Exploring Samcheongdong and City Hall (Day 9)

And then, just around the corner from Bukchon is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Seoul, Samcheong-dong.

In yet another example of how tradition has merged with modernity, hanok houses have been given a new lease of life by transforming into trendy cafes, boutiques and restaurants. I really like the laidback vibe here, there are not a lot of people here and it’s a nice place to shop and eat.

For lunch, we tried dosirak, which is the Korean version of a school bento packed in a metal lunchbox, at the Miss Lee Café. This cafe has several outlets all over Seoul and is known for its retro atmosphere that evokes memories of school days. It shot to fame after the location was featured in an episode of We Got Married where CNBlue's Yonghwa and Girl's Generation Seo Hyun went on a date.

Still not quite full from lunch, we hopped over to Milk Cow for dessert. This Korean chain, which has already reached Singapore's shores too, sells a wide selection of 99.9% organic ice cream (it's supposedly healthy...but I don't know...). The most famous item on the menu is its soft serve ice cream with an actual bee honeycomb! We couldn't resist trying it!

As we were leaving Samcheongdong, we spotted a a tiny hole in the wall shop selling fried hotteok (a type of sweet savoury pancake which is a popular street snack). The shop is run by a sweet old lady and I remember buying hotteok from her years before when I visited Samcheongdong. I’m surprised that the business is still going strong! Apparently many people patronise her stall because it is listed in guidebooks!

From Samcheongdong, we walked towards the direction of the City Hall area. I stayed in this area during my previous Seoul trip and I like it very much. The famous hallmark is, of course, the old City Hall building (built in classical renaissance style) which has now turned into a library and the newer and modern City Hall building which is located behind its predecessor. There is a lawn outside the old City Hall building which is often used for events and community activities. On the weekend we visited, there was a children's festival where the GOH was none other than the very famous Poporo!

If you're in the City Hall area, do visit the Deoksugung Palace as well (it's just across the road). There's a regular changing of the guards procession which is worth a watch and it's free as well! 

How to get there:

Insadong, Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheongdong and City Hall are all within walking distance and makes for a good walking tour of the city. If you're just heading to Samcheongdong, the closest subway is City Hall.