Eat and Travel With Us

5 Things to Do in Samcheong-dong (Seoul)

Samcheong-dong is definitely one of our favourite places in Seoul! It is an interesting area where you will find a unique amalgamation of majestic palaces, artisan cafes, unique boutiques, stylish art galleries, and charming Korean traditional houses. You can reach the area from either the Anguk Station or Ggyeongbokgung Station. A decent hotel to stay here would be the CenterMark Hotel, which is located in a convenient location. In this article, we have compiled a list of five awesome things to do in Samcheong-dong. To get a clearer idea of the attractions’ locations, check out the map at the bottom of this article.

1. Explore the Majestic Palaces

Gyeongbokgung PalaceGyeongbokgung Palace PavilionGyeongbokgung Palace TowerGyeongbokgung Palace EntranceGyeongbokgung palaceGyeongbokgung Palace LakeGyeongbokgung Palace Evan and RaevianGyeongbokgung Palace LakeGyeongbokgung palace Guard ChangingGwanghwamun Gate – Guard changing ceremony

Statue of of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin SeoulStatue of of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin
Gyeongbokgung Palace Eat and Travel with UsWe visited the Gyeongbokgung Palace (also known as Gyeongbok Palace), which is the largest of the “Five Grand Palaces” in Seoul. The palace consists of 3 main attractions: Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, Gwanghwamun Gate, and Gwanghwamun Square.

Built during the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung Palace was home to the different generations of Joseon Kings. Inside the palace, we found charming Korean ancient architecture and beautiful lakes with the shimmering reflections of the palace buildings glistening off the still waters. The adult admission fee is KRW3,000. Cheongwadae, the residence of the President of Korea, is located beside Gyeongbokgung palace.

The main gate of the palace is the Gwanghwamun Gate. It was an interesting experience to watch the guard changing ceremony here! Check out the daily schedule of the guard changing ceremony.

Outside the gate is the Gwanghwamun Square, where you will find the imposing King Sejong Statue. King Sejong lived between 1397 and 1450. He is known for his promulgation of the Korean alphabet Hangul (the current writing system of the Korean language), his involvement in various scientific inventions (the celestial globe, the rain gauge, water clocks, the sundial), and his effort to develop a distinct Korean system of medical knowledge. Today, his portrait is printed on the KRW 10,000 note. You will also find the towering Statue of of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, a legendary naval commander who lived between 1545 and 1598. He was renown for his naval victories against the Japanese navy.

If you like visiting such historical sites, you will be happy to know that the four other grand palaces – Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Gyeonghuigung – are in Samcheong-dong as well.

Gyeongbokgung Palace
Address: 161, Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean address: 서울특별시 종로구 사직로 161 (세종로)
Phone Number:+82 2 3700 3900
Opening Hours: Daily 9am – 6pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Directions to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun Gate: Alight at Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 5
Directions to Gwanghwamun Square: Alight at Gwanghwamun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 2

2. Visit Bukchon Hanok

Bukchon Hanok SeoulBukchon Hanok RaevianBukchon Hanok SeoulBukchon Hanok SeoulBukchon HanokBukchon Hanok EvanBukchon Hanok Seoul
“Bukchon” is an area in Samcheong-dong where the aristocratic class stayed during the Joseon era, while “Hanok” refers to Korean traditional houses. We had to walk for quite a while to reach Bukchon Hanok, but it was definitely worth the effort. It was cool to see the clusters of traditional Korean houses, and we spent quite a bit of time here admiring the beautiful Korean architecture. Some of the hanoks have been converted into shops and tea houses, but many of them are still occupied by residents, so it is important to be quiet when visiting the area.

Bukchon Hanok
Address: 37, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean address: 서울특별시 종로구 계동길 37 (계동)
Phone Number: +82 2 2133 1371
Website: http://bukchon.seoul.go.kr/eng/index.jsp
Directions: Alight at Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2. Walk straight for about 10 minutes

3. Explore the Artisan Cafes and Unique Boutiques

Samcheong-dong Samcheong-dongCath Kidston Cafe SeoulCath Kidston Cafe Seoul Interior DesignCath Kidston Cafe TiramisuCath Kidston Cafe Honey GrapefruitSamcheong-dong Aerial View We had a pleasant time strolling along the streets of Samcheong-dong and immersing ourselves in the vibe of the place. There were many pretty cafes and boutiques here. After a while, we took a break at the Cath Kidston Cafe, a colourful café with an interior deco that is reminiscent of Cath Kidston’s classic floral design. We ordered the Honey Grapefruit (KRW6500), which tasted delicious with its sweet and tangy flavours. We also indulged in the classic Cath Kidston Tiramisu (KRW 4800), which tasted pleasant without being cloyingly sweet.

Samcheong-dong
Address: Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Directions 1: Alight at Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 1. Walk for about 10 minutes in the direction of Jeongdok Library
Directions 2: Alight at Gyeongbokgung Palace Station (Seoul Subway Line # 3), Exit 5. Walk for about 15 minutes along the Gyeongbokgung Palace stone wall to the beginning point of Samcheong-dong Walkway

Cath Kidston Cafe

Phone Number: +82 02 722 4657
Opening Hours: Daily 10.30am – 10pm
Directions: You can refer to the map at the bottom of this article or this website’s directions to Cath Kidston Cafe.

