Sea of Hanok roofs

Hanoks in Bukchon look slightly different from typical hanoks. Then what is the difference?

At the fourth spot which is on the hill at 31st Gahoe-dong, you can see the largest cluster of hanoks in the village. Can you see them over the wall? If you can’t, get on the rocks at the base of the left wall. You will discover a sea of hanok roofs covering the hill in soft curves. This is one of the greatest hanok views in the village.

Large hanoks for upper class families of the Joseon Dynasty began to disappear in the 1930s, and they were replaced with smaller hanoks for lower class people, creating the unique view of closely located hanoks.

Among multiple roofs, one house will stand out. It is the House of Yi Jun-gu, a luxury western-style house with a blue roof. Yi’s family used granite brought from Gaeseong, currently a southern city in North Korea, and tiles from France for the walls and roofs. The family apparently spared no expense on their expensive materials. You can guess what it was like to live as the rich in the Joseon era through the House of Yi Jun-gu.

On your way down to Bukchon 5th View, you will see a tall locust tree. In the East, locust trees have symbolized scholars, as its freely growing branches are like a scholar seeking a new field of study. The tree was loved by upper class families in the Joseon period, as it was believed that if you plant this tree, someone in your family would become a famous scholar or official. At the intersection, go up the right hill to see Bukchon 5th View.