➹ beautiful insadong

Today, I wish to go back to walking along the streets of my beloved Insadong ... one of Seoul's most charming and picturesque destinations. I talked about exploring Insadong during the Autumn of 2011 when me and my friend walked into the famous street from the Bosingak tower. This time, I was by myself and I started my walk from Angguk station. This lovely mural welcomed me when I got off the station.


I didn't really have an itinerary which is quite unbelievable with my personality. Hence, I was partially just wandering around, partially struggling to take decent photos, and all the while avoiding to do more shopping since my bags were already too full! Despite my messy state of mind, I still managed to enjoy the area. I suppose Insadong's charms were calming and intriguing at the same time so I had no choice but to immerse myself in its beauty.






I skipped breakfast that day because I had to pack my bags and check out before noon time. So my very first target was to find a restaurant for early lunch. I walked past so many food options but as I didn't do my research, I didn't know what to choose! I was also concerned of dining alone as most restaurants may not welcome a solo diner~~ Anyway, I settled for a nice looking place after ensuring that they have my favorite bibimbap.




The ceiling was so low and the lighting was quite intimate hahaha... It was not what I expected at all. But the bibimbap was good enough so I had no qualms. I wanted to finish lunch before the weekday crowd rush in so I didn't take a long time and headed out to the streets once more.

I headed into Ssamziegil which is a definite must-visit for some unique crafts and what-nots. As expected, I enjoyed going up the staircases, window shopping and just taking some photos. Too bad some stores don't allow cameras so that part was a tad bit upsetting. But I can understand the shop owners well because they do carry some interesting goods.










I probably spent a long time just hanging out at Ssamziegil ... likely because you don't really need an itinerary for that haha! Going out into the streets again was a bit daunting because there are so many inviting alleys and store fronts that I didn't plan for. I spotted this pretty gallery showing ddakji and I was deliberating paying the fee to go in ... but I was conscious of the time and ended up passing it up. Maybe next time I will plan for this walk better.



AS I walk farther from Ssamziegil, I found the cosmetic shops with the trademark Hangul names as really fascinating. Of course, the Starbucks one is quite famous by now. There aren't a lot of other cosmetic shops using Hangul names in Korea so I really thought the Insadong branches were adorable.




I wish I had a detailed plan back then so that I would have combed the area fully and enjoyed every corner of the place. But as it was my last day in the city, I was feeling sentimental, rushed and a bit burdened with leaving. I vow to return on a more relaxed state of mind and would definitely go through more of Insadong. This place has earned my approval and seems to always beckon me back. :)