Bukchon Hanok, Namdaemun Market & Namsan Tower

 Bukchon Hanok Village is a place where the rich and nobles used to live. Now it has turned into a tourist area where it features the traditional hanok houses and famous for filming. Upon arriving at Anguk station, head to get yourself a map and you can visit the spots of the houses. It's quite steep where you have to walk up the lanes but worth it! The Personal Taste drama starring Lee Min Ho and Soh Yeh Jin was shot here but the Sanggojae house is a private owned so it's not opened to public. The many guesthouses hosted 1 Night 2 Days program when Ho Dong, Seung Gi, Ji Won and the rest were gathering foreign guests to play interactive games. 

There are 8 photo spots where you could stand and snap the beautiful scenes. However the bronze photo spots were removed out from the ground lately so you wouldn't know where to stand to take the shots. Reason? No idea...I guess there were too many tourists hovering around the village and making too much noises disturbing the neighbourhood. Some of the houses have turned into business but there are people still living in these hanok houses.

Changdeokgung Palace is not too far from Bukchon Hanok Village. Due to the entrance fee, we decided not to go in because I've been in the palace a couple of times. 

Namdaemun Market is located nearby to Hyoheon and Myeongdong subway exits. This market is ever popular with tourists as clothes, bags, souvenirs, traditional food and accessories are cheaper here. I bought a lacquered jewelry box for $40 and it's beautiful. 

Souvenirs are definitely worth to buy here. If you are looking to purchase hanboks and accessories, this is a place to be. There is a big wholesale market for hair accessories, earrings, bangles and rings.Pure madness! I didn't even know what to look and what to buy!
We ended having lunch at the Food Alley in Namdaemun Market. We had some soft noodles and spicy food as well. It was cheap and good.

Mom bought some light weight blouses and light cardigan from the stalls and I just ended up eating snacks and dried cuttlefish from the ajumma who sells pine nuts, cuttlefish and dates.

In the evening, we walked up to Namsan Tower. From Myeongdong end, you can take the cable car and ride up to see the lights in the evening. The cable car queue was horrendous, we waited 1 hour to purchase the tickets and board the car. It took less than 10 mins and we have already arrived at the top. N-Seoul Tower is a popular spot for couples locking their love- by locking love locks there. 

For those who watched the drama 'My Love from Another Star'- the female lead Cheon Song Yi sealed her love with Do Min Joon. Of course you will never find the lock she left there from the drama. There were tons and thousands of locks in N-Seoul Tower! I wonder one day these locks weigh down the entire place!





 

 

Dokdo Island replica...part of South Korea which Japan claims its theirs.