Ikseon-dong Hanok Village in Seoul: 100-Year-Old Alleys in the World's Coolest Neighbourhood

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Right in the middle of downtown Seoul, between office buildings, tangled power lines and the crowds around Jongno 3-ga Station, there is a small maze of tiled roofs: the Ikseon-dong Hanok Village (익선동). Its narrow alleys are lined with traditional Korean houses about 100 years old, and many of them are now cafés, restaurants, small shops and workshops.

The area is having a moment. In September 2026, Time Out named Jongno 3-ga the coolest neighbourhood in the world for 2026, and the Ikseon-dong hanok village was one of the reasons, along with Jongmyo Shrine and the area's nightlife.

Alley in Ikseon-dong, Seoul, with tiled-roof hanok houses turned into shops and a green paved walkway

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

The Story Behind Ikseon-dong

During the Joseon Dynasty, this was the site of Nudonggung, the house of Jeonggye Daewongun, father of King Cheoljong. In the 1920s, under Japanese colonial rule, Seoul was growing fast and Korean families were running out of places to live. Jeong Se-gwon, a real estate developer who also supported the independence movement, bought land here, split it into small lots and built compact, affordable hanok for ordinary families.

That is why Ikseon-dong feels different from Bukchon. Instead of large houses built for noble families, you find small homes pressed against each other along alleys where two people can barely walk side by side. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 118 hanok built before the 1930s still stand in the village.

The neighbourhood almost disappeared. In 2004 the area was marked for redevelopment, but the plan was dropped in 2014. After that, cafés and vintage shops began moving into renovated hanok, and Ikseon-dong became one of the most popular walks in Seoul. In 2018 the city designated it a hanok concentration area to protect and support the traditional houses.

Turquoise-painted hanok with potted plants in an alley of Ikseon-dong]

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

What to See and Do in Ikseon-dong

The best way to see Ikseon-dong is simply to wander the alleys at an easy pace. From the outside, the houses keep their curved tiled roofs, wooden beams and lattice windows. Inside, many have been turned into cafés, restaurants, bars and small design shops.

  • Hanok alleys - the charm is in the details: wooden doors, eaves, lanterns and painted façades.
  • Cafés and restaurants in hanok - you can eat or have a coffee inside a renovated traditional house.
  • Photos - the narrow alleys give you an unusual contrast between old tiled roofs and modern buildings in the background.
  • Workshops and experiences - small shops and studios offer things like perfume making and caricature drawing.
  • For K-pop fans - on the Korea Tourism Organization's show Play Seoul, Jeno and Chenle of NCT toured Ikseon-dong's social-media hot spots, including restaurant photo zones, fortune telling and a perfume workshop where you can make a flower diffuser.

Narrow alley in Ikseon-dong with hanok houses on both sides

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

Wooden lattice window of a hanok and a painted alley in Ikseon-dong]

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

Know Before You Go

  • Ikseon-dong is an open neighbourhood. There is no ticket and no opening time for walking the alleys.
  • Each café, restaurant and shop sets its own business hours.
  • The alleys are very narrow. Keep to the side and do not stop in the middle of the path for long photo sessions.
  • If you want to visit a specific café or shop, check that it is still open before you go.
  • Respect the houses that are not businesses: do not walk through closed gates and keep the noise down.

Group of tourists walking through an alley in Ikseon-dong lined with hanok shops

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

Ikseon-dong Basic Information

NameIkseon-dong Hanok Village (익선동 한옥마을)
AddressIkseon-dong area, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Donhwamun-ro 11-gil)
(서울특별시 종로구 익선동 일대)
SubwayJongno 3-ga Station (종로3가역), Lines 1, 3 and 5, Exit 4 or 6
AdmissionFree (open neighbourhood)
HoursVary by each shop and café
More informationSeoul Hanok - Ikseon-dong

How to Get to Ikseon-dong

Take the subway to Jongno 3-ga Station (종로3가역), served by Seoul Subway Lines 1, 3 and 5. Leave through Exit 4 or 6: the entrance to the alleys is about a 2-minute walk away.

Open Ikseon-dong in Google Maps

Ikseon-dong alley with a traditional lantern and a Korean signboard

Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1)

Tip

Ikseon-dong sits in the heart of Jongno, so it is easy to combine with other walks: Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Seosulla-gil, the street that runs along the shrine's stone wall (Exit 7 of Jongno 3-ga Station). In the evening, the open-air food stall street of Jongno 3-ga, right next to the village, gets busy. Keep the neighbourhood's Korean name (익선동) saved on your phone so you can show it if you need to ask for directions.

Source: Korea Tourism Organization (TourAPI), KOGL Type 1

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