Things to do in Gangbuk- Gu

Chuseok is quickly approaching but whereas most years I am excited for the travel that will happen this year it is a little different. Being stuck in Seoul means I need to come up with other creative ways of spending it. So, inspired by Visit Seoul. Net’s article I decided to put my own list together about how to spend Chuseok, or any weekend, in the Suyu area.

How to get there:

Ui Line

The Ui LRT, referred to as the Ui-Sinseol LRT in Korean, is a light metro which is part of Seoul Metropolitan Railway. It is a fully underground 11.4 km (7.1 mi) Light Rapid Transit line which opened on September 2, 2017.
This new line is called a “cultural railway project,” and it bans any commercial advertisements on the train or in the stations except for ones promoting cultural events like music or dance festivals.
The train runs without a driver on board, similar to the trains used on Vancouver’s Canada Line, through 13 stations from Sinseol-dong in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul, to Ui-dong in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul. Six stations are designated “art stations” and display different creative works. The walls of the station are covered in artwork as well as information for those who want to learn more about cultural events across the city. Subway stations become platforms where cultural trends are shared instead of just places that people walk through on their way to somewhere else.
…
The fee for riding the Ui-Sinseol line is the same as riding most other subway lines in Seoul – 1,250 won ($1.10) for adults, 720 won for teenagers and 450 won for children. The same transfer system applies as well.

Very dramatic little video

Where to stay:

Yuria Hotel

There is a whole row of motels and hotels down the one street so you have many options. But the one I enjoy the most is Yuria Hotel. They have 3 options to stay in. The basic room, the middle room which has a smart TV and then the top range suite which has a massage chair. All their rooms also have really nice baths and downstairs they sell bath bombs.

Yuria Hotel 호텔유리아
서울특별시 강북구 덕릉로26길 13
Suyu Station Exit 4 (453m walk)
Hwagye Station Exit 1 (504m walk)
Open 24 hours
http://naver.me/xBDFHWrQ
https://www.yanolja.com/motel/1010825?menu=pay&trackcode=rm

Places to eat and drink:

Geunal 그날

I love wine and I love finding new little wine bars to visit and explore.This one is super cozy and comfortable and it doesn’t feel like you’re in Seoul when you enter. A perfect place to go to if you’re looking for a break and a mini escape. They offer a variety of wines at affordable prices and a variety of food.
🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀🍷🧀

Geunal 그날
서울 강북구 노해로8가길 31 지하 1층
Suyu Station Exit 7 (376m walk)
Open 18h00 – 02h00 (Sun – Thurs) Open 18h00 – 03h00 (Fri and Sat)
Reservations for Friday and Saturday are only available before 8 o’clock.
Insta: @geunal_
010 9544 0110 (Call or text for reservation!)

Here is a short video about the place

Masi Meats 마시미트

While this is not strictly in Suyu it is one of my favourite places to eat and drink. Jiho, the owner, comes from a family of sausage makers. His father used to make traditional Korean sausages and Jiho shows the history off with his father’s wooden board attached above the bar. The menu includes healthy handmade sausage, Haksen, hot dog, and schnitzels (donkatsu) made by the chef himself after receiving the technology from Mezzgermeister in Germany for the first time in Korea. Along with the delicious food he serves Max draft beer and Playground Craft Beers.
🍺🌭🍔🍺🌭🍔🍺🌭🍔🍺🌭🍔

Masi Meats 마시미트
서울특별시 강북구 숭인로 65-12 1층 우측 매장
Miasageori Station Exit 4 (151m walk)
Open 16h00 – 24h00 Mon – Sat
FB: https://www.facebook.com/masimeat/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/masimeat/
070 4125 0927

Penelope 페넬로페

Penelope has been around since 2002 and has recently been full revamped. is finally renewed completely and meets you again. Penelope is an atmospheric brunch & dining pub where visitors can experience various kinds of world beer, wine, spirits and cocktails. They offer brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. which can be enjoyed on their European inspired terrace. The chef offers high-quality trendy foods and drinks made from scratch.
🥂🍳🥂🍳🥂🍳🥂🍳🥂🍳🥂🍳🥂🍳

