from my 3 months worth of research on WHERE TO GO in Korea, I wanted to visit a historical place, and then I found out about Namsangol Hanok Village 남산골한옥마을 or just Namsan Hanok Village; the more commercialized Hanok village located in the heart of Seoul. but as I searched, I found out that Bukchon Hanok Village 복촌한옥마을, also the place where “Personal Taste” was filmed (yes with Lee Minho in it! <3) , is such a gem. located nearby to each other (near as in taxi trip near), I’ve decided to save time and only go to one. I picked Bukchon.

we got off at Anguk  station안국역 as directed (Anguk Station, Exit 2, walk 300m straight. do not ask for directions they will lead you somewhere else D=.) from the website and got lost =(. we then asked the locals and they recommended us to take a cab (do note that I have a Korean friend with me to do the asking =D) because it’s pretty far. we then got off at Namsan Hanok Village. I think it is because it’s much more commercialized and they thought us tourists were talking about Namsan’s one as they probably didn’t catch our words clearly D=.

since we were first timers, we didn’t know and went in straight to find that it’s actually Namsan Hanok Village! but because we paid the expensive taxi fare already(only take a cab if you have no choice, or have no time!) we did not want to waste it so we went in for a slight stroll! =D.

the parking lot. it was late November and there weren’t many autumn trees left. and there were abundant here! hence the picture. =D.

free entry. beautiful, well-taken care of and a gorgeous view of the N-Seoul Tower. and has a lake!

it was pretty fun I have to say. because it allows you to have a picture of how the traditional Korea was.

so, what to do or see here?

the traditional Korean interior and furniture! talking about Korea furniture, I grew up with a pair of traditional Korean side table ^^v.

gigantic lock! it’s mad. even huger than my palm and is extremely heavy. I have ANOTHER traditional Korean box where there was a similar lock in mini and I had always thought it was Chinese. until my mom told me that these were all Korean antiques!

no wonder when I watch traditional Korean dramas when I was younger and thought I’ve seen those furniture somewhere. hah!

I am a fan of SungKyunKwan Scancal, and this place makes me feel like as if I was living in Joseon era for a split second. =3.

these is where you keep your kimchi! in a hut! or dig a hole ad bury it =D.

maple leafs! <3.

Joseon Dynasty’s beautiful remains.

don’t this look like those rooms those students in SungKyunKwan Scandal live in?! #dramafreakmode#

I think.. you call those flags. D=.

the great side of Namsan Hanok Village is that you can actually go around and feel the place. where Bukchon is mainly lived-in.

and the traditional Korean games! it’s so fun kekekeke. =P. there were those throwing sticks into a cylinder game as well!

I love this view. and you’d not guess what’s beside it.

the toilet. haha! the public toilet for everyone to use.

I just had to camwhore here. except I didn’t exactly get the backdrop =(.

other than all that, there were actually people here and there demonstrating instruments, daily activities etc! and look at what he can do…

he can knit these huge shoes!

to save time, we only explored the front half of the huge village U_U. we then took a cab to Bukchon Hanok Village.

Mr. Taxi put us down here where there was a valley with a flight of stairs located next to the maroon building with a white tree painted on it. on the way here, I thought to myself, WOW! THIS PLACE IS GORGEOUS. with all those lovely restaurants and artistic shops. and when I came back and went through my pictures. I found out that it’s actually Sam Cheong Dong 삼청동. I came here again in the evening! and this was almost the end of Sam Cheong Dong!

the place is called Wonton. labeled Malay and Singapore Cuisine. =D! if you’re Malaysian and is stuck in Korean and want to eat Malaysian food very badly, no problem! just get to the end of Sam Cheong Dong, walk up the stairs a little and you’d find this shop =D.

my view from the top* of the hill!

I then saw my FIRST HANOK!!!

just a little introduction about Bukchon Hanok Village, I’d say it’s very authentic. these hundreds of lived-in Hanoks are actually here since Joseon Dynasty and has been preserved from generation to generation. many of them today have been transformed into guest houses, galleries and restaurants, but if you walk around, you’d actually find out that there are still many of them that are occupied by households.

my artistic piece =D. the korean meter.

it’s translated directly to Day Cat Gallery. very pretty but wasn’t open. i went there pretty early =P.

maple leafs! <3. I was so addicted to it I collected a handful of them by clipping them in the middle of my book.

oh I miss my long nails even though it looked really creepy in this picture. just this picture. pfft.

we walked a little bit more and there comes the cozy looking modern houses. equally as beautiful. every single house there is my dream house. Hanok or not, they are really all my dream houses! I don’t have desires on living in a luxurious house with a pool though =X.

it’s not that I want to live in a traditional way. I love the city. I cannot imagine myself living by the country side. but I love it more when something from the past remains as a part of the city. <3.

Korean boy posing with a Korean bike in a Korean village!

this is what supposed to be a Korean Gallery! I really have to salute to this guy towards his passion in cultural stuff. there weren’t actually too many people walking pass but he was sitting there promoting traditional tea ceremonies or something. I didn’t get Peter to talk to him. and you know, it was like a chicken talking to a duck. I couldn’t understand his english so much =S.

my mom acting cute wth haha.

it was towards this road where the amount of Hanoks brought me to the past. I was captivated.

it was BREATH TAKING.

out of breath already? this is the front view.

the back view. the roads were not labeled and you could get lost easily here. but it was exactly what I like about it. imagine, a hundred years ago people recognizes each house and they know all their neighbours. it’s such a beautiful community. <3.

what planted my love for this place was probably the colours of these buildings when sun shone on it. this picture wasn’t edited. not even a bit. those were the original colour of the Hanok. the light brown of it matching with the greens outside– lovely.

being silly is my hobby =P.

my mom’s idea of creative poses! haha! so this is how people living in the 70s like to pose =P.again

again, LOOK AT THE COLOUR OF THE PRETTY LIGHT BROWN WOOD! *faints*

the abandoned Hanok.

Hanok on a slope.

I truly admire how artistic Koreans are. they can create such a beautiful abstract character just with white chalk on a brick wall!

more galleries!

we then landed at the bottom of the village. we walked around for a bit and found sign boards (for drivers actually haha!) to Chang Deok Gung. and we followed it! =D.

on the way we saw DEOKBOKKI 떡볶이!!! must eat. !!!!!!!!!.

nyum~ ♡!  and they are so much cheaper than eating them here pfft. like a quarter of the price. for half the portion though. haha.

we walked and walked and walked and I saw a granny crossing the road and I thought “GREAT SHOT!” and later on I found out they were actually filming no wonder it looked so perfect pfft.

my “great shot”. hahah. xD.

not to mention, there was a hot celebrity.

I wanted to go close but the crew kept saying “no pictures” and I just had to secretly take pictures of him.

he look very familiar but I couldn’t recall who is he pfft. he kept having to cross the road to film and they had to wait for the pedestrian light to turn green each time. there were so little time for him to cross and ride the bicycle back!  pity =/.

this coffee shop had some real cool design =P.

CHEST NUTS! very expensive D=. it’s expensive here too.. so. =/.

to my surprise, Dunkin Donuts is really famous in Seoul! they are everywhere and is always packed while the ones here.. =S. but well! Kim Tak Goo is not only the ambassador for that delicious bread but also for donuts! =P. WHERE’S MY MAJUN!!!! >=(.

we then got hungry and settled our lunch at a decent Korean restaurant with decent prices and delicious food =P.

pork chop, with rice. bibimbap / mixed rice. and fish cutlets, with rice.

Korean’s love rice. don’t you know? =D!

hungry girl with her bibimbap!