Princess Diaries: Walking around Korea in a Hanbok

Before going to Korea, I stumbled upon the Hanbok. Hanbok is basically a traditional Korean dress. It looked really pretty so I thought I would rent one while visiting Seoul. I'm glad I did as the colorful and lovely dress made me feel like a Korean princess!

I rented my costume from OneDay Hanbok and it costed me RM49 for 4 hours of rental which is really cheap compared to other places. What's more, they provide free accessories like matching hairbands and handbags to complement your Hanbok. The rental place is really packed so do make a booking a week before you plan to rent. This will ensure that once you get to the rental shop, you can quickly choose your dress and go visit the places you have planned for the day. While wearing your Hanbok, you can visit the places below to really get a feel of Korean tradition. These places are about 15-20mins away by subway from OneDay Hanbok.

1. Bukchon Hanok Village (Alight at Anguk Station Exit 2, Subway Line 3)

This tourist attraction is basically a traditional village in Seoul dating back to the 14th century. It is filled with hundreds of quaint traditional houses called "hanok". They are 8 photography places/views at Bukchon Hanok Village that you can check out. You can visit the Bukchon Cultural Center to grab a map of the area to guide you through the 8 viewpoints.

One important thing to note, some of these houses are actually still inhabited so be mindful about keeping your voices to a minimum level.

2. Gyeongbokgung Palace (Alight at Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5)

The next place to visit is Gyeongbokgung Palace which is about 10 minutes walk from Bukchon Hanok Village. This palace was the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Expect to spend about 2-3 hours discovering the palace grounds and do take note that Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays. For more info, you can check out the palace's official website.

The entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace

3. Samcheongdong

Also situated nearby Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung Palace is Samcheongdong. It is a neighborhood populated with quaint traditional Korean houses that has been transformed into hip art galleries, instagram-worthy cafes, shops filled with unique items, etc. Sadly though, I only managed to visit it at night...around 8.30pm. However, by that time, most shops/cafes were about to close. So do take note and visit earlier...Also, do check out MisSuetY blog for a more detailed breakdown of Samcheongdong.

The only picture I managed to take at Samcheongdong. The Churros and ice-cream was delish btw...

Overall, this day was enjoyable. However, it was a little bit rushed. Therefore, if you like to take pictures, I would recommend you to rent the Hanbok for more than 4 hours...5-6 hours should be enough time to wear the Hanbok while visiting Bukchon Hanok Village + Gyeongbokgung Palace. Try to start your day as early as possible..10am is good and visit the first 2 places during daylight so you get good lighting for photography. Then, you can end the day with shopping and cafe hopping at Samcheongdong. Also, if you are taking the subway, a lot of walking is involved so do wear comfortable shoes.

Hope this post was helpful. Have fun to those who are going to Korea soon :)

Till the next post, take care!

#Korea