Penelope 페넬로페
서울특별시 강북구 노해로8길 1 페넬로페
Suyu Station Exit 5 (144m walk)
Weekdays 11:00 – 02:00
Friday 11:00 – 04:00
Saturday 11:00 – 04:00
http://penelope.co.kr/
02 908 0298

Things to do in the area:

Sonamusup-gil Section of the Bukhansan Mountain Dulle-gil

Stretching across downtown Seoul and the Gyeonggi-do Province, Bukhansan Mountain Dulle-gil (a hiking trail 70km in total length) connects the forest paths and villages along the foothills of Bukhansan Mountain (alt. 836.5m) and Dobongsan Mountain (alt. 739.5m). The trail is made up of 21 sections: 12 sections along Bukhansan Mountain (44km, opened in September 2010) and 9 sections of Dobongsan Mountain (26km, opened in June 2011). Mainly characterized by low-lying areas with gentle slopes, the trail allows for a leisurely hike without the need for heavy clothes or professional hiking gear.

Pine trees have a significant meaning in Korean history, having long represented longevity and integrity. The Sonamusup-gil section is dense with pine trees, by far the most cherished tree in Korea. Anyone who sets foot on the trail will immediately imbibe the fresh scent of pines. Pine trees emit phytoncide, which is scientifically proven to relieve stress. Feel your tension melt away as you stroll peacefully through the forest. The trail is broad and rises gradually, making it ideal for hikers seeking a light walk amid lush greenery.
Sonamusup-gil is also the only road that follows the crevices of Cheongjeong (Ui) Valley where a fresh stream of water trickles playfully along the path. You will discover a pine tree branch where people of the past used to tie a single rope as a kind of talisman to protect a newborn baby and its mother. The pine tree whose wood was used to make the roof for Korea’s oldest existing structure still stands on the path of the trail. Koreans call the pine tree sol-namu (sol=the best namu=tree) for good reason. Discover it yourself by taking a walk along the Sonamusup-gil section.

북한산둘레길 1구간
Bukhansan Ui exit 2
Length: 2.9km
Takes about 90mins http://www.knps.or.kr/portal/dulegil/bukhansan/eng/Sonamusup

Solbat Neighborhood Park

Solbat Neighborhood Park is a pine forest park located in Gangbuk-gu, Ui-dong. Located near a residential area in Seoul, this park is surrounded by residential homes. The slope of the park’s path is gentle and are frequently enjoyed by pedestrians, cyclists, or rollerbladers.

Solbat Park is the only flat pine colony in Seoul, where about 1,000 pine trees born in 100 are collectively self-sustaining, and Gangbuk-gu has spent 16 billion won to buy land and create a park with part of the city’s budget.The Solbat Park, which opened in January 2004, is a rest area in the city center with various landscaping, culture and sports facilities for residents on 34,955 square meters of land and is in the spotlight as a walking path for residents in nearby Uidong and Suyu-dong.While preserving native pine trees as much as possible, the area is equipped with landscaping facilities, such as a real-life forest, ecological pond, shadow pit, walking trail, sports facilities such as a badminton court, a long-term bed rest area, children’s playground, outdoor stages, amusement parks, and sculpture facilities for citizens.Given Seoul’s absolute lack of parks to enjoy quiet contemplation and walks, Solbat Park, where visitors can stroll through the beautiful pine forest and experience comfortable rest and culture, is becoming a new attraction in Seoul, which is frequented by citizens tired of the complex urban routine.

