A sultry day in Seoul offers sweat and sticky clothes. Hair plastered to the back of the neck and you’re coated in the dense embrace of the day’s humidity.
Do you feel it?
This is how it is on most days in Korea right now… the delights of August are upon us.
On Sunday a friend and I went to brave Bukchon in the heat, with its hills, hanoks, cute cafes, and quirky gift shops. We exited Anguk station via exit 2 and then wandered toward the old area. We walked for a while and found a little noodle place. I ordered bibimnaengmyeon, it was cheap and very plain but had a great flavor. The old ladies running the show sat on the floor, in their loudly patterned pants, eating patbingsu and fanning themselves. The small restaurant appeared to have been there for a long time and its tiny open kitchen was very rustic.
Once we were full we wandered on up a hill and got a nice view over many of the traditional hanok roofs. Buckchon is a popular tourist destination but it wasn’t very busy or crowded on the Sunday we went, the prices at many of the cafes are a reflection of the areas popularity among tourists though. We sat down for a while in a gorgeous little cafe, with a piano and a small garden. We wanted patbingsu, but they were out of adzuki beans so I ordered an 8,000 won iced blueberry tea, which was way too expensive! Silly me.
We also walked past lots of hand-made jewelry and ceramic stores. Many of the hanoks are still home to families, while others operate as restaurants, guesthouses, cultural centers, and cafes. Wandering the small alleys of Bukchon was definitely a brilliant way to spend a sweaty day in Seoul.
I’m not sure of the spelling – Buckchon or Bukchon?? So I used both ^^