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KoreaClear · Seoul · Buam-dong & Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu

Buam-dong: a quiet half-day walk

A hillside neighbourhood between Inwangsan and Baegaksan, just behind Gyeongbokgung Palace and Seochon. In one half-day you walk to a poet's museum, a hanok library, a Joseon-era city gate and an old villa garden.

The hanok of Cheongun Literature Library on a hillside below the mountains
Korea.net / KOCIS · 2014 · CC BY-SA 2.0

Before you go

Getting there

There is no subway station, so take a bus. Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Exit 3 → green bus 1020, 7022 or 7212

Best days

Wednesday to Sunday. Seokpajeong Seoul Museum closes Monday and Tuesday; the museum and library close Monday

Walking

Hills and stairs: wear comfortable shoes

Walking order

The four places are close together but on hills. The order is a suggestion; change it to suit the bus stop where you get off.

  1. The white Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum beside a hillside road
    Korea.net / KOCIS (Jeon Han) · 2012 · CC BY-SA 2.0
    1
    Literature

    Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum

    Korean name: 윤동주문학관

    A small museum for the poet Yun Dong-ju, made from an old water pumping station and its tanks. One tank is open to the sky. The Poet's Hill walking path starts behind it.

    • Free
    • 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30); closed for cleaning 13:30–14:00
    • Closed Mondays, 1 January, and on Seollal and Chuseok days
    • No toilets inside: use the public toilets in Cheongun Park, about 100 m away
    • Photos allowed only in Gallery 2

    Google Maps ↗Naver Map ↗

  2. The hanok pavilion of Cheongun Literature Library beside the water
    Korea.net / KOCIS · 2014 · CC BY-SA 2.0
    2
    Hanok library

    Cheongun Literature Library

    Korean name: 청운문학도서관

    Jongno's first public library in a hanok, on the Cheongun Park walking path. Its roof uses handmade tiles made the same way as those for the restored Sungnyemun Gate, plus about 3,000 tiles saved from demolished hanok. You can rest in the hanok reading room or the pavilion by the pond.

    • Hanok reading room and pavilion: Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00
    • Closed Mondays, 1 January, and over the Seollal and Chuseok holidays
    • People are reading here, so please keep quiet

    Google Maps ↗Naver Map ↗

  3. Changuimun: a stone arch with a wooden gate tower on top
    Mark Froelich · 2012 · CC BY-SA 3.0
    3
    City wall gate

    Changuimun Gate

    Korean name: 창의문

    A gate of Seoul's old city wall where Inwangsan meets Baegaksan (Bugaksan), listed as Treasure No. 1881. It is the only one of the four small gates whose Joseon-era gate tower still stands; the tower was rebuilt in 1741. It is also called Jahamun.

    • Outdoor heritage site; you can see it at any time
    • About 2 minutes' walk from the Jahamun-gogae · Yun Dong-ju Poet's Hill bus stop (official city wall site)
    • Want a longer walk? The Baegak section of the city wall trail starts here: 4.7 km and about 3 hours to Hyehwamun, with many steep stairs

    Google Maps ↗Naver Map ↗

  4. A pavilion at the end of a stone bridge in the Seokpajeong woods
    Lawinc82 · 2018 · CC BY-SA 4.0
    4
    Garden & art museum

    Seokpajeong Seoul Museum

    Korean name: 석파정 서울미술관

    A private art museum with Seokpajeong behind it, the former villa of Heungseon Daewongun (father of King Gojong). The villa is a Seoul-designated heritage site, and you walk among rocks, a stream, pavilions and old buildings. Most visitors spend the longest time here.

    • One ticket covers both (no garden-only ticket): adults 20,000 won, ages 13–18 15,000 won, 12 and under 13,000 won, under 36 months free
    • Wed–Sun 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00)
    • Closed every Monday and Tuesday
    • No food or drinks, not even water, inside the museum or the garden
    • The outdoor garden may close in rain or snow

    Google Maps ↗Naver Map ↗

Getting back

Take bus 1020, 7022 or 7212 back to Gyeongbokgung Station from the opposite side of the road at the stop where you got off (Jahamun-gogae · Yun Dong-ju Poet's Hill, or Jahamun Tunnel Entrance by Seokpajeong Seoul Museum).

Taking a break

Small cafés line the main road and side streets. We do not name them because shops change often. Check that a place is open in a map app before you go.

Pair it with

Plan your trip

Add places such as Buam-dong Cafe Street to your Seoul days.

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