Seochon

Seochon is an old Seoul neighbourhood between the western wall of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Inwangsan Mountain. Its name means "west village", and behind the palace wall you will find hanok alleys, a small market and houses where painters and poets once lived. It is quieter and more lived-in than Bukchon, which makes it a good place to wander slowly and get a feel for old Seoul.

History: royals, scholars and artists

Seochon has fairly clear borders: Gyeongbokgung to the east, Inwangsan to the west, the road in front of Sajikdan Altar to the south and Bugaksan and Changuimun Gate to the north. Being close to the palace and the royal altar, it was home to royals and powerful officials from the start of the Joseon dynasty. The future King Taejong had a house in today's Tongin-dong, and the area is known as the birthplace of King Sejong the Great, which is why it is also called "Sejong Village". In Joseon times it went by several names, including Jangui-dong and Jang-dong, and the powerful Andong Kim clan of the late Joseon period lived here in such numbers that they were nicknamed the "Jang-dong Kims".

From the Japanese colonial period onwards, many writers and artists lived here, including the painters Yi Jung-seop and Yi Sang-beom and the poets Yun Dong-ju and Yi Sang. Because it lies close to the former presidential residence, development was restricted for decades. That kept the old lanes intact, and the area drew new attention after being designated a hanok preservation district in 2010. More than 600 hanok are said to survive here.

What to see

• Tongin Market: Opened in 1941, with more than 70 shops packed into a narrow lane. A good place to graze on side dishes and street food.
• Suseongdong Valley: A stream tumbling between granite rocks from Inwangsan. The painter Jeong Seon included it in his album Eight Views of Jangdong, and an old stone bridge, Giringyo, still crosses it. The valley and bridge became a Seoul cultural property in 2010.
• Yi Sang-beom's House: The hanok where the modern painter Cheongjeon Yi Sang-beom lived and worked, with his studio still in place.
• Pak No-soo Art Museum: A restored early modern house in Ogin-dong showing the work of the painter Pak No-soo.
• Sejong Village Food Street: A lane of restaurants and bars near Gyeongbokgung Station that gets busy in the evening.

Lanes full of paintings and stories

The Baegundongcheon, the first upper stream of Cheonggyecheon, once ran north to south through the middle of Seochon, fed by streams from Inwangsan such as Cheongpunggye, Okryudongcheon and Suseongdongcheon.

Several celebrated Joseon paintings were born here. Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land, painted for Prince Anpyeong after he described a dream, and Jeong Seon's Clearing after Rain on Mount Inwang are both linked to Seochon. Prince Anpyeong built a house called Bihaedang in Suseongdong Valley to enjoy the view. Before he became king, Yeongjo spent his youth at Changuigung Palace in Tongui-dong, and the scholar Kim Jeong-hui wrote on a letter envelope that his home was in "Jang-dong". Knowing these stories makes even an ordinary lane look different.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: From Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) you can walk straight into the lanes. Suseongdong Valley is an uphill walk at the north-western edge of the neighbourhood, at the foot of Inwangsan.
• Time: 2–3 hours for the market, the lanes and the valley.
• Parking: There is almost nowhere to park, so use public transport.
• Etiquette: Most hanok are private homes. Keep your voice down and do not peer through gates.
• Combine with: Gyeongbokgung, the National Palace Museum and Sajikdan are close by, and Suseongdong Valley leads onto the Inwangsan trails.