Unhyeongung Royal Residence (서울 운현궁) - Area information - Korea travel information

Unhyeongung Royal Residence (서울 운현궁)

Unhyeongung Royal Residence (서울 운현궁)

1.7Km    2024-03-04

464, Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-766-9090

Located near the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Unhyeongung Palace was a residence of royalty in Joseon period. It was the place where Gojong (1582-1919, reign 1864-1907), king of Joseon (1392-1897) and emperor of the Korean Empire (1897-1910), was born in, as well as the place where Heungseon Daewongun (1821-1898), his father, had resided in. Buildings include Noandang Hall, Norakdang Hall, and Irodang Hall. The Royal Residence offers programs like traditional weddings and traditional culture experiences, while the exhibition hall showcases Joseon-era artifacts. 

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

Moonguesthouse(문게스트하우스)

1.7Km    2024-06-20

31-18, Samil-daero 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-745-8008, +82-10-8704-9981

The Moon Guesthouse is situated near a number of interesting tourist destinations including Unhyeongung Palace (3min on foot), Bukchon Hanok Village (5min on foot), Changdeokgung Palace (5min on foot), and Changgyeonggung Palace (10min on foot). The guesthouse was named ‘moon’ (‘door’ in English) because it has many 176 doors and windows. Upon entering by the gate, visitors will see a ‘ㄷ’-shaped hanok building in the courtyard, in which a wooden bedstead and a table are placed. On the opposite of the hanok building there is a wall roofed with tiles engraved with Korean patterns such as deer, pine, turtle, etc. Flowers in the flowerbed lined up along the wall are in bloom and the bonsai are also well-kept in the house. Renovated and opened as a guesthouse in September 2011, Moon Guesthouse consists of a bonchae (main building) and a byeolchae (detached house). The rooms are decorated with red clay and hanji (traditional Korean paper handmade from mulberry trees), and have under-the-floor heating (ondol). Each room is equipped with an air-conditioner, and has a 40cm-thick layer of red clay over the ceiling for insulation, making the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The house has seven individual guestrooms and five modern bathrooms, but the entire building (bonchae or byeolchae) can be rented, too. In particular, the unhyeondang of the bonchae is very popular as it can be converted into one large space for special events, group workshops, etc. simply by opening all the sliding doors (Bunhapmun – Goryeo construction style). This room, which is decorated with a flower-patterned windscreen, a landscape painting, and calligraphy, has been used as a shooting location for various TV programs including KBS2’s TV reality program Man’s Qualification and its variety show The Human Condition. The guestrooms are also equipped with traditional furniture including a cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The guesthouse also provides a variety of experience programs from 11am to 3pm, including tea ceremony, wearing Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), making kimchi and gochujang (red chili paste), playing a traditional musical instrument, making a rubbing of a stone inscription, calligraphy, drawing orchids on a fan, and so on. The house has about seventy hanbok and other clothing accessories, as well as a royal costume. Its calligraphy and drawing orchid programs are run directly by the owner, who used to work as a classical Chinese teacher at a high school.

Sajo Tuna (사조참치)

Sajo Tuna (사조참치)

1.7Km    2020-04-16

107-39, Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-364-9838

Sajo Tuna is the perfect restaurant for tuna lovers. It serves fresh tuna served in varied styles to visitors. Chamdarangeo (bluefin tuna) Special Menu consists of the highest-grade tuna cuts along with unique decorations. Also, the standard menu includes gamasal gui (grilled tuna kama), braised tuna head, grilled tuna, and pan-fried tuna. In-house alcoholic drinks such as baengnyeoncho ju (perilla seed and prickly pear liquor) and insam sansuyu ju (ginseng and cornelian cherry liquor) are offered, making this restaurant more outstanding.

Let's Jongno Festival (종로축제 렛츠종로)

Let's Jongno Festival (종로축제 렛츠종로)

1.7Km    2023-09-19

84 Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-10-4746-1773 / +82-70-4600-5719

Let's Jongno Festival is comprised of nine smaller festivals themed on traditional culture taking place throughout the Jongno district in October. Both local residents and visitors from near and far are invited to participate in the many activities. The festival kicks off with Jongno Culture Night during the first week of the month, followed by Gugak-ro Road Festa, Donghwamun-ro Road Culture Festival, and K-Jewelry Festival the second week; Jongno Hanbok Festival, Bukchon Craft Studio Festival, and Traditional Food Festival the third week.

