Part 1 of 39 in Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea
Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea · Part 1 · Seoul
Time Out named Jongno 3-ga the coolest neighborhood in the world for 2026, and it works in two halves: hanok alleys by day, plastic stools and grilled skewers in the street by night. The street-side season folds up when the November wind arrives, so go now.
Featured photo: Kim Ji-ho / Korea Tourism Organization, KOGL Type 1
In this story
At a glance
- Getting there: Jongno 3-ga Station, subway Lines 1, 3 and 5. From Gimpo Airport it is one ride on Line 5, about 40 minutes. From Incheon Airport, take AREX and then Line 1, about 1 hour 15 minutes (full routes at the end of this guide). Once you are at the station, all you need is the right exit:
- Exits 3 and 4: Ikseon-dong hanok alleys and the galmaegi-sal (pork skirt) alley
- Exit 6: the pojangmacha (pocha) tent street along Donhwamun-ro 11-gil, which runs toward Exits 4 and 5
- Exit 5: Songhae-gil and Nakwon Arcade
- Exit 7: Seosulla-gil, the stone-wall street along Jongmyo Shrine
- Best timing: Ikseon-dong after 11 a.m., when the shops wake up (Time Out). Seosulla-gil in the late afternoon. Pocha and grilled-pork tables after dark. Weekend evenings mean long lines, so on a weekday grab a table before 6 p.m.
- Budget (per person, excluding lodging): about $25 if you keep it tight (a ₩3,000 hangover soup, a ₩9,000 bowl of kalguksu, shared pocha snacks), $70–90 if you don’t (a hanok-café dessert, a grilled-pork table, a second round at a pocha).
- Paying: Many pochas prefer cash or Korean bank transfer, which visitors can’t easily do. Bring some won in cash (one blogger reports that Honamseon Pocha took bank transfer only, Naver blog, September 2026).
Also read: He Wasn't Exiled to China. He Planned It 19 Years Ago.
Top 10 things to do in Jongno 3-ga
1. Drink at a street-side pocha table (eat)
This is the face of the No. 1 ranking. When the sun goes down, the pochas lay tables and stools out into the street from Exit 6 toward Exits 4 and 5 and switch on their lights. In 2024 the Jongno-gu District designated this road, Donhwamun-ro 11-gil, a “coexistence street,” so it is not just a strip of stalls. The district shares responsibility for cleaning and safety with the vendors (Kyunghyang Shinmun, September 29, 2026).
- What to order: live octopus (sannakji), grilled hagfish (kkomjangeo), mussel soup and grilled shishamo. Seafood plates usually run about ₩18,000 ($13.60), soups around ₩15,000 ($11.30), soju and beer ₩5,000 ($3.80), and ramyeon or udon ₩5,000 (based on a Naver blog visit on September 19, 2026).
- Tips: Bloggers agree it is “not cheap for a pocha.” You are paying for the mood. Water is shared, so many people buy a bottle at the convenience store next door. After 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, finding a seat is hard.
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2. Grill pork over charcoal in Ikseon-dong’s galmaegi-sal alley (eat)
Behind Exits 3 and 4, in an alley so narrow two people can barely pass, a cluster of restaurants grills galmaegi-sal, pork skirt meat from the diaphragm. The alley is quiet by day. After dark there is nowhere to stand, and half the customers are foreigners (Naver blog, October 2, 2026).
- What to order: galmaegi-sal plus samgyeopsal (pork belly). The set at Ikseon Galmaegi is ₩53,000 (about $40) for 490 g, enough for two, and it is open 2 p.m.–10 p.m. Nearby, Sukseong-ui Mi Ikseon charges ₩15,000 ($11.30) each for sow pork belly and fresh galmaegi-sal, and Meongseokjip charges ₩18,000 ($13.60) each for aged pork belly and galmaegi-sal.
- Tips: At most places you grill the meat yourself. Side dishes are often self-serve. Parking is close to impossible.
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3. Get lost on purpose in the Ikseon-dong hanok alleys (see)
Dozens of hanok, traditional houses built in the 1920s and ’30s, have become cafés, gift shops, photo studios and tarot parlors. Time Out wrote that getting lost in Ikseon-dong’s web of alleys is part of the fun, and that the shops wake up around 11 a.m. (Time Out, September 17, 2026).
