Walking around Seohakdong Artists’ Village

Only a decade ago, the district of Seohakdong used to be an unpopular neighbourhood of unkempt alleyways and dilapidated empty buildings. However, since a few years ago, artists began to settle in the abandoned houses of Seohakdong. They repaired and renovated their homes with their own hands and sensitivity. That’s how Seohakdong transformed into artists’ village.

At the entrance was the exhibition for Seohakdong’s ‘KUNST SEOHAK’ art festival. It was nice being able to access the local artists’ works on the streets.

It’s easy to come across studios, galleries, guesthouses, cafés, and bookshops.

My first destination was ‘Seohak Art Space’. The underground floor is the studio, the first floor is the café, the second floor is the gallery, and the third floor is the guesthouse. The gallery is open from 09:00 to 19:00, with free entrance.

The store with this stamped signboard is ‘Miyeon’. It sells and produces handmade art props, calligraphies, and illustration stickers.

‘Soriteo Piano Gyosupso’ (piano school) is not a piano school, but a prop shop for old vintage things.

This is art café ‘Piquenique’, which once used to be an old local house. Piquenique is a café, gallery, guesthouse, and artist studio. The exhibition is free but ordering a cup of coffee may be highly appreciated.

At the end of this alleyway is ‘Seohakdong Sajingwan’ (photo studio). Mostly photo exhibitions are held here.

The hanging pots and murals are good photo spots.

This small bookshop is ‘George Orwell’s Foresights’, specializing in humanities publications. The bookshop owner lamented that the competitive Korean education was failing to make students read books, and thought that humanities will correct this. The name of the bookshop comes from George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945). Just as Orwell’s novel foresaw the future controlled by the powerful few, the bookshop owner wanted to foster the foresight in today’s students.

These old signboards must be a few decades old. Visit the old stationary store for some old school junk food!

The signboard is showing the way to ‘Halmae Gongbang’ (craftworks studio). As the word ‘Halmae’ (‘granny’ in Korean) indicates, this studio is frequented by local grannies working on embroideries or paintings.

‘Bbina’ is the shop producing and selling needlework products, such as credit card cases, bags, and pouches.

‘The Art Studio of Lee Jeok Yoo’ is the painter Lee Jeok Yoo’s café-studio. Inside the bright blue door is the café exhibiting the artist’s collections from around the world.

‘Art Museum Sunjae’ is also free entry. The venue has café. When I visited, there was the exhibition by ‘Mix & Match Jeonju-Seoul’.

‘Made by Heukseoltang’ is 100% handmade needlework studio. This venue produces and sells vintage-style knitted headscarves and bags.

Seohakdong Artists’ Village also has studios where visitors can participate in making souvenirs. Stroll through the alleyways of artists to find them!