Summer in Seoul – Insadong

After I was done with my work, my friend flew in from Singapore on Friday evening to join me for the rest of the trip.  On Saturday, we moved out of Gangnam-gu, the business area, to Fraser Suite at Insadong, the cultural district, at Jongno-gu, a venue for shopping and local entertainment with art galleries, antique stores, ceramic shops, bookstores, traditional tea houses, restaurants and food stalls and street entertainment.  Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street is blocked off from traffic and it becomes a cultural space.  Glad we reached around noon time else we would need to pull our luggage from the main road to the Service Apartment.

When we stepped into Fraser Suite, we were welcome by this amazing painting – The Treasure Chest of Captain Silver 7, 2012 by local artist Yeo, Dong Hun.  The artist dreams about his own ‘treasure’ like ‘Captain Silver’ in Treasure Island.  He expressed his own dreams and ideals with unique objects from his cheerful, artistic life. Love this painting. I found it captivating. There is reflection as I took this picture at the Fraser Suite Lobby where the picture is being hung. Besides the main lobby, the artist’s various works could be found in the apartment.

Upon checked-in, the hotel staff upgraded us from a one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom apartment with no additional charge as they have ran out of one-bedroom apartment.  Lucky us!

Insadong is an ideal location for tourist, there are so much to see with most of the tourist spots located within walking distance and two subway stations located nearby, An-gul and Jong-gak. During weekends, the streets are filled with hawkers, performers and people.

If you are into antique toys, check out this place that has lots of antique toys, located along the main street of Insadong.

There are a number of antique shops and shops that sell paintings, ceramic, books, tea, etc.  Lots of restaurants, eateries and tea houses can be found in the alleyways.  Just keep exploring.

Besides eating and shopping, we also visited the Palaces, DMZ, Namsan, Bukchon, Samcheongdong and Cheongyecheon Stream which I will share in my next posts. Stay tune!

The Lowdown – Insadong

Getting there: Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6 or  Jonggak Station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 3

Note: Every Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, the main street is blocked off from traffic, transforming the whole area into a cultural space.

 

Thank you for stopping by.  

Audrey

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