- Shops Time Out picked: Solsot for pot rice; Iso, which grills Korean-beef patties (the chef is a former tour guide, so English is easy there); Shilladang for gaeseong juak and yakgwa (traditional fried honey cakes); Seoul Coffee for drip coffee; and Mil Toast, one of the few bakeries open in the morning.
- Tips: Lots of people rent hanbok for photos here. The narrow lanes where you can see the curve of the eaves make the best backdrop (Naver blog, “Ikseon-dong hanbok photo spots”).
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4. Take one shot by the pond at Cheongsudang (photo spot)
This is Ikseon-dong’s signature hanok café. Stepping stones and a pond greet you at the entrance, and at the center of the building, bamboo rings a pond full of koi. Look for the inner entrance where the bamboo and the hanok roof line up.
- What to order: matcha fromage cake, ₩15,800 ($11.90). Most reviews say you are paying for the space more than the dessert.
- Tips: Open daily 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m. (last order 6:30 p.m.). There is no numbered waitlist; you hunt for an empty table yourself, so weekend afternoons are a battle. The pond is emptiest right after opening on a weekday.
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5. Seafood kalguksu at Chanyangjip, simmering since 1965 (eat)
An old-timer inside the Ikseon-dong alleys. It has lasted 60 years on one dish, knife-cut noodles in a broth heaped with clams, and at lunch foreign visitors line up too.
- What to order: seafood kalguksu, ₩9,000 ($6.80), and handmade meat or kimchi dumplings, ₩9,000.
- Tips: Open 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Reviews say it closes on Sundays, so check before you go.
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- Sources: Chanyangjip review, Jongno date course review
6. A ₩3,000 bowl of soup under Nakwon Arcade (eat)
The walk from Exit 5 toward Nakwon Arcade is Songhae-gil, named for the late Song Hae, the nation’s best-loved TV host, who spent decades around this neighborhood. At the end of it, right in front of Nakwon Arcade, Somunnanjip sells a bowl of ugeoji haejangguk, hangover soup with dried cabbage leaves, for ₩3,000 (about $2.30).
- What to order: the ugeoji haejangguk; it is close to the only thing on the menu. There is no meat, just napa cabbage leaves and tofu in a clear broth. They will ask whether you want a fried egg on top.
- Tips: Open daily 4:20 a.m.–9:30 p.m. The floors above are a musical instrument market, so browsing guitars and drums is free.
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- Source: Somunnanjip review, 2026-10-17
7. Three streets K-pop stars walked (K-pop moment)
Seoul’s tourism campaigns keep coming back to Jongno 3-ga as a stage for its idols.
- Jin of BTS in Ikseon-dong: In “LOVE, MY SOUL,” the first film in Seoul’s tourism campaign Feel Soul Good (released August 29, 2024), Jin walks Ikseon-dong and N Seoul Tower on a date course (PR Newswire, August 2024).
- ZEROBASEONE’s Seok Matthew on Seosulla-gil: Visit Seoul’s Met U in Seoul campaign (released from June 29, 2026) features Seosulla-gil alongside Seongsu-dong and Jamwon Hangang Park, and it passed 40 million cumulative views in a month (My Daily, July 28, 2026).
- CORTIS at Nakwon Arcade: CORTIS shot the music video for “REDRED” in old-school spots: Nakwon Arcade, an old pork-belly restaurant and an arcade (Herald Economy, April 21, 2026). Fans report the pork-belly place in the video is a different restaurant in Gimpo, so in Jongno, the sure pilgrimage spot is Nakwon Arcade.
8. Retrace Running Man episode 824 (K-variety moment)
The Running Man episode that aired on October 25 was a race in which the members had to win the company credit card, or else pay for everything they spent in Jongno 3-ga out of their own pockets. At the final settlement, Ji Suk-jin paid ₩516,000 (about $390) of the ₩572,000 bill by himself (SBS Entertainment News, October 26, 2026).
- What to copy: SBS’s episode notes list a tiramisu shaped like a gat (the traditional Korean horsehair hat), traditional desserts such as yakgwa, face and fortune reading by an AI robot, and market shopping. If you want the AI reading, Binaida’s Ikseon branch does AI face-reading portraits for ₩8,000 (about $6) and AI talismans for ₩7,000 (about $5.30).