Address: 01007 561 Samyang-ro, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul
Transportation: April 19th National Cemetery Station (Ui LRT Line) exit 2

Uicheon Stream

Uicheon Stream is a stream that flows slowly through downtown Seoul and originates at the foot of Bukhansan and Dobongsan Mountain. Uicheon Stream flows through the boundary between Gangbuk-gu and Dobong-gu in Seoul and is loved by nearby residents as a rest area in the city center. Uicheon Stream is a special stream ‘because it is not special’. As it flows through the city center, you can quickly go for a walk in nature. A pleasant residential complex is built around Uicheon Stream. Anyone living nearby can find Wu Yi-chun more easily and anytime. Around the stream, there are trails, bicycle paths and small sports facilities. In fact, every evening, the people who come out to enjoy sports and walks are crowded. In fact, Uicheon Stream was restored after three years of ecological research since 2010. As a result, it is now completely transformed into a clean stream with about 30,000 tons of water a day. Currently, there are many kinds of fish, egrets, and mallards living in Uicheon Stream, and there are various natural landscapes around it.

Uicheon Stream is about 8㎞ long and is a good place to walk.

Odong Park

Odong Park is a large-scale park that spans Gangbuk-gu and Seongbuk-gu in Seoul, and spans five dongs including Bundong and Mia-dong in Gangbuk-gu, and Wolgok-dong in Seongbuk-gu, so it is used as a resting and exercise place for residents living in nearby housing complexes. Dreamland, some areas, was demolished due to the Gangbuk large park construction plan in October 2007, and completed the design service in August 2008 and opened as the Northern Seoul Dream Forest in October 2009 after changing the park construction plan, and is managed and operated as a direct park in Seoul. The rest of the area is called Odong Neighborhood Park or Opaesan Mountain and is a systematic and efficient park with recreation, exercise and convenience facilities.

#globalseoulmate #gsm2020 #visitseoul #koreanthanksgiving #chuseok #chuseokinseoul #suyu #gangbukgu

Sep 18, 2020 0

A full day in Mullae Dong

While I was looking for fun areas to explore in Seoul I stumbled upon Mullae-dong and I’m really glad I did. A group of us decided to spend the day exploring it. Mullae definitely exceeded all our expectations and I’m already looking forward to going back. This area is the perfect way to spend a day.

Information on Mullae

Mullae-dong is one of the fastest growing areas in Seoul, garnering much attention from young locals in recent years. In the 1970s Mullae was home to countless small scale steel factories, but during the financial crisis of the late 90s, many of those factories moved to other areas with cheaper rent. Since then a great number of the empty factories left behind have become occupied by artists. Now art fills the streets of Mullae-dong, with wall paintings and art objects found throughout the area, gaining its reputation as an art village. Transforming from a factory town to an art destination, Mullae-dong has seen a sudden increase in cafes and bars that are using the old factory buildings in interesting ways.

By the mid-2000s, the number of empty industrial facilities in Mullae had increased considerably, and these cheap small spaces — often only about the size of a one- or two-car garage — began to attract the attention of artists that increasingly were being priced out of Hongdae (홍대) on the other side of the Han River (한강). Artists in the area began referring to Mullae as the Mullae Art Village (문래동 예술촌) soon thereafter, and the Seoul government began formally supporting the concept by 2013.

Like many other forgotten neighborhoods in Seoul (Ikseon-dong 익선동 and Gyeonglidan-gil 경리단길 being prime examples), Mullae seems to be the next target for gentrification. Worrying about losing their businesses, many steelworkers purchased their buildings rather than continuing to pay rent. This has allowed them to coexist with hipster restaurants, art studios and coffee shops.

This place is one of the neighborhood which still looks as it did in the old days. It is also known for the filming location of the movie, ‘Avengers 2’.

Directions: Mullae Station Exit 7. At the first street on your left turn left and then an immediate right into a small alley begin searching down the alleys from there.

Rust Bakery 러스트

We started our day off at Rust Bakery. They open at 11am and this is a good time to get there as it gets very busy rather quickly. The name seems especially fitting for the rusty metal that abounds nearby. The bakery has croissants, cinnamon buns, cheese cakes and pretty much anything to hit that bready sweet treat urge you’re looking for. There are both indoor and outdoor seating areas which make this a great spot in every season.

