Everyday Korea, told by a Korean.

What we eat, learn and buy. Notes from ordinary days in Korea, plus free Hangul worksheets you can print at home.

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Eunpyeong Hanok Village, Seoul: Modern Hanok Homes Below Bukhansan

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Eunpyeong Hanok Village (은평한옥마을) is a modern hanok (traditional Korean house) village in Jingwan-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. It was created after Bukchon and Seochon as a newer hanok area, and it forms a historic and cultural village together with Bukhansan National Park and Jingwansa Temple. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About the Village The land here was sold to individuals on the condition that they build only hanok. Each owner built according to their own taste, so the houses differ in shape and in the color of their wood, which makes them fun to look at. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Hanok streets: Walk past houses that each have their own design. Walking paths and cafes: The village has walking paths, cafes and other facilities. Eunpyeong History Hanok Museum: A museum with a rooftop observation deck (admission fee: KRW 1,000). Jingwansa Temple: The temple that gave Jingwan-dong its name is close to the...
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Yeouido Hangang Park, Seoul: Cherry Blossoms and Fireworks on the Han River

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Yeouido Hangang Park (여의도한강공원) is a riverside park on Yeouido, the center of Korea's politics, finance and media. It is easy to reach by subway and bus, so it is popular with office workers and Seoul residents alike. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About the Park The park hosts many events through the year: a cherry blossom festival in spring, and the Seoul International Fireworks Festival, performances and marathons in autumn. Bamseom Island and Yeouido Saetgang are preserved as natural areas, and the park also works as a place to learn about ecology. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Seasonal festivals: Cherry blossoms in spring, fireworks in autumn. Riverside facilities: Mulbit Plaza, a floating stage with fountains, the Waterfall of Light, the Piano Water Path, Festival Land and a yacht marina were added as part of the Hangang Renaissance project. Nature: Bamseom Island and Yeouido Saetgang, an ecological lea...
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Unhyeongung, Seoul: The Childhood Home of King Gojong

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Unhyeongung (운현궁) is a historic site in Unni-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Unlike royal palaces such as Gyeongbokgung, it was a residence for relatives of the royal family. It was the private home of Heungseon Daewongun and his family, and the place where King Gojong was born and grew up before he became king. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About Unhyeongung Most of the historical events of the late Joseon Dynasty began here. Many reform policies, as well as the policy of closing the country to foreign powers, were carried out from here, which gives Unhyeongung special historical significance. The main buildings are Noandang and Norakdang, completed in September 1864, and Irodang, added six years later. There were once four main gates, but only one remains today. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Norakdang: The central building of Unhyeongung, used for big events such as 60th birthday celebrations and banquets. Noandang: T...
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Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town, Seoul: The Home of Spicy Rice Cakes

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Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town (신당동 떡볶이타운) is an alley in Jung-gu, Seoul, lined on both sides with tteokbokki restaurants. Tteokbokki is a Korean dish of chewy rice cakes cooked in a sauce made with gochujang (red chili paste). Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About the Tteokbokki Town The alley took shape in the late 1970s and reached its peak in the 1980s. In the 1980s, many shops had DJ booths where DJs played music along with stories sent in by customers, and the DJs became a symbol of the alley. It was also the golden age of high school baseball: on days when Deoksu and Seollin commercial high schools played each other at the nearby Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium, the alley overflowed with students after the game. Many of those students still come back as middle-aged regulars, and it has been named a Seoul Future Heritage site. The history of the alley goes back to the 1950s. Ma Bok-rim Halmeoni Jip, one of the restaurants here, dates its tteokbokki to 1953. At f...
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Seodaemun Independence Park, Seoul: Independence Gate and Prison History

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Seodaemun Independence Park (서대문독립공원) is a history park in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. It stands on the site of the former Seoul Detention Center, where Korean independence activists were imprisoned until liberation on August 15, 1945, and where political prisoners were held in the 1960s. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About the Park When the Seoul Detention Center moved to Uiwang, Gyeonggi-do, in November 1987, prison buildings including seven cell blocks, the execution building and the underground women's prison were restored. The March 1st Movement Memorial Tower was moved here from Tapgol Park. Together with the stone pillar bases of the old Yeongeunmun Gate, the site opened as Seodaemun Independence Park on August 15, 1992. The park was created so that future generations would remember the spirit of the patriots who were imprisoned for resisting for Korea's independence. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Independe...
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Myeongdong, Seoul: Shopping Streets and Myeongdong Cathedral

