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Seochon's Nuha-dong: Where Joseon-era inspiration meets modern comfort

Published: 27 Feb. 2026, 08:18

LEE JIAN
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Korea''s oldest secondhand bookstore, Daeo Bookstore is pictured in Nuha-dong, a Seochon neighborhood in Jongno District, central Seoul [JOONGANG ILBO]

[ABOUT TOWN]: Nuha-dong, Seochon

Seoul is often viewed as a modern, trendy metropolis filled with high-rise buildings, bright billboards and zooming subways. But behind its stylish facade is a more down-to-earth, people's place that goes less noticed. Depending on the part of the city, busy-working locals find solace and joy in sizzling pork belly in an intimate barbecue restaurant, soju shots under a tent, coffee on the roof of a decades-old building and walks along the city's hidden trails. Each dong, or neighborhood, has its own unique history and remnants of the past, making Seoul a checkerboard of cultures and atmospheres.

In this series, the Korea JoongAng Daily examines both the past and present of Seoul's neighborhoods, offering recommendations on how to spend a day there like a local, including what to see and where to eat.

Suseongdong Valley and the Girin Bridge is pictured in Okin-dong, a Seochon neighborhood in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 20. [LEE JIAN]

On a recent late-February morning, sunlight grazed over the snow-laden valley at the foot of Mount Inwang, just a few minutes’ walk from Seoul’s busy nucleus. The sculpted limbs of pine trees tickled the blue sky. Beyond, the mountain’s rocky, stratified face, furry patches of evergreens and smooth-backed ridges completed the picturesque scene.

It is for views like this that some of Korea’s most celebrated poets, painters and writers settled in Seochon, west of Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul.

Since the Joseon era (1392-1910), the area’s proximity to the royal palace and its striking natural scenery have attracted some of the country’s best literati. Its oft-compared neighbor, Bukchon — east of the Gyeongbok Palace, near Anguk Station — was home to the aristocratic elite, while Seochon became a comparatively open and liberal enclave. During the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) and into the modern era, artists of modest means gathered in the narrow alleys and small hanok (traditional Korean-style houses), organically forming an artists’ village.

Yi Sang-bom's hanok house is pictured in Nuha-dong, a Seochon neighborhood in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 13. [LEE JIAN]

Most notably, it was a source of inspiration for the Joseon-era painter Jeong Seon (1676-1759), a second sanctuary to the art-loving Grand Prince Anpyeong (1418-1453), and home to painters Lee Sang-beom (1897-1972) and Park No-soo (1927-2013), and writers Yi Sang (1910-1937) and Yun Dong-ju (1917-1945).

An ink painting by Chong Sun, depicting the Suseongdong Valley [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Covering roughly 57,000 square meters (613,543 square feet), Seochon is composed of a dozen neighborhoods — known individually as dong in Korean. Areas closer to Gyeongbokgung Station, such as Naeja-dong, Chaebu-dong and Tongui-dong, tend to feel more commercial and, consequently, somewhat lacking in character — their main streets lined with chains like Paris Baguette, Olive Young and Subway.

However, toward the edges of the neighborhood, closer to Mount Inwang, the streets become quieter and more colorful.

Nuha-dong, just west of Tongin Market, strikes a balance between modest commerce and residential calm. Dating back to the late Joseon Dynasty, it is still home to around 600 residents, historic diners and national heritage sites, as well as small upscale restaurants and exceptional bakeries. The adjacent Okin-dong and Nusang-dong also offer boutique shopping experiences.

Dishes at the Korean Chinese restaurant Yeonghwaru in Nuha-dong on Feb. 13. [LEE JIAN]

These neighborhoods are still far from flashy, though. Some may even call them boring, and perhaps they are, especially for modern travelers with itineraries and expectations. What makes this corner of Seoul worth visiting is its reward for those willing to linger.

So wear comfortable shoes and start the day early. It may take time, but details will emerge.

The creaking of the wooden floors of an 88-year-old artist's home. Old photographs and yellowing newspaper clippings plastered on the walls of a 60-year-old Korean-Chinese restaurant. Sunlight filtering through the curved eaves of flared hanok roofs. The soft gurgle of water from the frozen valley signaling long-awaited spring.

Start with a nature walk

The view from the Mumudae Observatory on Feb. 20. [LEE JIAN]

Seochon’s quiet beauty is best revealed in the morning. Beat the crowds with a short hike to the Mumudae Observatory. From Gyeongbokgung Station, it’s about a 10-minute bus ride followed by a 15-minute uphill walk. At the top, the entire neighborhood unfolds in one frame — low-rise buildings capped with weathered roofs — with modern Seoul stretching south of Gyeongbok Palace and N Seoul Tower rising in the distance.

Head back down toward Suseongdong Valley at the foot of Mount Inwang, part of Okin-dong. Its name translates to “Valley of Resonant Water,” a reference to the clear sound of the stream. The Girin Bridge, a 4-meter (13 feet) monolithic stone bridge, is the only Joseon-era stone bridge in central Seoul preserved in its original form and location.

The stream and bridge appear in paintings by Jeong Seon, and 19th-century records describe the valley as one of the capital’s most scenic sites. Today, it is designated a Seoul Natural Heritage site.

Downstream once stood Bihaedang, the residence of Prince Anpyeong, where scholars gathered amid nature to reflect, compose poetry and enjoy the arts — scenes echoed in Jeong Seon’s landscapes.

