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17-668: Nagwon Instrument Arcade has traditionally been Korea's largest collection of music stores and is very close to Insa-dong . Built in 1968, the Nagwon building is a pillar-based, mixed-use complex. On the first floor, is a four lane road and a market below. Above the shopping area, there are apartments. The second and third floors of the Nagwon building has a few hundred music stores clustered together. Various instruments and other music-related equipment such as amps, speakers and karaoke machines can be found there. There are people there to sell or repair instruments for beginners and experts alike. On

34-589: A famed collector of rare books. In 1961, he discovered a copy of the Wŏlinsŏkpo  [ ko ] . He donated it to Yonsei University . He also located royal documents that had been stolen from the Academy of Korean Studies , as well as an original volume of the Samguk yusa . He donated such texts to university libraries. He died in 2006 at the age of 97. The third generation owner, Lee Jong-un ( 이종운 ), took over

51-593: Is Tongmungwan , the oldest bookstore in Seoul, and Kyung-in Art Gallery, the oldest tea house. There are daily calligraphy demonstrations and pansori performances. Ssamziegil, a shopping mall that concentrates on specialty stores of handcrafts, is also a prominent destination in Insadong. It opened in 2004. Unhyeon Palace , Bosingak bell pavilion, and Jongno Tower can be found in this area. Samcheongdong

68-440: Is "well known as a traditional street to both locals and foreigners" and represents the "culture of the past and the present". It contains a mixture of historical and modern atmosphere and is a "unique area of Seoul that truly represents the cultural history of the nation." The majority of the traditional buildings originally belonged to merchants and bureaucrats. Some larger residences, built for retired government officials during

85-542: Is a dong , or neighborhood, in Jongno District , Seoul , South Korea. Its main street is Insadong-gil, which is connected to a number of alleys that lead deeper into the district, with modern galleries and tea shops. Historically, it was the largest market for antiques and artwork in Korea. Stretching across 12.7 hectares (or 31.4 acres), the district is bordered by Gwanhun-dong to the north, Nagwon-dong to

102-490: Is a historic book store in Seoul , South Korea. It is the oldest active book store in the country, having been founded in 1934. It has remained a family business since its establishment. It has served mainly academics, and reportedly has had a significant impact in the study of Korean history. The business was designated a Seoul Future Heritage in 2013. It is also an Oraegage , a store of historic value. The predecessor to

119-421: Is also a nearby dong with an art scene. There is also an express bus to the resort island of Namiseom where the popular Korean drama Winter Sonata was filmed. The area is on the Seoul list of Asia's 10 greatest street food cities for the gimbap , odeng , and bungeoppang . At Insadong, there are three information centers that offer information or information materials about Insadong and Seoul. They are

136-529: Is an administrative unit at the time. During the Japanese occupation , wealthy Korean residents were forced to move and sell their belongings, at which point the site became an area for antiques trading. After the end of the Korean War , the area became a center of South Korea's artistic life and cafe culture. It was a popular destination among foreign visitors to South Korea during the 1960s, who called

153-455: The Joseon period , can also be seen. Most of these older buildings are now used as restaurants or shops. Among the historically significant buildings located in the area are Unhyeongung mansion , Jogyesa , one of the most significant Korean Buddhist temples , and Seungdong Presbyterian Church, one of Korea's oldest Presbyterian churches . The central temple of Cheondoism can also be found in

170-989: The Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation published free guidebooks in three languages: English, Japanese, and Chinese (simplified and traditional), which feature eight tours as well as recommendations for accommodations, restaurants, and shopping centers. These were distributed from information centers in 44 subway stations, namely Itaewon Station on Line 6 and Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 . The tours are designed with different themes, e.g. Korean traditional culture, which goes from Jongno 3-ga Station to Anguk Station and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 that showcases antique shops and art galleries of this area. 37°34′23″N 126°59′10″E  /  37.572972°N 126.986180°E  / 37.572972; 126.986180 Tongmungwan Tongmungwan or Tongmunkwan ( Korean :  통문관 ; Hanja :  通文館 )

187-490: The Insadong P.R. Center, North Information Center (N-info center), and South Information Center (S-info center). N-info Center and S-info Center are located at the north and south entrances of Insadong's main street. Insa P.R. Center is located on the opposite side of Ssamziegil, a well-known shopping center in Insadong. At the Insa P.R. Center, visitors can have a hanbok (Korean traditional dress) experience. In January 2013,

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204-418: The area "Mary's Alley". It gained in popularity among international tourists during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In 2000 the area was renovated, and, after protest, the rapid modernization of the area was halted for two years beginning that year. In recent years the backstreets of Insadong have continued to be gentrified with cafes, garden restaurants, and traditional pension-style accommodations. Insadong-gil

221-448: The book store was called Geummundang ( 금문당 ). In 1934, 25 year old employee Lee Gyeom-ro ( 이겸로 ; 李謙魯 ) acquired the business and renamed it Geumhakdang ( 금학당 ; 金港堂 ). The store received its current name in 1945; it is named for a Koryŏ -era government office. Upon the outbreak of the 1950–1953 Korean War , Lee fled with an 80-volume set of books that documented the military history of Joseon for safekeeping. Lee became

238-405: The business in 1998. Its clientele is reportedly mostly academics; it was reportedly frequented by notable Korean intellectuals, including historian Choe Nam-seon , linguist Lee Hee-seung , and art historian Kim Won-yong . It reportedly made significant contributions to the study of Korean history, and served as a forum for the exchange of ideas between intellectuals. The store reportedly has

255-461: The east, and Jongno 2-ga and Jeokseon-dong to the south, and Gongpyeong-dong to the west. Insadong originally comprised two towns whose names ended in the syllables "In" and "Sa". They were divided by a stream which ran along Insadong's current main street. Insadong began 500 years ago as an area of residence for government officials. During the early Joseon period (1392–1897), the place belonged to Gwanin-bang and Gyeonpyeong-bang, where bang

272-436: The fourth floor, there is a theater that used to premiere films and was called the 'Hollywood Theater'. It has become the 'Seoul Art Cinema' and 'dance musical private theater' which play 'Silver Theater' films for senior citizens, independent films, and other specialty films. This Seoul location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Insa-dong Insa-dong ( Korean :  인사동 )

289-500: The vicinity, which was completed in 1921. The area is well known for sightseeing, with approximately 100,000 visitors on Sundays reported in 2000. Insadong is also a visiting spot for foreign dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II and the princess of Spain and the Netherlands. It contains 40 percent of the nation's antique shops and art galleries as well as 90 percent of the traditional stationery shops. Particularly noteworthy

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