Spring should have been here almost a month ago, but only now we feel the gentle breeze and warm sunshine of spring. Milder weather and lighter attire and we’re all set for a delightful short trip around the city.

Seoul is usually a bustling metropolis of lights and noise. But the peace and serenity of this neighborhood, Buam-dong, makes us wonder whether this community is really located within the capital city. Here’s travel expert Lee Dong-mi to tell us about the unique natural environment and cultural and historical significance of Buam-dong.

Buam-dong is really tranquil and low-key. The community may look rural, but it is an administrative part of Seoul. The name Buam-dong originated from a big 2-meter boulder, which used to be here. The legend says that your wish would come true if you rub a stone against the boulder as many times as your age and it sticks to the side. The letter “bu” in the name “Buam” means “to stick” and “am” means “a boulder.” Buam-dong is actually a very inconvenient place to live, because there’s no big supermarket, no theater, and the parking at the subway station is always insufficient. But people stay put in this neighborhood. They claim there’s certain beauty to inconvenience. Transportation or amenities may be lacking, but the cultural pride of Buam-dong residents runs high. It is a place where people can enjoy high-quality coffee brewed by a skilled barista on a quiet afternoon against the background of protective mountains and pristine skies. That’s the appeal of Buam-dong.


Residents may be greatly inconvenienced by the lack of modern amenities, but the neighborhood is romantic, charming, and serene. Embraced by Mt. Bukhan and Inwang, Buam-dong was where Joseon era royal family and noblemen built their vacation homes and enjoyed leisure. Six hundred years did not change the outward appearance of Buam-dong all that much, leaving its ancient atmosphere pretty much undisturbed. Now let’s take a stroll along the alleys of Buam-dong.

Subway and bus are the ways to get to Buam-dong. Get off at Gyeongbok Palace Station of subway number three and go to a bus station about 150 meters away from exit number three. Take the bus from there to Jahamun Hill and you’ll see an old fortress gate called Changeuimun. Beyond the gate lies the secret garden of Buam-dong.

Spring here is so pretty. Changeuimun is another name for Jahamun, which means the violet-colored ambience. Purple used to be the color of the king, so the gate implies the area has the kingly spirit. In the olden days a sea of violet flowers colored the entire neighborhood in purple. This area is a paradise in spring. Even Prince Anpyeong, the third son of King Sejong, said that he dreamed a paradise and it turned out to be Buam-dong.

Pass through Changeuimun and you will see a small incline on the right. That is the starting point for the walking tour of Buam-dong. Take a deep breath and off you go. But a few steps later you’ll see a small coffee shop.

This is where you can get a great cup of coffee brewed by a skilled barista.

A cup of aromatic coffee and a few steps later you will come to a two-story house. It may look like an ordinary residential house, but it’s actually a famous dumpling restaurant. Although inconspicuous, the restaurant offers a wide array of great-tasting dumpling dishes which you simply cannot miss.

The house is so pretty, like a traditional tea house. All the furniture pieces are antique, too. They make dumpling from scratch, using the freshest ingredients. They also don’t use any artificial seasoning. People who are used to the strong spicy flavors first say the food is tasteless, but they soon realize that that’s what natural ingredients should taste like. Food with lots of artificial seasoning is likely to leave you with indigestion and heartburn, but these dumplings are not like that at all. That’s why the restaurant enjoys so many repeat customers.

The uphill becomes much steeper after the dumpling restaurant. You may become breathless, but trees lining up the incline emit an organic compound called phytoncide to boost your energy. Seldom passing cars and not too wide roads allow walkers the luxury to greet total strangers and engage in a short conversation. About five minutes into the walk you will come to a three-way in the middle of which stands an old red brick building. This is Dongyang Mill, the 40-year-old ddeok-making plant in Buam-dong.

The building is triangular in shape. Here at Dongyang Mill, Mrs. Cha Ok-sun has been making ddeok for over four decades. It looks so rural. She makes mugwort ddeok not with mugwort powder, but real mugwort leaves. So ddeok is really big. Each pack costs 2,000 won, but just two will make you full. You should buy what you like immediately, because they sell out really quickly. The store opens at four in the morning for early bird mountain climbers. Sometimes they run out of ddeok right after lunchtime.

For those early risers the mill-slash-ddeok store goes into operation at three in the morning.

I’m roasting sesame seeds. I get up at three in the morning to make all the ddeoks. I use only local ingredients however expensive they may be. I make all sorts of ddeok and I pour my heart into it. I find it really rewarding when people call me to say how delicious my ddeok was.

