Shopping in Insadong

Insadong is the spot where you can feel the subtle taste of Korea. Entering into the alley of Insadong, you can find small and big art galleries, fine art dealers, Korean paper dealers, paper hangers, craftwork shops, pottery shops, calligraphy shops, ateliers, shops selling art supplies used at a village schools, traditional restaurants, and teashops. Elizabeth II, the queen of the United Kingdom, visited Insadong and paid her tribute an praise to our Korean costume and pottery when she visited Korea in April 1999. Every October, the Insadong Festival is held where you can see plays with farmers' musical instruments being used and taste the cuisines for the whole of Korea. By using the recently introduced bus which circulates between museums from Insadong through Pyungchangdong, you can visit more than 10 museums by a round admission ticket for only 1,000 Won.

Insadong Cont..
Daphne and Co Today at 0:36

.The Insa-dong art and antique district has dozens of art galleries and shops selling art supplies, antiques, and handicrafts along one main street (Insadong-gil) and many side alleys. It also contains many traditional tea and coffee shops. The Korean Antique Association is located here and can be reached at (02) 732-2240. On weekends, the main street is blocked to vehicular traffic, allowing the throngs of people to mingle without fear of being run down by Seoul drivers taking a shortcut.

Food and Drink:
Long renowned for its traditional tea shops, the area has increasingly become overrun with more modern versions. However, local merchants have been fighting to keep alive the old traditions, and many traditional tae houses still survuve, many playing old folk music. Several restaurants offer traditional recipes in authentic settings. Explore the side alleys for the best ones.

Directions:
- Subway line 1, Jonggak Station, exit 3
- Subway line 5, Jongno 3 (sam)-ga Station, exit 1

Insadong is one of my favorite places here in Korea. If you ever have any questions about Insadong, please feel free to ask!