KTO Hanok Village Experience

16 April, a very fine day I was invited by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) to attend an event called KTO Hanok Village Experience. This is an event organized to create awareness of importance of korean traditional heritage and to promote Hanok (the korean traditional house) as a living heritage of Korea. The total team consists of 30 members, me and my friend from KU, are the two selected Malaysian members along with other members from China, US, Germany etc.

KTO Sign in front of the KTO building

After the opening ceremony by the Mayor of Jongno district, the day started with a Bukchon Culture Guide program where we strolled around the Hanok village, situated in Jongno district, Seoul. The Hanoks scattered here and there and the whole forms a vast area of Hanok village. We paid visit to the carpenters' houses, looking at their interior and exterior design of Hanok, some of them are newly conceptualized Hanok design. The distinctive feature of Hanok is the Cheoma (roof) which extends all the way out forming a curve, and it is said to resemble the wings of a flying bird.

Hanok snapshot

A flying wooden bird

After lunch, we had Kimchi and Tteokbokgi(fried rice cake) making class where we get to make Kimchi by our own hands! It is really a exciting experience as I always wanting to make Kimchi, after long mesmerized with the unique taste of it. The session lasted for 2 hours before we went to the Sachoom Hall in Insadong to watch a exhilarating dancing Sachoom performance (please take some time to google about it, it is really an awesome dancing performace with a plot).

Chief chef from Malaysia

We had our dinner in the Gwangjang market, which is one of the oldest market in Korea. There are stalls selling traditional food like bintetteok (the representative korean thick pancake), sundae (stuffed pig's intestine), and traditional cake for wedding, along with stalls selling traditional art crafts and Hanbok (the Korean traditional costume).

The Gwangjang traditional market

The day ends with the traditional performances such as Arirang and the Hanok stay in the Hanok Village region. Two people are assigned to one host family that live in a Hanok, me and another Indonesian member are assigned to a 30+ years old married couple who own a Hanok of 3 rooms. The Hanok is a very comfortable place to reside, for my host Hanok, there are two blocks separated by a small garden and each block serve for different purposes. We are allowed to sleep in the smaller block which is originally the host's office as a psychological cousellor. The floors of Hanok is warmed by Ondol (the Korean traditional heating system) and it is just no reason to sleep on a bed there! We had so much fun time with the host as we talked and played Kosutop (Hanafuda in Japanese, a traditional card game) till the midnight ;)

Traditional dance performance in the Hanok guesthouse

My stay of Hanok for the night

The second starts after we say Annyeong to our host hamilies. We went around Bukchon Hanok Village again to attend traditional crafts making classes. We are split into groups and my group attended the korean traditional box and mirror making class! It is a little awkward to make art craft after a long time since secondary school, however, and the class ended with much joy especially when our handmade pieces are done.

The Seongsaengnim is teaching us earnestly

My handmade Korean art box, which is going to send away as gift LOL

The whole trip is paid by the KTO, all credits to them, which including meals, transports, accomodations, tour guiding, and much free gifts from them. The trip is really a remarkable one where we are able to experience Korea from a different perspective, and able to appreciate and preserve the traditional beauty of Korea. I simply LOVE Korea!

Picture took with the host family

P/s: I went to Lotte World with my KAIST exhchange friend right after the trip ended. And we had so much fun there especially during the Angel Price Music Festival, where I watched SNSD for the second time in Korea. Taeyeon hwaiting!

In front of the Lotte World castle

Taeyeon is looking at me!