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Myeongdong (명동) is a shopping area in Jung-gu, central Seoul, that feels like a huge shopping city. The main shopping street runs about 1 km from Myeongdong Station on Line 4 toward Euljiro and Lotte Department Store. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About Myeongdong The area is packed with brand stores, department stores and small shops. Known as a mecca of fashion trends, it sells clothes, shoes, accessories and more. Lotte Department Store and Shinsegae Department Store are nearby, along with the shopping malls Noon Square, Migliore and M Plaza. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Shopping: Brand stores, department stores and shopping malls in one area. Food: Family restaurants and fast food, as well as Korean, Western and Japanese restaurants. Myeongdong Cathedral: The cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul. Myeongdong Theater: A theater in the restored building of the old National Theater. Cartoon Street...
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Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul: Zaha Hadid's Curving Landmark

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Dongdaemun Design Plaza (동대문디자인플라자), better known as DDP , is a cultural complex in Dongdaemun, Seoul. Its name stands for Dream, Design and Play. Since it opened on March 21, 2014, it has hosted exhibitions, fashion shows, product launches, forums and conferences. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) About DDP DDP was designed by the architect Zaha Hadid. Hadid said she focused on the dynamism of Dongdaemun, which changes nonstop from early morning until nightfall, and used her architectural language of curves, curved surfaces and slanted lines to create a space where natural and man-made forms connect without seams. The complex includes the Art Hall, the Museum, the Design Lab, the DDP Design Museum, the Design Market, Eoulim Square and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Things to See and Do Art Hall: It has hosted Seoul Fashion Week, the MAMA music awards, a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition and BMW car l...
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A Korean Market Food I Personally Would Not Recommend: Yachae Gopchang

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Jongno Sinjin Market near Dongdaemun Station shows a very local side of Seoul. Jongno Sinjin Market Near Dongdaemun Station Near Dongdaemun Station, there is a traditional market area called Jongno Sinjin Market. Like many older Korean markets, it has small restaurants, street-style food stalls, bright signs, red plastic tables, and a very local atmosphere. For visitors who want to see a less polished side of Seoul, this kind of market can be interesting. It feels different from department stores, shopping malls, or famous tourist streets because people are eating, drinking, and talking in a more ordinary local setting. But not every Korean market food is easy to recommend to foreigners. Some dishes are very local, very strong in flavor, and difficult to enjoy if you are trying Korean food for the first time. Yachae gopchang is stir-fried pork intestines with vegetables, often served on a hot metal pan. Yachae Gopchang: A Strong...
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Hanwoo Beef: The Expensive Korean Food Many Koreans Still Cannot Eat Freely

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Hanwoo often looks premium before it is even cooked. (1) Hanwoo Is Famous, but Not an Everyday Food For many people outside Korea, Korean beef may sound like something luxurious, famous, and easy to find in a country known for food culture. But for many Koreans, Hanwoo beef is not an everyday food. I have lived in Korea all my life, but I cannot say that I have often eaten Hanwoo as much as I wanted. Even now, when Samsung and SK hynix are global companies and Korean dramas, music, beauty, and food are known around the world, Hanwoo still feels like a food that many ordinary Koreans approach carefully. Depending on the cut and grade, a small portion can be close to 20,000 Korean won per 100 grams. That means Hanwoo is not just beef. In Korea, it is often a symbol of celebration, income level, family events, gifts, and sometimes social pressure. The marbling is one reason many Koreans associate Hanwoo with luxury. (2) The Beauty of Marbling and the Weight of Price ...
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Free Korean Hangul Writing Worksheets PDF | Vowels, Consonants & Stroke Order

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For families and teachers introducing Korean to children or complete beginners, these printable Hangul worksheets provide a simple bridge from recognizing Korean letters to writing them by hand. The set focuses on basic vowels and consonants, with each page showing a large model letter, stroke-order guidance, a familiar picture word, and spacious handwriting boxes for practice. The worksheets are formatted in A4 landscape size and can be used at home, in preschool or kindergarten, in heritage-language programs, tutoring sessions, or beginner Korean classes. Instead of asking learners to copy an unfamiliar symbol with no context, each worksheet connects several steps: look at the Hangul letter, follow the numbered stroke order with a finger, say the sound aloud, look at the Korean picture word, and then trace or write the character in the practice grid. This makes the pages useful not only as Korean handwriting worksheets, but also as an introduction to Hangul letter recognition,...
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