cafe with fun statues of cats outside of the building and a variety of car things inside. It’s a charming cafe that offers a variety of beverages and snacks with a balcony out back that has a great view over Seoul.

If you head up even higher, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular view. You can even see Seoul Tower in the distance.

Along with a variety of other cafes, some playing music, you’ll see see a sewing museum, a book workshop, a leather workshop, galleries, and a variety of other quirky little places.

From here, continue to follow the map, or start to explore on your own. When you feel that you’ve exhausted the upper area, head down to the bottom of the hill. If you follow the steps down, you will come upon the angel wings below.

This is the second time I visited this area and the wings have been freshly painted and greenery has been added to the foreground (the old angel wings mural is at the bottom of the page with me in it).

After a selfie, wander around the lower level area of the village. You’ll see several murals here.

The camel mural once was here is now partly covered by paneling for a coffee shop (above center).

There are also some interesting stores and displays to check out in the lower area.

Tips For Visiting

Remember that this is a genuine neighborhood, not just a tourist attraction. People live here. Respect that and treat the neighborhood how you would want strangers to act if they visited your neighborhood. Here are a few tips.

• Speak only in whispers.
• Smile and say hello when you see a local. Be friendly, but if they don’t want say hello back, that’s ok.
• Ask before taking a photo of locals. They are not here for your entertainment.
• Purchase something at a shop or cafe as a thank you and to contribute to the local economy.
• Don’t litter.
• Do not add your own graffiti.
• Visit only during daylight hours, not early mornings or late in the evening.

Best Time to Visit

It can get very hot and humid during the summer months, so the best time to visit temperature-wise is spring, May to June, and Fall, September to November.

If you visit Ihwa Mural Village during the week, you may have most of the place to yourself. It’s busier on weekends when you’ll see both locals and tourists here. And if you visit on Sunday, there’s a weekly Phillipino Market by the Hyehwa-dong Cathedral. It starts around noon with a variety of Phillipno foods.

Note that the fish steps and the pelican art above are old art and not currently on display. This area is always changing.

Others Stops Nearby

If you have time, you can explore Marronnier Park. The Arko Art Center is a small museum there that has changing modern art exhibits. Entry is free. Closed on Mondays. There’s also the Arko Arts Theater for performance art. Check the link for performance information.

You can also stop by Hakrim Dabang, which is noted as the oldest cafe in South Korea. It’s located on the main road north of Hyehwa Station exit 3.

Naksan Park, up at the top of Ihwa Mural Village is a wonderful area to explore after Ihwa Mural Village. Just head back up to the top of the hill following the signs. It’s beautiful with the old city walls juxtaposed with the modern skyline of Seoul in the distance.

Another charming little area nearby is Insa-dong. Walk down historical Insa-dong street, full of art galleries and cafes. Stop at Ssamziegil market to look for gifts and souvenirs.

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

Changgyeonggung Palace, one of the five ancient palaces in Seoul is also a short subway ride away. This palace was a royal residence and a secondary palace. The other 4 Joseon Dynasty Palaces are also not too far away: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Gyeonghuigung, and Deoksugung.

Bukchon Hanok Village is another option. This must-see village is located near the palaces, with many restored Korean homes from the Joseon Dynasty. You’ll find locals here dressed in traditional hanbok to take selfies in front of the beautiful old architecture.

To get away from the chaos of the streets of Seoul, the urban paradise of Cheonggyecheon Stream is the perfect escape.

To see an overview of all the highlights of Seoul, see my post on the best things to do in Seoul.

Safe Tavels!

Julie