Namsangol Hanok Village, a village of traditional Korean houses in the Namsan Valley, was opened to public in 1998 with five restored hanok houses from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the Gugakdang (Traditional Music Theatre), Traditional Garden and Seoul Millennium Time Capsule Square. It was once a summer resort in the Joseon-era called Ceonghak-dong, then became the Defense Headquarters to protect Seoul, the capital of Korea. Now, the elegant village has become a must-visit place in Seoul and an exclusive venue to organise your event.
With a stunning panoramic views of Namsan Tower and tranquil hanoks, Namsangol Hanok Village offers a unique experience that would make you feel as if you are standing in the middle of the streets of old Seoul. Hence, visitors able to have a glimpse of Korean tradition from a fresh perspective, discover its hidden values and ultimately travel through time to feel the past closer and more relevant.
Namsangol Hanok Village offers diverse cultural programmes both traditional and contemporary, and tries to incorporate them in a harmonious way. You can join several traditional culture hands-on activities such as wearing hanbok, folding hanji (traditional Korean paper), learning hangeul (Korean writing system), traditional tea ceremony, herbal medicine experience and playing yutnori (traditional board game), as well as watch diverse performances including taekwondo performance.
Korean Traditional Houses
At Namsangol Hanok Village, you can spot the unique hanok from the Joseon era including the house of Queen Yun’s parents, who was the Queen Consort to King Sunjong, the 27th king of the Joseon Dynasty; the Jaesil of Yun Taekyeong, King Sunjong’s father-in-law; the house of Park Yeong-hui, the son-in-law of King Cheoljong, the 25th king; the house of Carpenter Yi Seung-eop and the house of General Kim Choon-yeong, which were recovered from different parts of the city and relocated to the northern foot of Namsan mountain.
The interiors of each of these five houses reflect owners from different walks of life, from the middle class to the yangban, who were mainly high government officials, noblemen and aristocrats.
Carpenter Yi Seung-eop’s House in Samgak-dong
The house showcases the Seoul residential culture and construction techniques in late Joseon dynasty, which was built by master carpenter Yi Seung-eop in the 1860s, who participated in the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace from 1865 to 1868. The front and back roofs of the house are different in length, showing a special roofing technique was used for the anchae (inner quarters), kitchen and the main room.
General Kim Choon-yeong’s House in Samcheong-dong
Built in the 1890s, the house belonged to Kim Choon-yeong, who served as the General of the Five Commands during late Joseon. The firewall facing the street gives an elegant construction to the general style of a commoner’s house. In addition, the hanok adapted to urban, populated surroundings through the main gate, which is curved instead of being straight, and the efficient way of arranging each unit of the building.
Min Family’s House in Gwanhun-dong
Built in the 1870s as a part of Min Yeong-hui (1852-1935) mansion, the opposite demolished room, the sarangchae (guesthouse) and byeoldangchae (separate house) of the house have been rebuilt while relocating and remodelling the remaining inner quarters anchae. The elegant house consists of the rare type of parallel arrangement of the main room and the kitchen and its spacious wooden structure with two goju (interior columns). This peaceful space is suitable for small outdoor events.
Yun Taek-yeong’s Jaesil in Jegi-dong
Established by Haepung Buwongun Yun Taek-yeong in 1907 when his daughter, Empress Sunjeonghyo, became the wife of Emperor Sunjong (1874-1926), the house offered a comfortable space for Emperor Sunjong during his stay for ancestral rites. The house has form of “yuan” which is rare in Korea, where the family shrine is situated over ground, and the sarangchae and anchae are symmetrically built.
Yun Family’s House in Ogin-dong
Built in the 1910s, the house belonged to Yun Deok-yeong, the uncle of Empress Sunjeonghyo (1894-1966). The house is a replica, due to the original house being too fragile and damaged to be relocated. The spacious square-shaped anchae has a floored room that was used as a sarangchae, and the main gate at its side. The top of the anchae front column is decorated in an Ikgong-style. The venue provides various cultural experience programmes of Korean tradition.
Cafe & Shop 1890 
Brew and taste your own “Yangtang-guk” that means a bowl of liquid (tangguk) from the Western world (yang), which is the first coffee of the Empire of Korea. Besides experience the Korean unique coffee culture, you can enjoy Namsangok Hanok Village selected roasted beans, tangerine peel tea and ginseng tea with various snacks. Here, you can also purchase traditional Korean culture and Seoul crafts design products, from books, stationery, fashion items, jewellery to daily necessities.
Traditional Garden
Hanok Village in Pil-dong on the northern foot of Namsan was a famous summer vacation spot during Joseon Dynasty with its valley and Cheonugak Pavilion. Blessed with its beautiful scenery, the place was called Cheonghak-dong, which means the place where the gods live. The damaged pond and pavilions were restored so that visitors can unwind in a relaxing atmosphere while experiencing what the ancestors used to relish during their leisure time.
Surrounded by Korean traditional houses, Cheonugak Outdoor Stage is a wide outdoor stage for multiple cultural events, together with its spacious yard.
Seoul Millennium Time Capsule
In 1994, 600 items thought to best represent the city were buried at the highest point of the village to mark Seoul’s 600th anniversary as the capital of Korea. The capsule is scheduled to be reopened four hundred years later in 29 November 2394, which will mark the city’s 1,000th anniversary. The square is built in the shape of a meteorite crater, symbolising perpetuity, while the Time Capsule is made in the shape of the Bosingak Bell.
Seoul Namsan Gukakdang (Traditional Theater)
Constructed in a hanok-style, the Gukakdang is an elegant theater exclusively for Korean traditional music performances with a seating capacity of 300. The stage is structured in a thrust shape, a combination of the Western proscenium and arena format, to form the best shape for traditional music performances, and it is flexible to accommodate various performances from classical music to Korean traditional music.
By using a special wood that does not absorb sound as the interior finishing material, the minute echoes of the gayageum can be felt equally wherever the audience is seated and it is optimised to deliver the undistorted natural sounds of gugak.
Gugak Learning Room
The room is an annex of Gugakdang that can accommodate variety of events such as small-scale traditional Korean music and the courtyard performances and traditional culture meetings.
With a taste of the traditional Korean traditions and culture, Namsangol Hanok Village is an idea cultural place to host any event in a serene and tranquil atmosphere while escaping from the bustling city life of modern times.
Namsangol Evening Party is a customised cultural arts experience programme where you can enjoy within a traditional house, as well as experience performances, lectures, refreshments and more.
In Namsangol Hanok Village, you can have a Korean tradition wedding ceremony, which is held inside an elegant hanok according to the official decorum of the aristocratic families in the past. They will provide impeccable service to you and your guests who gather to celebrate a wedding, one of the happiest and most important events in a lifetime.
