Traditional Korean Village at Bukchon Hanok in Seoul
I was lucky enough to receive a private tour inside a traditional Korean house completely custom built over the year inside Bukchon Hanok Village.
On my way to Changdeokgung palace I stopped by Bukchon Hanok village which is a popular tourist area a little north of the Seoul city center.
Bukchon Hanok Village is a Korean traditional village with a long history located between Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Royal Shrine.
the popular bukchon hanok village in Seoul, Korea
The traditional village is composed of lots of alleys, hanok and is preserved to show a 600-year-old urban environment.
Now it is used as a traditional culture center and hanok restaurant, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of the Joseon Dynasty.
bukchon hanok village
Due to the increasing amounts of visitors to the Bukchon Hanok Village area, the number of complaints from residents living in the village about disruptions in their neighborhood has increased.
Just 30 years ago, there were over 800,000 hanoks in Seoul, but today only some 12,000 remain with 900 concentrated in Seoul Bukchon Hanok Village. Hanok are typically single-story structures made of clay, wood and stone with ondol heated floors topped by curved tile roofs called giwa.
my private tour guide at bukchon hanok village
As hanok continue to be demolished in other parts of Seoul, at least one neighborhood is making an effort to preserve them.
Let’s hope the sea of arching tile roofs and winding alley roads still found in Seoul Bukchon Hanok Village can stick around.
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