Samcheong-dong (삼청동)

Samcheong-dong (삼청동)! :D

What a lovely and aesthetically pleasing neighbourhood! It is one of the neighbourhoods in South Korea that I really love! Samcheong-dong is arguably one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Seoul for it often appears in countless Korean dramas and movies. So many pretty shops, cafes and restaurants here!

Recently spotted in Temperature of Love.

I didn't know that Samcheong-dong was famous until I got back to Malaysia. Silly me but that's what happened when you didn't do proper research. I was lucky that I got to discover and explore this aesthetically pleasing neighbourhood by chance.

I was exploring Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을) when I got lost and chose the wrong way. I wanted to see the Scenic View #8: View from the Samcheong-dong stone stairway which eventually will lead me to Samcheong-dong but then I went the wrong way and I suddenly turned up at this unfamiliar side of Samcheong-dong.

Recently spotted in What's Wrong, Secretary Kim? (according to my reading as I have yet to watch the show)

I think I walked in circles for quite some time when I realized that I was lost, trying to find my way back to Bukchon Hanok Village. When I decided that I would not be going to make it back to Bukchon Hanok Village because my sense of direction was bloody bad that day, I decided to explore Samcheong-dong as it is.

However, I have to say that I didn't get to explore Samcheong-dong to my heart's content as I was extremely exhausted after getting lost repeatedly. Still, I was extremely happy with whatever that I encountered that day. 

Saw so many aesthetically pleasing shops, cafes, restaurants, museums, galleries, you name it! Wanted to go into every shop, cafe, restaurant, museum, and gallery but I had a goal not to spend money on unnecessary things that day, so, no shop, cafe, restaurant, museum, or gallery for me. Now that I think about it, maybe I shouldn't be so stingy with myself that day. A treat for myself at one of the aesthetically pleasing cafes or restaurants after getting lost does not sound so bad after all, no?

I didn't know how did I get to be on the streets and see the shops above. All I knew was I was so lost and tired that I decided just to walk in whichever way. I think this may be at one of the first intersections of smaller streets. In any case, you are most likely will see the streets and shops if you have a clear goal to explore Samcheong-dong.

Things I wish I knew when I was there: Samcheong-dong, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, and Gyeongbokgung are all located around the same area. A wise move is to visit those places on the same day instead of on separate days as one can save transportation costs by walking to and from each place.

Samcheong-dong is definitely one of the places that I want to go to again in the future! I plan to go with someone who drinks coffee and loves desserts so that we can go cafe-hopping around the neighbourhood! Hopefully, I will get another chance to visit this lovely neighbourhood :)