1. Introduction

The history of Donuimun Museum Village

Donuimun, established in 1396, is now known as Seodaemun. However, it was demolished during the Japanese colonial era and is no longer standing. In the 1960s and 1970s, it became a hub for private education, and later, with the proliferation of businesses in the vicinity, it saw the emergence of numerous restaurants catering to nearby office workers. (Even today, Gwanghwamun remains one of Seoul’s top three office districts along with Yeouido and Gangnam.) Presently, the entire area has been transformed into a Donuimun museum village, offering a glimpse into the culture of modern and contemporary Korea. Donuimun Museum Village is a cultural space where visitors can experience the history of Seoul’s last 100 years through exhibitions, performances, education, and gatherings.

Donuimun Museum Village has been designed to evoke the atmosphere of South Korea from around the 1930s to 1990s, as I experienced during my visit. You can also try various traditional Korean cultural experiences, so I highly recommend coming here to create some delightful memories. The museum is closed on Mondays, and admission is free. If you visit on a weekday, excluding Mondays, you can enjoy the village quietly. However, please note that the programs offered vary by the day of the week, and especially the experiential programs are only available from Thursday to Sunday. So, make sure to check the schedule for the day that corresponds to the experience you’re interested in.

2. To do

I. Hanok Art Experience: The Artist’s Time

One of the main reasons for introducing Donuimun Museum Village is that you can create traditional Korean souvenirs, cook traditional dishes, and even learn to play traditional musical instruments with a small group of people.

You can make

Because these are experiences that aren’t easily available elsewhere, I became very interested in trying various things after I first learned about Donuimun Museum Village. The gayageum is a traditional Korean stringed instrument. It’s not an instrument that’s easy to come by, so if you ever get the chance, I recommend giving it a try.

So far, I’ve only tried making hairbands and mother-of pearl keyring here, but if the opportunity arises, I would love to learn to play the gayageum and try making seasonal food as well.

The Hanok Art Experience are paid and require advance reservations. Online reservations are available until 23:59 on the day before the experience date.

After online reservations close, on-site reservations are possible on the day if there are available slots at the Hanok No. 9 Experience Program Support Office.

Experience reservations open on a monthly basis, with the opening schedule set for every fourth Wednesday of the month at 14:00.

Reservation site: https://www.kguide.kr/dmvillage/

II. Donuimun Boutique (7 on the map)

If you visit Hanok No. 7, you can rent 1960-70s school uniforms to wear. How about touring the village while dressed in these school uniforms? Please note that the Donuimun Costume Room is only open on Saturdays, and there is a rental fee for the uniforms.

• Donuimun Boutique homepage: https://dmvillage.info/boutique

• Operating Hours: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM (*Last rental available at 5:00 PM)

• 2 hour rental fee: 5,000 won per person

III. Various exhibition

Donuimun Museum Village include a stationery store, club, barber shop, photography studio, theater, and history museum. And These have been arranged to reflect the era. How about strolling through these exhibitions and imagining the modern and contemporary history of Seoul, South Korea?

If you’re visiting with a child, I recommend trying a mission where you explore the exhibitions, collect stamps, and complete a map. (The map with stamp locations is available at the village information desk.)

VI. Other events in Donuimun Museum Village

There are a variety of ongoing activities, so I recommend visiting the website and checking if there are any events that pique your interest. When I visited, there was a performance by circus diabolo artist Jundia. He performed a circus act using diabolos, a tool I hadn’t seen before, making it a refreshing and fascinating experience. He was exceptionally skilled, and I found myself continuously applauding. I happened to catch the performance on the day of my visit, and he expertly engaged the audience, making it an enjoyable experience.

3. To eat

I. Snack bar for school (35-1 on the map)

A highly renowned snack shop within the Donuimun Museum Village has been designed to evoke the atmosphere of that era, and it’s run by grandmothers who prepare the food. I recommend trying their tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and misutgaru (multi-grain drink). These are incredibly popular, and they offer a taste of the times.

By the way, misutgaru is a beverage made by grinding various grains into a powder and mixing it with water. It’s a drink that’s widely enjoyed in Korea, especially during the summer, and I highly recommend trying it. It’s really delicious!

II. Sarangchae (31 on the map)

Do you know about ‘dalgona’? It’s a snack that became famous after appearing in the Squid Game. 😂 You can even experience making it at Sarangchae. I used to eat it a lot when I was in school. It became famous worldwide thanks to Squid Game. Give it a try for fun sometime!

Local map for your information