Seochon Village Walk 서촌 골목 산책
Seoul · Jongno, Bukchon & Palaces · Sights
Seochon, meaning the western village, sits on the other side of Gyeongbokgung from Bukchon and has a more lived-in, artistic feel. Low houses, small bookshops, galleries, family cafes and workshops line crooked alleys, and the old Tongin Market is nearby. The area was home to writers and painters in the past, and a few of their houses are now small museums.
It is still primarily a residential area, so the experience is about wandering, peeking into small shops and stopping for tea. Walking is easy, with only mild slopes. Shop hours vary, and many close early on one day each week.
Gyeongbokgung Station (경복궁역), Line 3 Exit 2, and then walk west for about ten minutes. Bus stops along Jahamun-ro are also close.
Show this Korean name to your taxi driver or match it to signs: 서촌 골목 산책
- Best time to visit
- A weekday afternoon is quiet. Spring is lovely when the small gardens bloom.
- Pair it with
- Tongin Market Lunchbox Cafe is just inside the market, and Gyeongbokgung Palace and Tosokchon Samgyetang are close.
- Great for
- Couples, Solo travelers
- Local tip
- A quieter alternative to Bukchon. Look for the oil tteokbokki stalls at Tongin Market and the tiny bookshops and workshops on the side lanes.