There is a time when you crave for a slow life. You just want to stop everything and leave but just trapped in a colorless city. In reality, it is difficult for you to go somewhere far away. Then, it is perfect for you to go to this place and just walk and walk to refresh yourself.

Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Travel Course

Step 1. Take Line 3 and land at Gyeongbokgung Station. Get to Gate 2 and walk about 500m until you see Tongin Market.
  
Step 2. When you get to the end of Tongin Market, you will find Sejong Village direction board, a pavilion, and a sign for Suseongdong Valley of     Inwangsan Mountain. Follow the sign and enjoy the alley of art, youth, and tradition.

Step 3. When you just go straight, you will find Suseongdong Valley of Inwangsan Mountain. Here, you may find yourself breathing in and out fresh air with nature.

Tongin Market

   Tongin Market was first established as a public market for Japanese, but was closed in 1925. It reopened in June, 1941. The market became the center as refugees and immigrants from local areas settled there after the Korean War.

	▲ It is the entrance of Tongin Market.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

Tips: Exchange your money to yeopjeons (brass coins) for a bento.  In the market, you may choose menus at various stores. You may also find Korean traditional snacks and drink (sikhye).

	▲ A person is buying food for her bento using yeopjeon.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

Sejong Village

   The village was once home to various historical people, especially poets and painters (details are written on the board when you go there). It is now occupied with nearly 600 hanok (Korean traditional houses), a traditional market, small galleries, and craft workshops.

	▲ One of the alleys of Sejong Village is decorated with wine bottles and tiles.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

In the way to the valley, you may find: An arcade room to play old games, various craft workshops, unique cafes and restaurants, a flea market, site of Yoon Dong-ju’s Boarding House, and Park No-su’s art gallery located in his house, etc.

	▲ A gameroom for old arcades is on the alley of Sejong Village.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

	▲ A flea market is on the alley of Sejong Village.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

Tips: Before you go, try reading “A Night for Counting Stars,” “Self portrait,” and “Another Hometown,” the well-known poems of Yoon Dong-ju. He made his lodging in the house of novelist Kim Song in 1941 shown in the first picture above, and those poems were written in the period when he was living there.

	▲ site of Yoon Dong-ju’s Boarding House is on the alley of Sejong Village.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

Suseongdong Valley of Inwangsan Mountain

   Suseongdong Valley is designated as Monument 31st. Because of its beautiful landscape, it was illustrated in the historical painting, called <Suseongdong> of gyemjae. As you walk along the way, you will be able to feel the nature and hear birds sing. 

	▲ There is a summerhouse in the valley.
/Photograph by Yim Se-youn

Tips: If you want to go straight to the valley, you may simply take bus No. 9 in front of Gyeongbokgung Station and land at “Suseongdong Valley,” the last station.

Yim Se-youn  seyoun8120@dongguk.edu

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