As described in several other posts, hanok (한옥) are traditional Korean homes built of clay, wood and stone. Unfortunately, these graceful one-story structures featuring curved tile roofs are becoming a rarity in Korea, but some places are doing their best to preserve them.

One of the best examples of a hanok village is in the city of Jeonju, located in North Jeolla Province. Jeonju was once the capital of Korea’s Baekje Kingdom, and was also the home of the Joseon Dynasty’s founding king, Yi Seong-gye.

Jeonju has been one of Korea’s most important cities for centuries, and today, the Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을) is a great place to sample Korea’s traditional culture. So, over the summer, I took the three-hour trip from Seoul. After the taxi dropped me off at the village entrance, in front of me was a sea of tile roofs. Without a set itinerary in mind, I just started walking along the main road, and it wasn’t long before I happened upon Kkotsugee Gongbang (꽃숙이공방) the handicraft workshop of Yang Mi-yeong.

In addition to artisan shops, there are also a number of traditional teahouses in the village. I had read good reviews of the chrysanthemum tea at Gyodong Dawon (교동다원), so I was pleased to happen upon the place. Inside, calming music complemented the beautiful dark wood and clay interiors.

When my tea arrived, there were a few small yellow chrysanthemums inside a tiny stone cup. After adding scalding water from a thermos, about one shot’s worth of tea was drained into my tea cup. The tea proved to have a subtle but satisfying taste. And when a breeze came through the windows, the faint smell of chrysanthemums filled the room.

Close to an hour later, I departed Gyodong Dawon for the hanok village’s far west side. Three notable sights dominate the west village.

The first is Gyeonggijeon (경기전), a large, park-like complex where the portrait of King Yi Seong-gye is enshrined. Originally built in 1410, some of the current buildings date to 1614. The king’s portrait features him seated in a magnificent red chair with three gold-foiled dragons on his royal blue robes. Several other Joseon kings also have portraits enshrined here.

And across the street is the beautiful  Jeondong Catholic Church (전동성당). When Catholic missionaries first came to Korea in the late 18th century, many were martyred here. The first deaths occurred in 1791, and Father Xavier Baudounet honored their sacrifices by erecting Jeonju’s fantastic Byzantine/Romanesque-style church in 1914. It’s said that the church’s cornerstone was where the head of one of the early martyrs was hanged.

And finally, just west of the church is the stately Pungnammun (풍남문). It’s the only remaining gate of former city fortress. Rebuilt in 1768, Pungnammun’s stately architecture is similar to other great gates, like Seoul’s former Sungnyemun and the main gate of Suwon’s Hwaseong Fortress, except that the Jeonju gate’s pillars extend from the first level up into the second.

Jeonju can be reached from Seoul’s Yongsan Station (Seoul Metro lines 1 and Jungang). The 3~4 hour journey costs between 16,300~27,000 won each way. Or, express buses depart Seoul Express Terminal (Seoul Metro lines 3, 7 and 9) or Nambu Terminal (Seoul Metro line 3, exit #5) for Jeonju. The nearly 3 hour ride costs between 9,500~18,700 won each way.


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A version of this post appeared on KBS World Radio on November 15, 2008.