There isn’t a proper plaque indicating that this humble building is a ddeok store. There isn’t even a big display case with assorted offerings. But still people line up to get a taste of Dongyang Mill ddeoks.

- People recommended that I should stop here and get some ddeok.
- Those who frequent the neighborhood all know about this place. It’s famous. Their ddeok sells out before two in the afternoon so you have to hurry. She doesn’t make that much to begin with. Her ddeok is delicious, and she uses only good ingredients. You can tell when you eat into one.
- Their injeolmi is so yummy. I came back to buy three more to give to my kids. These black sesame seeds are so delicious.
- This is like my grandmother’s. Her mugwort ddeok is really good. It’s so fragrant.

Take a left turn from the mill and there stands Whanki Museum, which commemorates artist Kim Whan-ki who used to paint the most lovely water droplets. Leading Korea’s first generation of abstract painters, Kim was famous in New York and Paris, too. Here’s museum curator Seong Mi-na.

Whanki Museum opened in 1992 so we celebrate our 20th anniversary next year. The museum was founded to study and celebrate Kim Whan-ki’s artwork. In respect to the wishes of Kim and his wife, the museum also nurtures the new generation of young talented painters and showcases the works of contemporary Korean painters.

Perhaps because of its location or surroundings, Whanki Museum looks and feels different from other art museums in the city. It is an inviting and relaxing place for everyone.

- Since it’s so far away from downtown Seoul, I come here to enjoy some time to myself. It’s easier to focus here and enjoy some peace. Getting here requires some work, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s really amazing that there is a museum like this in the city. There’s a mountain in the back and the quiet and peaceful ambience relaxes me.

About a 700-meter walk uphill from Whanki Museum stands a coffee shop made famous in a TV show.

This coffee shop used to be a private house, but has been turned into a café after it appeared in a TV drama. The original owner of this place used to be the director of Mokin Museum so there are lots of wooden dolls from the museum’s collection. You can see Mt. Bukak and Seoul Fortress from the coffee shop.

How about a tour of the coffee shop to enjoy all the museum knickknacks? You can even take some time to take in the majestic scenery seen from the terrace.

- Isn’t the fortress wall great? I didn’t know there was a place like this in Seoul. I wish I had a house here. I want to enjoy the spring and fresh air and peace. This is a perfect place to do that because you can see the wide sky while enjoying a good cup of coffee like this.
- The scenery is really unique. It’s located in the middle of a mountain, but you can see far out to another mountain and the fortress. The houses look harmonious with nature, too.
-I came here to see the café from the TV show. It feels different from other coffee shops. Maybe it’s because of the air here, but coffee tastes more aromatic.

It’s all nature from the coffee shop on. About 500 meters down the road you will come to Baeksasil Valley. The mountain stream has now become a favorite vacationing spot for Seoulites, but a few years ago it was a backyard garden known only to Buam-dong residents.

Baeksasil Valley is also called Baekseokdong-cheon. It’s hard to believe that this beautiful stream is in Seoul. There are signs that say people catching frogs, salamanders, and toads here will be fined up to 20 million won or roughly 18,300 U.S. dollars. Salamanders supposedly live only in really clean, unpolluted water. So the presence of salamanders here indicates how pure this area is. The valley and the mountain stream are known for the snow falling in the water in winter and blossoms falling in spring and colored leaves in autumn.

Now it’s time to turn back to Changeuimun where we started. But this time we don’t take the bus, because there is one place we must see. About ten minutes from Changeuimun stands Cheong Wa Dae, Korea’s presidential residence, and peeking out from between the compound buildings is a small palace called Chilgung. Here’s cultural tour guide Park Gyeong-suk.

This is Chilgung, which means seven palaces. But actually there are seven memorial tablets. Chilgung is not really a palace, but a memorial shrine for the Joseon royalty. The largest of Joseon shrine is of course Jongmyo registered as a UNESCO cultural heritage in 1997. Chilgung is a lesser-known and smaller royal shrine, where the tablets of those who cannot be included in Jongmyo are enshrined, like, for instance, the tablets of concubines. They used to be scattered all over the place, but they are now brought in one place, in Chilgung, so they can be remembered together on the every last Monday of October.

Chilgung houses the tablets of seven royal concubines who were biological mothers of kings. Chilgung is not open to the public, but only to those who requested the tour of Cheong Wa Dae. Its selective accessibility made it a lesser-known tourist destination.

Chilgung marks the end of Buam-dong tour. A walk around Buam-dong neighborhood and Chilgung feels like a time travel to the ancient times. How about taking a short jaunt to a different world this spring with your loved ones to explore the times gone by?