4. Eat Ginseng Chicken at Tosokchon Samgyetang

Tosokchon SeoulTosokchon Ginseng Chicken and PancakeTosokchon RaevianTosokchon Chicken Stew with GinsengTosokchon EvanTosokchon EntranceTosokchon Samgyetang is the restaurant that all tourists will visit in Samcheong-dong to eat the super famous Ginseng Chicken. We ordered the Chicken Stew with Ginseng (KRW15,000) and the Savoury Pancake with Spring Onions (KRW15,000). The Ginseng chicken stew tasted good but to be honest we were not blown away. Maybe it was because we had very high expectations after reading all the rave reviews online. On the other hand, the pancake was a pleasant treat with its delicious fillings of succulent prawns, eggs and fresh spring onions covered in crisp pancake skin.

Tosokchon Samgyetang
Address: 5 Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean address: 서울 종로구 자하문로5길 5 (체부동)
Phone Number: +82 2 737 7444
Email: info@tosokchon.com
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 11pm
Website: www.tosokchon.com
Directions: The restaurant website provides clear directions to Tosokchon Samgyetang in English.

5. Indulge in Korean Army Stew at Mukshidonna Tteokbokki

Mukshidonna SamcheongdongMukshidonna Evan and RaevianMukshidonna Seoul - EvanMukshidonna Seafood and Cheese StewMukshidonna Fried RiceMukshidonna SamcheongdongThere is nothing more satisfying than indulging in hot, steaming one-pot-goodness in cold weather. And we did exactly that at Mukshidonna Tteokbokki in Samcheong-dong! This no-frills restaurant is famous for its Korean “Army Stew” where you get to choose your ingredients to cook in a single pot of delicious stew. All the stews are served with tteokbokki (Korean rice cake). For the main ingredients we ordered Seafood (KRW4,500) and Cheese (KRW4,500), and for staples we had Ramyeon (Korean instant noodles, KRW1,000), Odaeng (Korean Fishcake, KRW1,000) and Fried Rice (KRW2,000).

The result is a harmony of flavours that tasted so good and left us so satisfied. After we finished most of the stew, the rice was tossed into the pot and stir fried, allowing it to soak up the residual goodness of the savoury stew. Needless to say, the fried rice tasted great too. You would kick yourself for not visiting Mukshidonna Samcheong-dong if you are in Seoul!

Mukshidonna Tteokbokki
Address: Samcheongdong, Jongno-gu, Anguk-dong, 17-18
Korean address:
Phone Number: +82 2 723 8089
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 8.30pm (Closed on certain Sundays)
Directions: You can refer to this website’s directions to Mukshidonna Tteokbokki.

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Seoul Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?

Samcheong-Dong Map

10 Comments and Questions

  • Cath
    28 Aug 18

    Do they serve any non-spicy food in Mukshidonna Tteokbokki?

  • Evan
    29 Aug 18

    Hi Cath! The Tteokbokki sauce is mildly spicy and sweet, so anything you order and mix in will be slightly spicy too. I am not sure if they have ala carte non-spicy food but I doubt so.

  • Maigne Domingo
    24 Dec 18

    Hi! I love your blog! I’ll be going to Korea next year and I found your blog very helpful. But I would like to seek your advice. Can we walk from Tosokchon to Bukchon Hanok Village or is it better to ride the subway from Gyeongbokgong to Anguk? Thanks for your advice!

  • Evan
    25 Dec 18

    Hi Maigne! I would advise you to take the subway, because it would be quite a long walk (around 20 minutes) from Tosokchon to Bukchon Hanok.

  • Minnie
    21 Mar 19

    Hi Raevian

    Thank you, I just have a small query: where did you get this map in English, I have heard that Google Maps do not work in Seoul. We are visiting Korea in the 1st week of April and would like to know if there are online Korea maps available in English.

  • Evan
    22 Mar 19

    Hello Minnie

    The map was from Google Maps. Yes, it seems that Google Maps Korea is only able to show you the public transport directions, and not the walking or driving directions. Sorry, I do not know of any other maps, perhaps you can try asking on travel forums? Kindly let me know if you find any, thanks!

  • Fee
    25 Mar 19

    Hi there!

    I am heading to Seoul this weekend and would like to ask if the ginseng chicken portion is good for 1 or for sharing between 2? =) Thanks in advance!

  • Evan
    25 Mar 19

    Hi Fee! I think it is good enough for sharing between two persons. The restaurant provides some kimchi side dishes too. Have a wonderful time in Seoul!!

  • ks
    09 May 19

    Hi there,

    If I go out from the right gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace to go for lunch at Tosokchon Samgyetang Chicken, would I be allowed to re-enter the palace?

  • Evan
    11 May 19

    Hi ks,

    Yes you can re-enter the palace by showing your ticket. Therefore remember not to throw your ticket away.