✧ Series Note—South Korea Trip 2023 ✧
First time in South Korea. Solo. Unscripted. Raw. Real.
A short, cold trip filled with long walks, warm meals, and unforgettable moments.
📅 Dec 1–5, 2023
There are places you visit… and there are places you’ve already seen a hundred times—just not in real life. For me, the Korean Folk Village was the latter. I had watched it in countless K-dramas—royal processions, quiet village scenes, and stories unfolding between wooden gates and tiled roofs.
And now, I was finally on my way there. Not everyone writes about the Korean Folk Village like a K-drama fan stepping into a scene.
🚉 Getting There: Stepping Into My Own Scene
The journey wasn’t as straightforward as I had hoped. From Seoul, I took Line 4, transferred to Line 1 at Geumjeong, and headed toward Suwon. At Suwon Station, I learned from the tourist information center that the free shuttle to the village had already been discontinued.
Instead, the staff kindly gave me a discount coupon and pointed me toward a local bus. So I stood there for a moment, hesitating. I’ve always trusted trains. Buses felt unfamiliar. Uncertain. But travel has a quiet way of pushing you forward anyway.
🚌 The Bus Ride I Almost Didn’t Take
Near the Novotel, I boarded Bus #10-5 with a bit of doubt—and a lot of curiosity. As the city slowly shifted outside my window, something changed. It felt… familiar. Like those quiet K-drama scenes where the character doesn’t say anything—but everything is happening inside. No English announcements. Just instinct, a little Korean, and Naver Maps guiding me. And somehow, that was enough. After 35 bus stops—almost an hour—I finally arrived.
🏘 Korean Folk Village: Walking Into the Joseon Dynasty
When I finally arrived at the Korean Folk Village, it didn’t feel like entering a tourist site. It felt like crossing a threshold. Suddenly, the modern world faded—and I was surrounded by traditional homes, quiet courtyards, and the rhythm of life from the Joseon Dynasty. This wasn’t just a reconstruction. It felt alive. Located in Yongin, the Korean Folk Village is an open-air museum that brings the Joseon Dynasty to life.
Thanks to the coupon, I paid ₩15,000 for entrance (down from ₩32,000—a great deal!).
The village is divided into several sections:
- Market Village
- Folk Village
- Amusement Village
- Traditional Marketplace
From noblemen’s houses to government offices, every structure is recreated with remarkable detail. It felt like walking straight into a drama set. One moment, I was in the present. Next, I was surrounded by the stillness of the Joseon Dynasty. Traditional homes stood quietly in place. Paths stretched without urgency. The air itself felt slower. And for the first time that day, I stopped thinking about where I was going next.
🎬 A Place I Had Seen Before: Famous K-Drama Filming Location
As I walked through the village, I kept pausing. Not because I was tired, but because something felt familiar. Scenes from drama like The Moon Embracing the Sun echoed in my mind. The wooden bridges. The narrow paths. The quiet spaces between houses. For a moment, it felt like I wasn’t just visiting a place. I was stepping into stories I had once watched from afar.
It’s not surprising that this place has been in famous shows like:
- Kingdom
- Jewel in the Palace
- Sungkyunkwan Scandal
- The Royal Gambler
As I wandered through the village, I kept thinking, “I’ve seen this before.” And now, I was finally living it. In the main plaza, I caught a traditional dance performance—graceful, vibrant, and captivating despite the cold.
🍲 Warm Food, Cold Air
The cold that day was sharp, but somehow, it made everything feel more vivid. I found my way to the market area and ordered a bowl of janggukbap. Simple. Warm. Comforting. It wasn’t just food—it was a pause. A moment to sit still in the middle of a place that carried centuries of history. In the market area, I tried janggukbap, a warm radish rice soup that felt like comfort in a bowl.
The steam from the janggukbap rose into the cold air, and for a moment, everything slowed—the noise, the movement, even my thoughts. I wasn’t just visiting anymore. I was there.
🌾 Wandering Through History
Exploring the village felt like stepping back in time. I learned how homes differed by social class and region, and I was fascinated by the details of daily life during the Joseon era.
Some of my favorite spots included the following:
- The Wooden Bridge
- The Large Landowner’s House
- The Cotton Weaving Workshop
- Jigokcheon Stream
I skipped the hanbok rental this time (too cold!). Even without it, the experience felt immersive and real. No rush. I only wandered. Across wooden bridges, past quiet homes, along the gentle flow of Jigokcheon Stream. There was no checklist. No urgency. Just the quiet realization that sometimes, the best way to experience a place… is to let it unfold slowly.
🌆 Back to the Present
After my visit, I decided to take a different route back—partly for convenience and partly for the quiet thrill of seeing something new along the way. I boarded a bus heading to Sanggal Station on the Suin–Bundang Line, letting the changing scenery unfold outside my window.
From there:
- Train to Suwon
- Then Line 1 back to Seoul Station
The return trip felt smoother—fewer stops, less uncertainty. By afternoon, I was back in Seoul—walking through Namdaemun Market, holding a warm hotteok in my hands. From centuries-old villages to neon-lit streets, the contrast felt surreal. But somehow, it made sense. That’s Seoul. That’s South Korea.
With time to spare, I wandered toward Myeongdong, passing by Deoksugung Palace—only to find it closed (classic Monday moment 😅). Still, Myeongdong never disappoints. Bright lights, street food, endless energy—it was the perfect way to end the day.
🛏 Goodbyes and New Hellos
Back at the guesthouse, the room felt quieter. Most travelers had already moved on. While packing, I met a woman who had just arrived. She shared that she was once a Korean national and now lives in Japan. Her warmth, even in a short exchange, reminded me of something simple: travel connects us—even briefly, even quietly.
🚆 How to Get to the Korean Folk Village from Seoul
As a shoestring-budget traveler, I chose one of the most affordable ways to reach the Korean Folk Village—though it does take a bit more time and patience. This route is best for travelers who prefer a slower, budget-friendly journey rather than a tight, time-sensitive itinerary.
Route:
- Line 4 (Hoehyeon → Geumjeong)
- Transfer to Line 1 (Geumjeong → Suwon)
- From Suwon Station, take Bus #10-5
- Travel Time: ~1.5–2 hours
- Bus Fare: Covered by T-money card
Tip: Use Naver Map for real-time directions, especially when riding the bus, as stops are not always announced in English.
🌙 Reflection: Living the Story
That night, as I lay in bed, one thought stayed with me: I didn’t just visit the Korean Folk Village. I realized this day was more than just visiting a filming location. I experienced it. What once lived on a screen had become something real—something I could walk through, taste, and remember.
And in that quiet, unexpected way, the day became my own version of a K-drama. It was about stepping into a world I had once only watched from afar. The Korean Folk Village wasn’t just a destination—it became a living, breathing story. And somehow, without even trying, I became part of it.
Some places stay with you because they are beautiful. Others stayed because they felt familiar, even before you arrived. And the Korean Folk Village? It became both.
*** I wrapped up 2023 with an adventure to the land of K-Pop—a journey that felt like a dream yet came with its own moments of truth. A few unexpected mishaps added some spice to the trip, but in the end, I was beyond grateful to finally tick South Korea off my travel bucket list; a place that once sparked a dream becomes the one that reminds you how far you’ve come.***
