14 Dec 2009, Posted by Matt in Historic Korea, Video, 6 Comments

Sampling Old Seoul in Bukchon

Here’s a video about the Seoul neighborhood of Bukchon (북촌), one of the last parts of Seoul where you can find a sizable number of traditional Korean homes, called hanok (한옥). The area is located between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces. Here’s a link to the original post on Seoul’s “north village.”

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28 Oct 2008, Posted by Matt in Historic Korea, Seoul, 17 Comments

Seoul’s North Village: Bukchon

A mom walks her brightly-clad, school-bound kids down an alley in Seoul’s historic Bukchon neighborhood. The modern Samseong Tower is in the distance.

(A version of this text aired on KBS World Radio on October 18, 2008.)

During the Joseon Dynasty, Seoul had both a north village and a south village. While the south village was home to lower ranking officials, the north village, called Bukchon (북촌), was built between Gyeongbuk and Changdeok palaces, and was historically home to high ranking palace officials.

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