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

1.7Km    2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-2038

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

Theatre Changdeokgung (창덕궁 소극장)

Theatre Changdeokgung (창덕궁 소극장)

1.7Km    2021-12-07

88-1, Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-742-7278

Theatre Changdeokgung is located across from Changdeokgung Palace in the Gugak-ro Special Cultural Zone of Seoul. To recreate the traditional Korean entertainment setting and offer a better view of the stage, the theater is designed with floor seatings facing a platform stage. The theater offers a wide array of performances including samulnori (traditional Korean percussion quartet), traditional Korean music, and madanggeuk (a play infused with traditional music and performances). First time visitors often find the creative and cozy experience create a lasting memory of Korean culture and arts. Also nearby the theater are a number of tourist attractions including Changdeokgung Palace, Unhyeongung Palace, Jongmyo Shrine, and Insa-dong.

Soonheenae Bindaetteok (순희네빈대떡)

Soonheenae Bindaetteok (순희네빈대떡)

1.7Km    2024-03-20

5 Jong-ro 32-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2264-5057

Soonheenae Bindaetteok is a stall located in Gwangjang Market known for its mung bean pancakes and meatballs. Bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) is a dish made by grinding mung beans and mixing them with kimchi, bracken, and ground pork, then flattening and frying the mixture. Here, they grind mung beans on a millstone and fry the bindaetteok on the spot, resulting in a crispy and savory taste. The secret soy sauce dip complements the bindaetteok perfectly. Situated within the traditional market, the atmosphere is lively.

Jangchungdan Park (장충단공원)

Jangchungdan Park (장충단공원)

1.8Km    2020-03-18

261, Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Jangchungdan Park is located on the northeastern foot of Namsan Mountain. On August 20th, 1895, Empress Myeongseong was killed by Japanese soldiers in Gyeongbokgung Palace and many Korean soldiers such as Yi Gyeong-jik and Hong Gye-hun died while trying to hold back the intruders. In memory of these soldiers, Emperor Gojong built the Jangchungdan Shrine in November 1900 at the current site of the Shilla Hotel guesthouse. The shrine was lost during the Korean War and the area was renovated into a park in 1919.

On September 22, 1984, Jangchungdan Park was designated the 374th neighborhood park of Korea and part of the park was merged with Namsan Park. The remaining area retained the name “Jangchungdan Park” and is still home to cultural assets such as the Jangchungdan Memorial Stone, Supyogyo, Seungjeongjeon, Gwanseongmyo, and Waryongmyo. The park is considered a landmark of patriotism since it contains the 1919 Independence Movement of Korea Memorial Stone and other monuments dedicated to people such as Han Yong-un, Yu Gwan-sun, and Gim Yong-hwan who fought for the independence of Korea.

EPAIS (에페)

EPAIS (에페)

1.8Km    2021-03-19

31, Jong-ro 31-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-747-8894

This is a Japanese cuisine located in Jongno, Seoul. The best menu at this restaurant is house-made pork loin cutlet. The favorite store of office workers.

Gyeonghuigung Palace (경희궁)

1.8Km    2024-07-09

45 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-724-0274

Gyeonghuigung Palace, a designated Historic Site, was originally called the large palace by Saemun Gate, or the Western Palace, for its location within the city. It was not until the eighth year of Gwanghaegun (1616) that the palace was used as a royal residence for the king, changing the name to Gyeongdeokgung Palace. The name later changed again to the current Gyeonghuigung Palace in 1760. The palace grounds included many halls but they were mostly all burned down in a fire in 1829. After the Japanese occupation began, all remaining buildings on the site were torn down and the palace grounds were turned into Gyeongseong Middle School (now Seoul High School). The school moved to Gangnam area in 1987, afterwhich the previous location was turned into a park. The palace grounds currently hold Seoul Museum of Art and walking paths, as well as a restoration of Heunghwamun Gate, the main gate of the palace, and Sungjeongjeon Hall, the main hall, completed in November 1994.