FOODIE TOUR – Palace, Temple and Market Guided at Night (Seoul)

Start the Tour

Meet your guide at Hyehwa Station, exit 4 (outside).

Pass by Daehak-ro

Daehakro is a major “arts & culture street” of Korea with some 150 theaters clustered in the area. Stretching for about 1.6km from Jongno 5-ga in Jongno-gu to the Hyehwa-dong Rotary, Daehakro was designated a “cultural zone” operated as a “no cars zone” on weekends.

Changgyeongung Palace

Located in the heart of Seoul, Changgyeonggung Palace was originally built as Suganggung Palace by the 4th ruler of the Joseon dynasty, King Sejong, for his retiring father, King Taejong. It often served as residential quarters for queens and concubines. It later became a park with a zoo and a botanical garden during Japanese colonial rule. The palace grounds remained this way until 1983 when restoration of its old grace was completed.

Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market was the first permanent market in Korea. The name Gwangjang means “to gather from afar and keep altogether.” The market began as a small trading center that brought in goods from nearby regions, but has now grown into a large wholesale market selling a variety of goods, including upholstery, imported goods, groceries, dried fish, traditional goods, and more.

Ikseon-dong Hanok Street

Ikseon-dong is a place where the harmony of alleys and hanok houses exudes beautiful charm and is a must-visit spot for tourists of all ages and genders. It is also an area that connects the younger and older generations.

Pass by Jongno 3 Stalls Alley

In the back alleys of Jongno 3-ga, you can find a row of outdoor food stalls, which are called “Pojangmacha” in Korean (literally meaning “tented wagon”). If you watch a Korean drama, you might have seen an episode at least once, in which the male protagonist downs his sorrows with bottle after bottle of soju while sitting alone in a pojangmacha.

The pojangmachas usually open up around 5:00-6:00PM. and run throughout the night till midnight, about 03:00-04:00AM.

Insadong

Insa-dong is an important place where old but precious traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Within these alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, teahouses, and cafes. Every Saturday from 2:00PM to 10:00PM and Sunday from 10:00AM to 10:00PM, the main street is blocked to vehicular traffic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and Korean candy merchants and fortune teller stalls can easily be found.

Jogyesa Temple

The temple was built in the late 14th century during the Goryeo period but was completely destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt under the name of Gakwangsa Temple in 1910. In 1954, a purification drive took place to eliminate Japanese influence and revive traditional Buddhism, which established the present day Jogyesa Temple as a result.

Jogyesa Temple plays an important role in Korean Buddhism as the head temple of the Jogye order. Jogyesa Temple’s Dharma Hall serves as the main venue for several Buddhist events, holding rituals, lectures, ceremonies, and other events all year long.

End of The Tour

The tour ends at Jogyesa Temple, in front of Anguk Station. the guide will inform you on how to get home.