This gorgeous bakery has an open layout that allows you to see their large crew of workers baking and brewing at all hours of the day.

📍 Rust Bakery 러스트
서울 영등포구 문래동2가 42-19
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (630m walk)
⏰ 11h00 – 22h00
🌐https://www.instagram.com/rustbakery/
📞070-8805-0815
🗓️Monday – Sunday

We secured a nice side room for ourselves

Waves 웨이브스

After we finished at Rust we headed to Waves, an Hawaiian style gastro pub. It was opened by sculptor Lee Daeseok. The building is an old steel factory from the 1970s that has been renovated and remodeled with a Hawaiian theme.

The restaurant is suited for the solo diner and groups and offers up a menu of Hawaiian cuisine and craft beers. We didn’t eat anything but just had some cocktails and beers.

📍 Waves 웨이브스
서울 영등포구 문래동3가 58-34
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (418m walk)
⏰ 11h30 – 25h00 (Mon – Fri there is break of 16h00 – 17h00)
Last order 60 minutes before closing
🌐https://www.instagram.com/mullae_waves/
📞070-7681-0101
🗓️Monday – Sunday

Yankees Burger 양키스버거&슬라이스피자

For lunch we decided to go to Yankees Burgers. When we got there we had to have a short wait as we were quite a big table and the space isn’t that big. They have burgers, pizzas and other fried food. You can also order the pizzas by slice. If you want fries you can add fries and a drink to your order. We also had some craft beers.

The signature menu, the Mullae Burger exudes a beautiful aroma from the mix of freshly toasted oatmeal ciabatta buns and sautéed mushrooms with truffle oil. The buns are incredibly soft while the juicy patty, aromatic mushrooms and the savory spice from the salami create an intense combination of flavors that is hard to come across at other burger joints in the city.

📍 Yankees Burger 양키스버거&슬라이스피자
서울시 영등포구 도림로 434-1
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (581m walk)
⏰ 11h00 – 22h00 (Mon – Fri there is break of 15h00 – 16h00)
🌐https://www.instagram.com/yankees_mullae/
https://yankees9.modoo.at/
📞070 8849 0815
🗓️Monday – Sunday

Mohenic Stay 308 모헤닉스테이308

MOHENIC STAY 308 is a multi-use space on a back street lined with countless steel factories. It blends in so well that with the surrounding buildings that if you don’t know it’s there you could actually pass right past it. This space was opened by Mohenic Garages, a company that does classic car restoration and sells a range of original products.

The owner, who is also a furniture designer, designed the interior himself, keeping many of the original elements of the reclaimed steel factory in tact. Various small items relating to bicycles and motorcycles are displayed inside this impressive, vintage space.

You can rent the area for private parties and they also allow you to take your pet. There is an outdoor area too.

📍 Mohenic Stay 308 모헤닉스테이308
서울특별시 영등포구 도림로128가길 9
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (581m walk)
⏰ 07h30 – 24h30 (last order 23h30)
🌐https://www.instagram.com/mohenic_stay308/
https://www.mohenic.com/_sub/stay/stay.php
📞02-2631-0308
🗓️Monday – Sunday

It blends in so well with the surrounding businesses

Treevia

Treevia is a leather goods brand started by three young leather craftspeople fresh out of university. The space features a showroom, a leather workshop, and a cafe. Displayed around the cafe space are some original leather goods. Among them you can find book covers, card cases, passport cases, and even large designer bags which you can have your name engraved in by request.

The cafe and workshop is a little off the beaten path from the main village area. In the back you’ll see the artists working away. We bought some postcards and magnets and enjoyed some coffee and other drinks.

📍 Treevia
문래동3가 56-1
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (794m walk)
⏰ 09h30 – 18h30
🌐https://www.instagram.com/treevia_cafe/
https://www.instagram.com/treevia_/
🗓️Monday-Saturday

The workshop is on the other side of the glass

Old Mullae 올드문래

Filled with art and repurposed machinery, this is a café by day and a pub by night. Stop in for those throw-back vibes. The 1930’s building maintains the original Japanese wooden frameworks but, in the course of history, has added elements of industrialization and, finally, a touch of the Midwest given by the owner, who also works as an architect.

