Tea time in Hanok: Hanok Cafes in Seoul

Hanok is traditional Korean residential buildings. Usually, you may see many Hanok buildings in Bukchon Hanok Village and Insa-dong. There are a number of cafes housed in renovated Hanok in Insa-dong and Hanok Village, as well.

These cafes feature in traditional mood and offer traditional Korean tea, even some cafes have Jangdokdae(traditional Korean earthenware pots containing sauces) and Deacheong Maru(wooden-floors).

Let’s learn about Hanok cafes in Seoul.

Cafe LN

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The most popular space in the cafe is courtyard which features in a nice pine tree and several tables and chairs.

The menu consists of healthy beverages like Korean Black Raspberry Latte and Black Sesame Latte, as well as the Glutinous Rice Cake Waffle, which are unique items to Cafe LN.

Adress: 5, Bukchon-ro na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gahwadang

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Gahwadang

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Gahwadang is small cafe, having about five tables. The menu is consists of traditional Korean teas, grilled garae-tteok, hangwa, and other traditional snacks.

All the tables have a small notepad and colored pencils for visitors to take memos or draw picture. It is fun to view the writings and drawings of others.

Adress: 16-1, Samcheong-ro 4-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Yeon

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Yeon is a popular hanok cafe in Samcheong-dong. Yeon offers a variety of traditional Korean teas and snacks, but you can also order coffee, Indian chai tea and lassi, and Thai banana pancakes, giving cafe an international concept. Also on the menu are cocktails, beer, other types of alcoholic drinks, and appetizers.

Address: 84-3, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Moonbird Only Thinks of the Moon

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This cafe is traditional tea house. Also, it is a popular place among people who like charms of traditional tea houses. The interior is decorated with various masks, straw shoes, and painting of Korean style. The tea house offers teas made of a variety of homemade ingredients. Once you order tea, you will be served with a Thermos flask so you can brew your own tea.

Address: 14-3,  Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Time to travel history with the moonlight : Changdeokgung Palace

 

 

It’s Spring! and also it’s time to travel history with the moonlight.

Annually, Seoul hold ‘Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace’ event.

This year, the palace will have opening at night from April 1st to June 3rd.

This is the project for realization of palace and people can experience our past times.

 

 

<What is Changdeokgung Palace?>

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Changdeokgung palace was built by Lee bang-won in Chosun dynasty. It was a secondary palace when they couldn’t use the main palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace during wartime.

One of the reason why Changdeokgung is loved by Koreans is its harmony with nature.  Meanwhile Gyeongbokgung has dignity and orderliness, Changdeokgung has natural beauty.

The palace was listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 1997.

 

<How to participate in the event>

    moonlight tour 

*Reservation for Foreigner: Interpark ticket foreign page (http://ticket.interpark.com/Global)

*Only 100 people available for each session. (Advance reservation is required)

*Entrance Fee: 30,000 won (2 tickets available per person)

*Period of event: from April to June

*Directions:

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<Some Tips to enjoy Changdeokgung>

  1. Inside the palace is a little bit dark. Flash on your camera!
  2. You can use the toilet only one time after entrance. Visit public toilet before tour starts.
  3. Best attraction is Injeongjeon and backyard garden.
  4. Jujube tea and  Green plum tea is arranged before the traditional performance. Jujube tea is preferred!
  5. The performance is consisted of traditional dance-Daegeum master-Pansori-traditional folk song-fusion Pop song. And it gets better when it goes on.
  6. Total tour takes about 2 hours. The earphones for audio guide may not fit to your ears. Prepare your own one.
  7. Visit Insadong if you want after tour. You can enjoy Raw rice wine and Welsh-onion pancake.

Korean Traditional 1st Birthday: DOL

Korean Traditional 1st Birthday: DOL

 

 

 

“Dol” is probably the most well known birthday celebration in Korean tradition.

Historically, when Korea had little medicinal knowledge many newborn would not survive the first birthday, mostly because of Korean seasonal temperature differences. When a baby lived to be one year old during that time, it was a reason to celebrate.

 

 

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Years have passed and “Dol” is still celebrated in Korea, but of course, like many other traditions, have been modernized and adapted according to family and religion.

For instance the original tradition includes a prayer moment, which doesn’t necessarily happens in every case because the religion of back than is now rarely practiced.

 

 

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For the celebration, the baby is dressed in the traditional korean clothing, called dol-bok – a version of the hanbok. The colors of the clothes vary if it is a girl or a boy.

Usually, there is a meal – many families offer variations of tteoks (rice cakes) -and a small ceremony.

 

 

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The ceremony includes singing happy birthday, giving thanks to the grandparents of the baby and some little prizes for guests, for instance the person who has the closest birth date do the baby, the guest who came from most far, etc.

 

 

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The most expected moment of the ceremony is probably the “Doljabee”.

Different objects are prepared in a tray for the baby to pick, nowadays they put together things like pencil, mike, hammer, money, stethoscope, etc. The item that the baby picks up is believed to predict his or her future.

When you get to the ceremony, the guest is asked to bet what the child will choose and than whoever gets right might win a prize.

If the child picks up a pencil, for intance, it is predicted that he/she will be a good student, if he/she picks the money, will be rich and son on.

 

 

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As for the gift to the baby, some people buy something, but mostly guests give an envelope with money for the parents.

It is a very common thing for all occasions, birthdays, funerals, weddings. They consider it more convenient to give money and to get money.

 

 

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To end the ceremony, the parents prepare a little thank you gift for all the guests. It can be something costume made or some sweet or food thing.

 

It’s a nice experience, and usual in Korea, even tho it is a lot of work to the family, preparing and making it happen, the event itself usually ends really quick.

After all, two hours of partying in a one year lifetime for a baby might be quite enough!