'Home is where the heart is' 

Koreans’ way of thinking may be something more like “The heart is where the home is”. Seoul is a sprawling metropolis, including those living in satellite cities numbering 20 million, most of who live in apartments.

We can think of this hears is where the home is, because each and every major holiday Koreans will escape, en masse, to their spiritual hometowns, homes aren’t necessary somewhere to live, but somewhere to thrive.

These days we often find our homes full of clutter, things, and material possessions. The traditional Korean home, the “hanok” is not like this at all.

From not only the direction the hanok faces, but to the shape of it, and whether or not there are mountains behind and a source of water in front, each and every part of a hanok is intentional.

Hanok are not separated from nature, but are a part of it, a living, growing thing. Expect to see a hanok to be made with huge stones, ochre, beautiful pieces of wood, and windows made of paper.

In the past, because of Confucianism, the rooms of a hanok were divided with males and females sleeping in different parts of the house, never together. 

Each room of a hanok is made from “hanji” or Korean paper, which has been waterproofed by rubbing oils on it, the paper is advantageous over glass because it is both breathable, allowing air flow, and at the same time better able to hold heat, meaning that it is cooler in the winter, and warmer in the summer.

Thanks to the advent of “ondol” a method of heating the floors in the winter, unique to Korea, Koreans sleep on the floor where it is warmest when it is cold, and coolest on those hot summer nights.

Byeolhadang

Yeoreum Jip

Bukchon

Bukchon Hanok Village, is a collection of hanok that have been preserved over the decades. With some clearly holding onto their last days, some magnificently restored in the traditional manner in which it was originally constructed, to hanok that have western influences and no expenses spared.

This area may not be on anyone’s “Seoul Top 10 List” but with the sheer amount of Japanese tourist that visit here by the busload, it is clear this area is worthy of a visit, or two.

Come on any given day and you will undoubtedly see couples taking photos with the surround hanok-scape, newlyweds taking their wedding photos, and quite often television shows or ads being filmed here, too.

People know this area as “the street museum in the urban sprawl” and nothing could be truer, as this area is right between the UNESCO World Heritage listed sites of Changdeok Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine, as well as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbok Palace, and huge skyscrapers can be seen all around.


Unhyeon Palace

Unhyeon Palace, although not one of the five royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, was the former residence of Heungseon Daewongun, Emperor Gojong’s father and one time prince regent.

Gojong, who assumed the age at the young age of 12, lived at this palace and even had his wedding ceremony to his bride Queen Min here.

Unhyeon Palace was once far larger than it is now. After the Korean War large portions of it were sold off, Duksung Women’s University occupies a significantly large portion of the former grounds of Unhyeon Palace.

Some of the buildings that still remain include; Noandang: The residence and work area for Heungseon Daewongun. Norakdang: The largest building of Unhyeon Palace, it was the women’s residence and the site of Gojong and Min’s wedding. Irodang: This was built later than the other buildings and was another women’s residence. Sujiksa: The servants’ quarters. 

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