- Tips: Expect lines at anything from the show for a few weeks after the broadcast.
- Sources: SBS Entertainment News, 2026-10-26, Running Man episode 824 recap blog, Binaida AI face-reading review
9. Walk the Jongmyo stone wall on Seosulla-gil at sunset (photo spot)
From Exit 7, this street runs along the western stone wall of Jongmyo Shrine. On one side is the wall of a UNESCO World Heritage site; on the other, jewelry workshops, wine bars and a taco joint. Time Out quoted a café owner who called this street the best destination for yajang.
- Where to shoot: midway down, where the wall and the street trees fit in one frame. On weekends, one reviewer says, people stop to photograph the wall about every three meters, so the trick is to shoot facing the direction the crowd is walking away.
- Best time: 4–5 p.m., when the afternoon light comes in at a slant, and right after the wall lights come on. In late October the sun sets in Seoul around 5:40 p.m.
- K-drama moment: Fans’ location blogs place the post-blind-date scene in episode 1 of the tvN drama Seocho-dong on Seosulla-gil, around No. 75.
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10. Make a ring at a workshop in Ikseon-dong or Seosulla-gil (experience)
Jongno 3-ga has long been Seoul’s jewelry district, and workshops are still everywhere. Time Out picked Eever Layer, a jewelry shop that takes its motifs from nature, and Slow and Lit for crystal objects. At Maison de Aniel’s main shop in Ikseon-dong, you can make your own couple rings or necklace.
- Tips: Most ring-making sessions are by reservation. Prices swing with the price of gold and silver, so ask for a quote when you book.
- Sources: Time Out, 2026-09-17, Jongno things-to-do blog
Nearby
- Jongmyo Shrine: right next to Seosulla-gil, a 5-minute walk from Exits 7 and 11. The royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon dynasty and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Admission ₩1,000 (about $0.75), closed Tuesdays. Normally you visit on a timed tour with a guide. For the Korea Grand Festival, from October 29 to November 15, general admission to Jongmyo and the four main palaces is free and Jongmyo is open for free walking without a tour, according to guides published this month. Check the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center’s website before you go.
- Changdeokgung Palace: a 10-minute walk north up Donhwamun-ro; Donhwamun is its main gate. Admission ₩3,000 (about $2.30), closed Mondays. The Secret Garden (Huwon) needs a separate booking at ₩5,000 (about $3.80) and stays paid even during the free-admission period.
- Insadong: a 5–10 minute walk west from Nakwon Arcade. Traditional teahouses, Ssamziegil and souvenir shops.
- Cheonggyecheon Stream: a 5-minute walk south of Jongno 3-ga Station. Great for a night walk. Near Jonggak, Hiker Ground (free) has photo spaces dressed like K-pop music video sets.
- Gwangjang Market: one stop on Line 1 (Jongno 5-ga Station), or about 15 minutes on foot. The market of mung-bean pancakes (bindaetteok), beef tartare (yukhoe) and mini gimbap.
- Euljiro Nogari Alley: one stop on Line 3 (Euljiro 3-ga Station). A draft-beer yajang alley, and the backup when the Jongno pochas are full.
Where to stay nearby
Rates are per night as shown on booking sites in searches on October 26, 2026; the dates in parentheses are the stay dates those rates applied to. They swing a lot by date and season, so check again before you book.
| Hotel | Location | Rate per night (approx.) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moxy Seoul Insadong | 3–5 min walk from Jongno 3-ga Station (37 Donhwamun-ro 11-gil) | $136, $150 with tax (Expedia, September stay) | The hotel Time Out picked, right next to the pocha street |
| ibis Ambassador Seoul Insadong | Insadong | $100–185 (Kayak, Expedia, Rakuten) | Reliable chain hotel |
| Orakai Insadong Suites | Insadong | $123–180, $136–199 with tax (Hotels.com, Travelocity) | Suites with kitchens, for families and longer stays |
| Urbanstay Boutique Ikseon | 7 min walk (53 Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil) | From $100 for two, tax included (Expedia, March 2026 stay) | In the middle of the Ikseon-dong alleys |
| Dormy Inn Express Seoul Insadong | Insadong | $91 (Expedia) | Among the cheapest business hotels in the area |
| Hotel Dada Insadong (guesthouse) | Samil-daero 32ga-gil, next to Ikseon-dong | $69, $77 with tax (Travelocity, March stay) | Rooftop terrace, budget |
| Sunbee Hotel Insadong | Central Insadong | $139, $153 with tax (Hotels.com, April stay) | Easy for Cheonggyecheon and Gwangjang Market |
- Sources: Expedia — Moxy Seoul Insadong, Kayak — ibis Ambassador Insadong, Hotels.com — Orakai Insadong Suites, Expedia — Urbanstay Boutique Ikseon, Expedia — Jongno 1-4 ga hotels, HotelsCombined — Hotel Dada, Kayak — Sunbee Hotel
Getting there by public transit: from the airport to Jongno 3-ga
Fares are adult fares paid with a T-money transit card, checked October 26, 2026, and converted at $1 = ₩1,324.6.
