Ihwa Mural Village

East of Daehangno, on the slope just below Naksan Park, Ihwa Mural Village is a tangle of stairways and alleys that became Seoul's best-known mural village after a public art project in 2006 painted its walls and steps. Many works have since been painted over at residents' request, but the views over Seoul's rooftops to Namsan from the top of narrow stairs, and the lanes of old post-war housing, are still worth the walk. Above all, this is a neighbourhood where people live, so visit quietly.

History: from Ssanggye-dong to mural village

In the Joseon period Ihwa-dong was called Ssanggye-dong and counted among the scenic spots inside the city walls. Upscale housing was built here under Japanese rule, and after liberation the government put up public housing around Ihwajang, Syngman Rhee's residence. In 2006 the area was chosen for the "Naksan Project", an urban art campaign funded by the national lottery through the Ministry of Culture, and about 70 artists, residents, students and volunteers created murals and installations throughout the alleys. University students added more works in 2013.

As TV shows and dramas made the village famous, visitor numbers soared, bringing noise, litter and intrusions on privacy. After a 2010 TV variety show featured an angel-wings mural, crowds came to pose in front of it until the artist painted it out himself and recreated it that November in the square at Wangsimni Station. Jongno District launched a "quiet tourism" campaign in 2013, but tensions continued, and in April 2016 residents painted grey over the best-known pieces, the flower stairs and the fish stairs. Ihwa is often cited as one of the first places in Seoul where overtourism became a public issue.

What to see

• Stairway alleys: the steep steps and lanes climbing towards Naksan are the real village. Surviving murals and small installations are tucked in between.
• Views: from the upper slope you look over packed rooftops to Namsan, N Seoul Tower and distant mountain ridges; dusk is especially good.
• Old public housing lanes: post-war public houses still line Naksanseonggwakseo 1-gil, where a "village museum" project was later run.
• Naksan Park and the city wall: climb above the village to Naksan Park, where the Seoul City Wall trail runs. You can follow the wall down to Dongdaemun.

Nearby

• Daehangno: the small-theatre district at the western foot of the hill, good for an evening show.
• Naksan section of the Seoul City Wall: the walk along the wall from Naksan Park down to Heunginjimun.
• Heunginjimun Gate (Dongdaemun): the eastern gate of Joseon Seoul at the end of the wall walk.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: from Hyehwa Station (Line 4) walk past Marronnier Park and up the hill to the east. Expect slopes and lots of steps, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Access: the neighbourhood is always open and free. Information is available from the Jongno tourist information centre (1800-9008).
• Time needed: about an hour for the village and Naksan Park; allow 1.5 to 2 hours if you continue along the wall to Dongdaemun.
• Respect residents: avoid early mornings and late evenings, do not photograph into gates or windows, keep your voice down and take your rubbish with you.