Insa-dong - 인사동


History
Insa-dong was originally two towns whose names ended in syllables "In" and "Sa". They were divided by a stream which ran along Insa-dong's current main street. Insa-dong began 500 years ago as an area of residence for government officials. During the early period of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the place belonged to Gwanin-bang and Gyeonpyeong-bang - bang was the name of an administrative unit during the time - of Hanseong (old name for the capital, Seoul). During the Japanese occupation, the wealthy Korean residents were forced to move and sell their belongings, at which point the site became an area of trading in antiques. After the end of the Korean War, the area became a focus of South Korea's artistic and cafe's life. It was a popular destination among foreign visitors to South Korea during the 1960s, who called the area "Mary's Alley". It gained in popularity with international tourists during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In 2000 the area was renovated, and, after protest, the rapid modernization of the area was halted for two years beginning that year.
 
Introduction
Insa-dong (인사동), located in the heart of city, is an important place where old but precious and traditional goods are on display. There is one main road in Insa-dong with alleys on each side. Insa-dong Street stretches over 700 meters between the Anguk-dong Rotary and Tapgol Park (Jongno 2-ga). In area, 12.7 hectares (or 31.4 acres), the district is bordered by Gwanhun-dong to the north, Nagwon-dong to the east, and Jungno 2-ga and Jeokseon-dong to the south, and Gongpyeong-dong to the west. Within this alleys are galleries, traditional restaurants, traditional teahouses, and cafes.

The galleries are the heartbeat of Insa-dong. There are about 100 galleries in the area and you can see every example of traditional Korean fine art from paintings to sculptures. The most famous galleries are Hakgojae Gallery, which function as the center of folk art, Gana Art Gallery, which promotes many promising artists, and Gana Art Center.
The teahouses and restaurants are the perfect complement to the galleries. At first they might be hard to find, but if you take the time to stroll around the twisting alleyways, the window shopping in itself can be very entertaining. The shops in Insa-dong are very popular among all age groups, because each one is unique.
Stores in Insa-dong specialize in a wide variety of goods that can only be purchased or appreciated in Korea: hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery, and folk crafts.

Every Saturday from 14:00 - 22:00 and Sunday from 10:00 - 22:00, some streets are blocked off from trafic and it becomes a cultural space. Stores set up booths outside and others set up shops (Korean candy merchants and fortune tellers). There are traditional performances and exhibits as well. Insa-dong is especially popular with foreign tourists. This is where they can experience and see traditional Korean culture firsthand, and also purchase pieces of fine art. On the street you can eat Korean taffy and traditional pajeon (Korean pancake), and see many foreigners lost in all the joyous festivities of the street.


Address
130-4, Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul-si/서울 종로구 인사동 130-4일대

Directions
Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6.
Go 100m straight , then turn left.
Or Jongak Station ( Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 3.
Go straight 300m, and turn left at the 4-way Intersection.
Go straight 100m, and take the left road towards Insadong-gil Road.
[Bus]
Take any bus bound for Jongno 2-ga or Jongno Police Station.
Jongno 2-ga: 101, 103, 143, 150, 160, 201, 260, 262, 270, 271, 273, 370, 408, 470, 471, 601, 708, 710, 720, 721
Jongno Police Station: 109, 151, 162, 171, 172, 272, 601, 708

Type
Cultural Districts

Homepage
http://www.insainfo.or.kr/ (Korean only)
http://www.visitseoul.net/ (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese)

Video


Source: Wikipedia, Visit Korea

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