Seoul's Jongno and Seochon Old-School Eats and Hanok-Style Stays: From Gwanghwamun Mijin and Naejasanghoe to Memory Stay Hyoja and STAY dayoff
A tray of buckwheat noodles with 70 years of tradition beside the stone walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and a day at a private stay hidden deep in the alleys of Seochon
Comparison table at a glance
| Place | Type | Main appeal | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gwanghwamun Mijin | Traditional old-school restaurant (Michelin) | Opened in 1954; the classic tray buckwheat noodles dipped in broth poured from a kettle | Early lunch at 11:20 a.m. after a morning at Gyeongbokgung Palace |
| Naejasanghoe | Stylish Seochon cafe | The calm mood of Seochon's alleys and high-quality coffee and desserts | A break during an afternoon walk around Seochon and Gyeonghuigung Palace |
| Memory Stay Hyoja | Seochon stay | Peaceful, cozy lodging in the alleys of Hyoja-dong west of Gyeongbokgung Palace | 1 night of quiet inspiration, reading, and rest in downtown Seoul |
| STAY dayoff | Stylish stay | As the name suggests, a private space to switch off from daily life and rest | Weekend city staycations and an alternative to a couple's hotel getaway |
1. The Magic of Sweet-and-Savory Broth in a Kettle: Gwanghwamun Mijin
Loved as Seoul's soul food for more than half a century, since the days of Pimatgol alley in Gwanghwamun, Gwanghwamun Mijin is a buckwheat noodle mecca that regularly appears in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand. Its trademarks are the buckwheat noodles that arrive generously piled on a 2-tier bamboo tray as soon as you order and the kettle filled with rich tsuyu broth.
Add plenty of grated radish, scallions, and seaweed flakes to the broth, dip the cold buckwheat noodles, and slurp them down, and the deep savory flavor of Korean-style cold buckwheat noodles made with anchovy and kelp broth fills your mouth. Add crispy buckwheat crepe rolls (memil jeonbyeong) or a bossam (boiled pork wraps) set, and you'll have a meal hearty enough to walk Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon without tiring.
Mijin · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip On weekdays from 12–1 p.m., lines of nearby Gwanghwamun office workers are long, but tables turn over very fast, and if you arrive before 11 a.m. you can be seated right away without waiting.
2. A Seochon Afternoon, Quieter and Deeper Than Bukchon: Naejasanghoe
If Bukchon Hanok Village east of Gyeongbokgung Palace boasts open views and grand clusters of hanok, Seochon (Tongin-dong, Hyoja-dong, and Naeja-dong) west of the palace retains the charm of low alleys once loved by poets and painters. Naejasanghoe is a stylish space that captures Seochon's calm air just as it is.
Taste fragrant coffee and carefully made desserts in an interior that preserves the texture of an old building while watching the alley outside the window, and you'll forget you're in the middle of bustling Seoul. After coffee, continue your walk to Sungjeongjeon Hall of Gyeonghuigung Palace and Gyeonghuigung Park on foot to savor the quiet of a palace without the crowds.
Naejasanghoe · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip Seochon's alleys are relatively calmer than Bukchon even on weekend afternoons, and they're great for browsing small independent bookstores and galleries as well.
3. Live Like a Local Next to the Palaces for a Day: Memory Stay Hyoja and STAY dayoff
When you don't have time to travel far into the provinces but need a real change of pace, a private stay in Seochon, Jongno, offers far more concentrated rest than a luxury hotel. Memory Stay Hyoja sits in the alleys of Hyoja-dong, close to Cheong Wa Dae and Yeongchumun Gate (the west gate) of Gyeongbokgung Palace, making it the ideal base for strolling the palace stone-wall paths, which open early in the morning, like a neighborhood resident.
STAY dayoff is also, just as its name says, a stylish space designed so you can switch off the power on your busy daily life for a while and focus entirely on your own time. Raising a glass at a small wine bar or old-school eatery in Seochon's alleys in the evening and waking up in a quiet Jongno alley in the morning turns Seoul into a completely new destination.
Memory Stay Hyoja · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip If you stay in Seochon, enter Gyeongbokgung Palace through Yeongchumun Gate at the 9 a.m. opening time. You can have Gyeonghoeru Pavilion to yourself before the crowds arrive.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q. How do you walk from Gwanghwamun Mijin to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Seochon?
From Gwanghwamun Mijin (near Jonggak and Gwanghwamun stations), walk across Gwanghwamun Square to Gyeongbokgung Palace and then on to the alleys of Naeja-dong and Hyoja-dong in Seochon, an easy stroll all the way.
Q. Which is quieter for lodging, Bukchon Hanok Village or Seochon?
Bukchon is beautiful too, but it sees a high share of tour groups during the day, so lodging in Seochon (Hyoja-dong and Naeja-dong) is cozier for enjoying the neighborhood's own calm, lived-in feel and its local cafes and restaurants day and night.
Q. Besides Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is the quietest palace on a Jongno palace tour?
Gyeonghuigung Palace (Sungjeongjeon Hall and Gyeonghuigung Park), reached on foot from Seochon, is free to enter yet has few visitors, making it the best hidden gem for a reflective stroll.
Gyeongjugak
Jeonjugak
Yeongjugak
Gangneunggak
Jejugak
Busangak