Old Mullae is a café during the day, and as soon as the clock hits 6pm, it turns into a bar. The owner keeps a strict schedule, refusing to sell any of the café menus during its bar hours. As for some of their bar foods, the owner suggests their fish and chips as the portion is quite large, perfect for a group of friends. The potatoes are brought in from Pyeongchang, are washed every morning and deep-fried upon order. The batter made with beer is super crispy.

📍 Old Mullae 올드문래
서울 영등포구 문래동2가 14-28
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (570m walk)
⏰Mon – Wed = 10h00 – 25h00
Thur – Sat = 10h00 – 26h00
Sun = 12h00 – 23h00
🌐https://www.instagram.com/oldmullae/
🗓️Monday-Sunday

Beervana 비어바나

Beervana is another place we just stumbled upon when we saw the roof top from the street. It’s a brewery that has 3 different levels. Just being there is an experience in and of itself, the beer is an added bonus. Their beer has also won awards. I had the Yeongdeung Porter which won the Gold and it was really delicious.

Level 1:

When you enter Beervana you can see brewing tanks, colourful lights, fun decorations, a massive replica of the Infinity Gauntlet, and the bar. You can beer here for takeout too. Above the bar you note a cosy seating area that you must pass through in order to move to the next floor.

Level 2:

You go up the stairs and head through a small shop and then get to the next level which is a nice bright pink colour. This is where we ended up sitting.

Level 3:

This is the pinnacle of Beervana. Tables and seats are made of colourful beer crates. Beautiful lights, plants, and awesome views of the trendy area around you and blankets for when it gets cold.

📍Beer Vana Brewing Co. 비어바나
서울 영등포구 도림로129길 5-1
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (646m walk)
⏰Open weekdays: 17h00 – 25h00
Saturday 15h00 – 25h00
Sunday 15h00 – 24h00
🌐https://www.facebook.com/beervanaseoul/
https://www.instagram.com/beervana_brewery_seoul/
🗓️Monday-Sunday

Island 203 아일랜드203

We accidentally stumbled upon this place while we were heading to the bus and we just had to go inside to see more. Their basic concept is of an Island pub which is why they have that little oasis on the corner. They have a very extensive menu. They have a café items along with brunch, afternoon tea sets, pastas, platters, cocktails, wine and all other liquor.
We were so stuffed from everything we had consumed in the day that we just bought a take away Americano and then went to go sit in the little oasis to enjoy it. It is only about 60m from Rusk Bakery.

📍Island 203 아일랜드203
서울 영등포구 경인로79길 9 1층
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (685m walk)
⏰Open 11h00 – 25h00
🌐https://www.instagram.com/mullae_island203/
☎️ 02-2677-3622
📱010-8339-3622
(Call or text for reservation!)
🗓️Monday-Sunday

Street Art

The art is Mullae-dong isn’t neatly set apart and coordinated as other art areas of Seoul. This is because the artists have done in by themselves and not with the support of the Seoul government. Definitely keep your eyes peeled as you walk around. Over the weekends you will have a better chance of seeing some of the graffiti on the doors as the workplaces are closed and so the art is visible.

Piece of Peace 피스 오브 피스 (PofP)

We were just walking past and then saw this place and decided to go up onto the roof to check it out.

📍Piece of Peace 피스 오브 피스
432 Dorim-ro Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul
🚉Mullae Station Exit 7 (685m walk)
🌐https://www.instagram.com/pofp_studio

Views of the streets, alleyways and other cafes and restaurants

Mullae totally surprised us with everything that was there and I’m already planning another trip back there to see everything I couldn’t see the last time.

Have you been to Mullae-Dong? What is your favourite thing to do there?

#visitseoul#globalseoulmate #gsm2020 #vacationspot #summerinseoul #seoulvacation

Jul 18, 2020 0

Tag: gsm 2020