Bukchon Hanok Village

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Bukchon Hanok Village
Map
LocationJongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°34′59″N 126°59′01″E / 37.58306°N 126.98361°E / 37.58306; 126.98361
Original useNeighborhood for the aristocracy
Websitehanok.seoul.go.kr (in English)
Korean name
Hangul
북촌한옥마을
Hanja
Revised RomanizationBukchon hanok maeul
McCune–ReischauerPukch'on hanok maŭl

Bukchon Hanok Village (Korean: 북촌한옥마을) is a residential neighborhood in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It has many restored traditional Korean houses, called hanok. This has made it a popular tourist destination, which has caused some friction with the residents who live there.[1]

History[edit]

The area of Bukchon, which consists of neighborhoods: Wonseo-dong, Jae-dong, Gye-dong, Gahoe-dong and Insa-dong, was traditionally the residential quarter of high-ranking government officials and nobility during the Joseon period. It is located north of the stream Cheonggyecheon and Jongno, hence named Bukchon, which means north village.[2][3]

Tourism[edit]

A poll of nearly 2,000 foreign visitors, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in November 2011, stated that exploring the narrow streets of Bukchon was their fourth favorite activity in Seoul.[4]

According to data by the Bukchon Traditional Culture Center, 30,000 people visited the area in 2007. However, after the village was featured in television programmes, such as 2 Days & 1 Night and Personal Taste, the number rose to 318,000 in 2010.[5] Between October 2016 and June 2017, the Tourism Research institute reported that an estimated 37,100 people visited during the week and 54,200 people visited on weekends.[1]

Concerns from locals[edit]

People currently still live in the area; in 2016 it was reported that 3,534 people live in the village. Tourists greatly outnumber residents, which has caused some friction. Some residents have put up signs that discourage tourists from loitering near their homes.[1] The Seoul tourism website advises visitors to keep noise levels to a minimum, avoiding littering, keeping group sizes small (fewer than 10 people per group), and respecting the privacy of each home.[6]

In Bukchon, the funding for the remodeling of Hanoks is not enough, and it makes residents uncomfortable to live in such traditional houses without modern home electrical appliances.[7] There is a case in which residents will leave the community and the town will lose neighborhood connections. In addition, excessive tourism in the Bukchon Hanok Village has been an issue for residents. For example, there was a rule in which tourists could visit the Bukchon Hanok Village from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and not visit on Sunday as a result of an arrangement with residents [8]. Moreover, in 2018, residents gathered in their neighborhood and appealed to tourists to respect their privacy [9]

Gallery[edit]

  • Bukchon Hanok village and modern building in the background
    Bukchon Hanok village and modern building in the background
  • A traditional house in the village
    A traditional house in the village

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Choi, Soo-hyang (2018-09-21). "(Yonhap Feature) Overtourism challenges plague S. Korea's top attractions". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  2. ^ Joe, Yong-hee (28 June 2002). "Old area offers eye-opening slumber party". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Seoul Hanok". hanok.seoul.go.kr. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  4. ^ "Mt. Nam Tops List of Foreign Tourists' Favorites". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. ^ Kim, Hyung-eun (16 November 2012). "Historic Bukchon besieged by tourists, businesses". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Visit Seoul - Bukchon Hanok Village". english.visitseoul.net. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  7. ^ "Jahn Jin-sam - Evolution of Hanok--Good or Evil? Traditional Homes Display New Potential. Korea Focus, 15(1), 78–80".
  8. ^ "Quartz - Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village is fighting back against excessive tourism".
  9. ^ "The Korea Times - Bukchon residents protest excessive tourism".

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bukchon Hanok Village.
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