Ikseon-dong, Seoul
Photo: eugene_o / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Neighbourhood guide

Ikseon-dong

A hanok alley maze of cafes and small restaurants

Ikseon-dong is a tight cluster of narrow alleys of hanok houses just north of Jongno 3-ga. Nearly every house is now a cafe, restaurant or shop.

Plan to arrive early or late. Popular cafes can have a wait, and the alleys are easy to get lost in. Cafe Highwaist opens at 09:00 and Songam Onban at 11:30, which gets you ahead of the crowd.

For food, Songam Onban serves pork gukbap in a hanok. Chanyangjip does kalguksu and is closed Sundays. Moowee Nakwon has a rooftop with a Naver reservation required.

Ikseon-dong sits next to Insadong and Jongmyo, so it combines easily with both. Visit Seoul puts exit 4 closest to the alley, and Visit Korea mentions exit 6.

Getting there

Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3 and 5), exit 4 or 6. Exit 6 is the closest exit for Cafe Highwaist and Songam Onban.

6 places
Jongno 3-ga (Line 1, 3 or 5), exit 4 station
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See Ikseon-dong on the interactive map

What to see

There are no ticketed sights. The pleasure is the alleys themselves, which are free.

Where to eat and drink

Seoul Coffee Ikseon on Supyo-ro 28-gil serves pumpkin sikhye, with last order at 21:40. Moowee Nakwon has a break from 15:00 to 17:00.

Nearby neighbourhoods

Jongno and Insadong, Seoul Jongno and Insadong Temples, craft shops and the late-night market 9 places · under 1 km away Euljiro, Seoul Euljiro Printing alleys, dried-fish pubs and a few good cafes 4 places · under 1 km away Bukchon and Samcheong-dong, Seoul Bukchon and Samcheong-dong Hanok lanes, a second palace and the Samcheong-ro galleries 13 places · under 1 km away Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun, Seoul Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun Palace gates, museums and the Seochon lanes 13 places · 1.5 km away

The best of Ikseon-dong

Ikseon-dong Hanok Street
Best walk Ikseon-dong Hanok Street Free. Go early or late in the day for thinner crowds.
Best early coffee Cafe Highwaist Ikseon Opens 09:00, daily.
Best hanok meal Songam Onban Pork gukbap, boiled pork and dumplings from 11:30.
Best noodle soup Chanyangjip Kalguksu for over 50 years, closed Sundays.

Things to do in Ikseon-dong

Narrow Ikseon-dong hanok lane with flower stalls and walkers under umbrellas
Landmark · Free Ikseon-dong Hanok Street A maze of narrow alleys of hanok houses turned into cafes, restaurants and shops.
Food Songam Onban A hanok restaurant serving pork gukbap, boiled pork slices, pancakes and dumplings.
Cafe Cafe Highwaist Ikseon A dessert cafe where white walls meet hanok buildings, the earliest opener on the alley.
Cafe Seoul Coffee Ikseon A cafe on Supyo-ro 28-gil with Korean-flavoured items such as pumpkin sikhye.
Cafe Moowee Nakwon A rooftop hanok cafe and restaurant on Supyo-ro 28-gil.
Food Chanyangjip A kalguksu and dumpling restaurant that has been serving customers for over 50 years, on a lane off Donhwamun-ro in Ikseon-dong.

What's on in Ikseon-dong

Local events in the next 30 days, read from the ward, park and organiser pages each one links to.

More local events around Seoul

From the blog

Gyeongbokgung Palace gate and wide stone courtyard in Seoul Things to Do in Seoul: Palaces, Markets, Museums and Night Views Read

Stay in Ikseon-dong

Browse live availability and compare prices around the neighbourhood.

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