Monday, March 10, 2014

Insadong Street (인사동 거리)

[ Insadong , 仁寺洞 ]

If you going to Seoul, South Korea, be sure to visit Insadong street(인사동거리). Insadong is most visited place by foreigners. This street is for antique, gallery, calligraphy, traditional handcrafts, tea house, traditional restaurant. And modern culture. The name Insadong is named in 1914. Insadong is abbreviation for Gwaninbang and Daesadong.

It is located between the Buk Ak mountain in the north and Cheonggyeocheon in the south. it is 700 meters (main street is 300 meters) long and narrow alley. it was the place where the middle class people lived, but high raking officials like scholar, general of the army.

Antique shop was selected here form Japanese colonial era. At that moment it was the gate for robbing the cultural relics. It is the place of the "3.1 independent Movement" in 1919. And the 33 persons were gathered at Tae Hwa Gwan where the Tawhwabuilding is located now.

Now the street is nominated as "Traditional Cultural Street" in 1988. Cultural district in 2002.


These are dolls.
Sin Rang and Gak Si (신랑각시) 
The customs look similar with those of 
China or Japan. 
But if you scrutinize it, 
the curve is different. 
The curve of Korea is natural curve which 
means moderate and friendly. 



Why don't you find antique ? 
You can find real treasure if you are lucky. 
Who know, you may find it.



Old coins and notes.
Why don't you buy the old money for new money.
You can be mushroom star. Ha Ha Ha. 



This is emporium.
It specialized in Ttakji (slap-match). 
It is small museum. 
Because it is good memory for Koreans 
hose who are in their forties and fifties. 




This calligraphy brush.
(It is kind of writing pen)



This is tea house.
Korean tea is like herb.
It has soothing effects. 


[What to enjoy]


These are traditional costume hose.
It is in the Information center. 
(Insadong 11 gil.)
3,000 Korean Won per person as of March 10, 2014. 


[The sign for insadong 11-gil]



Modern Porcelain.
Every porcelain has its own design.
A crane is very popular in porcelain. 
It stands for scholar, good manner. 


This is emporium.
It specialized in Ttakji (slap-match). 
It is small museum. 
Because it is good memory for Koreans 
those who are in their forties and fifties. 



Ankguk subway station (Line3) exit No. 6 [95 meters from the exit, go straight and turn left]
Gongro 3 ga subway station (Line5) exit No. 5 [250 meters from the exit, go straight for 230 meters and turn right and walk for 20 meters] 


ask for directions: mcrm@nate.com +82 10-9565-5757    Kevin Hwang.

What to eat: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=259484





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Related story:

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Article courtesy of Korea.net  and www.visitkorea.or.kr

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If you plan on making a shopping trip and you are looking for the most inexpensive places with the most variety in Seoul, don't miss Dongdaemun and Namdaemun Markets and Insadong street, all within 5 subway stops of each other.

Take number 2 line to Dongdaemun Station and come out of exit #1. You will see the grand conglomeration of wholesalers known as Dongdaemun Market. Since opening in 1905, the market has constantly been one of the hottest shopping zones in the country. Specializing in wholesale clothing sales, it has grown steadily larger to encompass more than 20 shopping malls. A full range of fashion items from head to toe can be found here at low prices. The market is always crowded with tourists, retailers and regular customers.

Shopping malls close to the station sell goods both wholesale and retail, but mainly sell in bulk. They usually open at about 8 p.m. and close at 8 a.m. the next morning. The peak time comes late at night through early morning.

Major shopping malls here are Designer's Club, Migliore Valley, Nuzzon, Gwanghee Fashion Mall, Jeil Pyeonghwa, and Heungin Stardom. Teens or people in their twenties usually visit the first four of these, while Jeil Pyeonghwa and Heungin Stardom attract customers in their thirties or forties with items of simple and elegant design.

Jump on line number 4 from Dongdaemun Station and go to Hoehyeon Station. Take exit 5 and you will find the country's biggest traditional market -- Namdaemun Market in the very center of Seoul. It has children's clothing, men and women's clothing, daily goods, kitchenware and local and imported products. Most shops have their own factories and make the products themselves, offering both wholesale and retail prices. This enables visitors to purchase various items at extremely inexpensive prices.

All tourists coming to Namdaemun Market can find something to suit their tastes. The Japanese are into foods like seaweed, gimchi and ginseng, while the Chinese are into clothing and household goods. Tourists from the west simply enjoy the ambience of a traditional market.

Finally, get back on the blue line subway, heading northwards for Danggogae. Transfer to the orange number 3 line at Chungmuro Station. Go 3 stops north and get off at Anguk Station. Within 3 minutes' walk of exit 6, 0you will find the top of Insadong, Seoul's primary gallery and teahouse destination.


Insadong has long been home to dozens of art galleries and antique shops. Its narrow alleys branch out into all directions from one main street.

To explore the interesting places in these side alleys, it would be helpful to get a map of Insadong at one of three Tourism Information Centers that are located in the middle and at the two ends of the main street.

Art galleries began to cluster in Insadong from the 1970s. Galleries here display and sell modern art pieces as well as antiques. Their prices range from a few U.S. dollars to tens of thousands. Exhibitions are held frequently in well-known galleries, such as Insa Art Center and Gyeongin Art Gallery.

Over forty percent of the nation's antique stores are in Insadong. The antique shops sell quality products such as old paintings, ceramics, woodcrafts, metal ware, old furniture and many other items. Ceramics are to be found in particular abundance.

Numerous antique shops are renowned for their specialized wares: Tongmungwan for old documents, Haedonggodoja Research Institute for ceramics, Godosa for daily utensils of the past, Dongmundang and Gonghwarang for calligraphy supplies, and Naraksil and Gayajae for old furniture.

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Related story courtesy of Korea.net

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