Lunch

Noodles at Duginaru in Nuha-dong on Feb. 20. [LEE JIAN]

For lunch, take a walk around Nuha-dong. The neighborhood staple is Yeonghwaru, a Korean-Chinese restaurant that has served jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodles) for over 60 years. The retro interior matches the bold flavors: oil-glistening noodles coated in savory, slightly smoky fermented black bean sauce. For spice lovers, the restaurant’s fiery gochu gan jjajang (12,000 won or $8) — a fancier version of the regular jjajangmyeon, stir-fried to order without added starch, making it smokier and chunkier, topped with heaps of green chili peppers — is the signature order. Expect a queue, especially on weekends.

For something lighter, Duginaru serves warm bowls of noodle soup in a clean yet deeply savory anchovy broth. The house-made kimchi, crunchy and fresh, is a highlight.

Artist homes and exhibitions

Yi Sang-bom's studio inside his hanok in Nuha-dong, a Seochon neighborhood in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 13 [LEE JIAN]

About half a dozen preserved artist homes are open to the public around Nuha-dong.

For a lived-in hanok experience, visit the former home and atelier of Yi Sang-bom, where he lived from 1942 to his death in 1972. Now a registered cultural heritage site, it is a typical L-shaped modern urban hanok. All rooms — filled with authentic furniture and decor — are open for visitors to freely roam. It is particularly interesting to see a studio inside a residential hanok. The room displays Yi’s tools, ink paintings, sketches and archival materials.

Outside, the courtyard’s jangdokdae (fermentation terrace) holds large earthenware jars once used for fermenting sauces. Visitors can take in the quaint charm of the hanok by the wooden ledges facing the square courtyard. Entry is free.

An aerial view of Park No-soo's house slash museum in Okin-dong on Feb. 13. [LEE JIAN]

In Okin-dong is the former home of Yi’s student Park No-soo, a two-story brick house built in the late 1930s. Park purchased it in 1973 and lived there until he died in 2013. The architecture blends hanok, Western and subtle Chinese influences, like simultaneously having ondol floors (traditional Korean underfloor heating system) and three fireplaces.

Park is best known for bold compositions that modernized the tradition of East Asian ink painting, particularly by incorporating color into the genre of paintings that are usually done with just black ink.

Before his death, he donated his home and more than 1,000 works and antiques to Jongno District. The property is now the Jongno District Park No-soo Museum — a rich trove of 20th-century Korean art and history. Entry is 3,000 won for adults.

Cafe options

Strawberry cake at Rafre in Okin-dong on Feb. 13. [LEE JIAN]

If you were starved for company during the heritage site visits, cafes here — as in other places in Seoul — are booming with people, and for good reason.

Masa Madre in Nuha-dong is known for its smoked trout sandwich; La Boîte Bleue in Okin-dong for croissants and pain suisse; and Scoff for blondies among half a dozen other brownie selections. Daeo Bookstore, the oldest secondhand bookstore in Seoul that opened in 1951 and has been visited by K-pop soloist IU and members of BTS, now operates as a cafe as well.

Rafre Fruit in Okin-dong, about a two-minute walk from Nuha-dong center, serves airy, three-layered strawberry cakes layered with fresh cream and fruit (15,900 won) inside a sunlit two-story Western-style house.

Shopping

The streets around Nuha-dong may appear sparse at first glance, but the shops tucked along them reflect a deliberate embrace of slow living and mindfulness, favoring thoughtful curation and unimposing design.

Yurt in Okin-dong — a name derived from the Mongolian traditional nomadic dwelling — offers handcrafted leather goods rooted in thoughtful craftsmanship. The brand primarily uses vegetable-tanned leather, sourced from cattle raised for food rather than slaughtered solely for their hides, and processed with plant-based tannins instead of harsh chemicals. From pattern cutting to stitching, every stage of production is done by hand, allowing each piece to carry a sense of narrative and care. The result is a collection of high-quality leather bags, shoes and accessories that age gracefully, growing more distinctive with time.

Boddari Store in Nusang-dong — about a minute walk from the Park No-soo Museum — is a boutique lifestyle store offering a wide range of items collected from Korea and abroad, including ceramics, teaware, handmade rattan and bamboo baskets and rugs.

Haag in Nuha-dong is a popular Korean casualwear brand, putting forth young Koreans’ favorite inconspicuous yet cute looks. Launched in September 2019, the designer label operates under the slogan “We find beauty in the ordinary,” embracing comfort and a natural sense of style rooted in everyday life. It is best known for its zip-ups and sweatshirts.

Dinner

Sushi served during a dinner omakase at Sushi Nuha in Nuha-dong on Feb. 13. [LEE JIAN]

To end the day, Yeonggwang Tongdak — which has been in business for over 40 years — serves Korean-style fried chicken (20,000 won to 23,000 won), best paired with cold beer.

For those willing to splurge — and make plans in advance — Dokdo 16 Celsius (125,000 won per person) is an intimate Korean tavern run by chef Kim Sang-hoon, known as the “Loner in a Hole-in-the-Wall” from Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars” (2024-). Centered on Korean liquors, craft and seasonal ingredients, reservations are often booked months in advance.

A similarly cozy experience awaits at Sush Nuha, a 10-seat omakase inside a hanok. With slightly more accessible reservations, the 17-course dinner (120,000 won per person) features seasonal sashimi, sweet shrimp sushi, braised octopus, fried abalone and sea eel, with rice seasoned in red vinegar for added depth. Attentive chefs and an intimate setting complete the evening.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]