① From Gimpo Airport (domestic flights from Jeju and Busan; short-haul international flights from Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Taipei Songshan and others)
- Route: At Gimpo Airport Station, take Line 5 toward Sangil-dong / Macheon and get off at Jongno 3-ga. No transfer.
- Time: about 40 minutes (Jongno 3-ga is the stop after Gwanghwamun).
- Fare: about ₩1,550–1,750 ($1.20–1.30).
- Exits: from the Line 5 platform, use Exit 4 for Ikseon-dong, Exit 6 for the pocha street and Exit 7 for Seosulla-gil.
- Tips: From the arrivals floor, follow the “Subway” signs for 5–10 minutes to reach Gimpo Airport Station. Buy a T-money card at a convenience store (GS25 or CU) and top it up with cash. Seoul’s Climate Card (unlimited transit pass) also works on this route.
② From Incheon Airport
- Easiest route: Take the AREX all-stop train from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 (or Terminal 2) Station to Seoul Station, about 60 minutes, then transfer to Line 1 toward Cheongnyangni and ride three stops (City Hall, Jonggak, Jongno 3-ga), about 10 minutes.
- About 1 hour 15 minutes in total, roughly ₩4,750–5,350 ($3.60–4.00). One T-money card gets you the transfer discount.
- If you have heavy luggage: The AREX Express runs nonstop to Seoul Station in about 43–51 minutes for ₩13,000 ($9.80), with reserved seats. You can’t tap a transit card for it; buy a ticket at the station machine. From Seoul Station, take Line 1 the same way.
- If you don’t want to transfer: Airport limousine bus 6011 passes near Anguk Station, about a 10-minute walk from Ikseon-dong. Check the current fare and stops on the Incheon Airport website.
- Climate Card: It does not cover AREX from Incheon Airport, which runs outside Seoul city limits. Pay that leg with T-money.
- Last trains: If you land late, check the AREX last-train time before you leave the terminal.
Coming from Myeongdong
Take Line 4 from Myeongdong to Chungmuro, transfer to Line 3 toward Gupabal, and ride two stops (Euljiro 3-ga, Jongno 3-ga). About 15 minutes, ₩1,550 ($1.20). In good weather you can also walk from Myeongdong across Cheonggyecheon in about 25 minutes.
At 10 p.m., the plastic stools on the pocha street are still full, and behind them the lights on Ikseon-dong’s hanok roofs go out one by one. The world’s No. 1 is the few steps between those two scenes.
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Sources
- Time Out announcement, 2026-09-15, Time Out explainer, 2026-09-17
- SBS Entertainment News, 2026-10-26, Running Man episode 824
- Kyunghyang Shinmun, 2026-09-29, coexistence street
- Herald Economy, 2026-04-21, CORTIS, My Daily, 2026-07-28, Seok Matthew, PR Newswire, August 2024, Jin of BTS Feel Soul Good
- Prices and hours: Naver blog visits from September–October 2026, linked under each item
- Hotel rates: sources under the table, searched 2026-10-26
- Palace and Jongmyo admission and the free period: Four palaces free admission guide (based on the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center’s visitor information, checked 2026-10-21)
- Transit: AREX express and all-stop fares (myezl, 2026), Seoul Metro Line 5 route map
- Photos: Korea Tourism Organization, Korea Tourism Content Lab, KOGL (Korea Open Government License) Type 1, photographer credited on each photo
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