Insadong

인사동

A street of craft shops, galleries and tea houses, with the Ssamziegil complex at its centre.

서울특별시 종로구 인사동길 62 (관훈동)

About

Insadong is a precious space in the heart of the city where old but valuable traditional items are exchanged. Around the main thoroughfare of Insadong, alleys are intertwined like a maze. Within this maze are densely packed art galleries, traditional craft shops, antique stores, traditional tea houses, traditional restaurants, and cafes. In particular, the shops in Insadong, each with its own unique charm, are very popular not only among young people but also among the middle-aged. Among them, art galleries are the core that has carried on the spirit of Insadong. Over 100 galleries are concentrated here, offering a variety of exhibitions from Korean painting to printmaking and sculpture shows. Representative galleries include Hakgojae, which played a central role in minjung art (people's art), Gana Gallery, which served as a foundation for talented artists, and Gana Art Center. If you want to conveniently visit only the famous galleries in Insadong, try the art museum shuttle bus. At a low price, you can tour around ten renowned galleries. Alongside the galleries, what fills the streets of Insadong are traditional tea houses and restaurants. They may be hard to find at first, but strolling slowly through the alleys as if on a walk is very enjoyable. Every Saturday and Sunday, Insadong is designated as a car-free street, reborn as a cultural space shared with citizens. On these days, in addition to the existing shops, the streets feature traditional performances and exhibitions, along with taffy vendors and an old fortune-teller offering saju (four-pillar astrology) and compatibility readings. Those who find joy in this are the foreigners who flock from various countries. Foreign tourists visiting to see Korea's traditional culture browse old items at traditional shops or buy antique art. They also buy taffy on the street and eat traditional pajeon (green onion pancakes). You can often see foreigners captivated by the traditional charm felt in the middle of the city.