Ikseon-dong is a unique village with combination of modern and traditional vibes located in Jongno-gu, just nearby the center of Seoul city. There are narrow alleys each lined by antique attractive restaurants, cafes, and handicraft shops. Most of the stores still keep the Hanok- Korean traditional house- design and every store is unique on their own. Over the time, it has become one of the must-visit tourism attractions in Seoul that portrays the unique Korean culture. We visited one of the unique cafes in Ikseon-dong : Midamheon.
How to go to Midamheon
We got to Midamheon from the north part of Seoul by using public bus, getting off at Jongno-3-ga bus station and walked for 10 minutes to reach the cafe. It is also a good choice to go by subway and get off at Jongno-3 subway station. A 5-minute walk from exit 6 will get you there!
The interior of Midamheon
On that day, we visited one unique cafe we came across on Instagram called Midamheon. The place was literally a real Hanok with windows made of breathable “Hanji” Korean traditional paper, and wooden floor, which allow perfect ventilation. I read somewhere on books, Korean traditional houses are designed for cooling effect in summer meanwhile heating the interior in winter. The day was actually a hot humid day but, thanks to the Hanok structure, we had a cool and refreshing tea time.
The cafe was quite spacious, with many separated spaces within the Hanok. There were some chair-and-table seats at the open space and some low-table-with-cushion seats inside the Hanok. For the low table seats, we had to take off our shoes at the entrance and sit cross-legged on the cushions during our meal, just like how Koreans do traditionally. I love this “floor culture”!
Snacks and coffees
The prices were on the average among cafes in Ikseon-dong. We ordered some drinks and pieces of cake and sat on the low table while enjoying the leisure.
Photo zones in Midamheon
We also took some photos at those Instagram-worthy spots. There were quite a lot!
Walking around Ikseon-dong
Before leaving Ikseon-dong, we also took time to walk around the streets and feel the vibes. The streets were so beautiful! All shops seemed to have one theme but, at the same time, all unique on their own. There were many shops that I would definitely try out in my next visit to Ikseon-dong.
Ikseon-dong is no doubt a hidden treasure of Seoul city! And a traditional Hanok cafe is indeed a must-have experience in Korea!
Hope you enjoy reading this.
Read more: Ikseon-dong Hanok Village