About Bukchon
Bukchon, "the northern village," got its name because it lies between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, north of Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. In the Joseon era it was a neighborhood of yangban aristocrats who lived close to the palaces.
Many of the hanok standing today are urban-style hanok built in the 1920s and '30s. Tiled roofs overlap one after another up the hill, with downtown buildings visible beyond them.
Bukchon is still a neighborhood where people live. That's why the Bukchon-ro 11-gil area limits tourist visits to between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. A winter night in Bukchon is when lights are on in every window and people are at rest.
While you listen
Like a winter night in a warm room, it's slow, close to a lullaby. Turn off the light, lie down and listen.
Getting there
It's a walk from Anguk Station on Subway Line 3. Please visit in the daytime, and walk quietly.