Don’t Waste Your Money & Time! My Guide to Insa-dong (인사동)

[@belladona3608]

When I went to Seoul last year I visited 'Beautiful tea museum' , then, naver maps erased all my data and last month when I went back to Insadong I couldn't find it anywhere, couldn't even remenber its name. BUT NOW, NOW IT'S SAVED FOREVER IN MY GOOGLE DOC!! Thank you so so much Billy I really enjoy your videos, you're the reason I'm learning Korean and, because of it, the reason I visited Korea twice already.

[@emmy-js]

I love Insadong, I used to go there frequently when I lived in Korea because it's where one of my favorite vegan restaurants is. There's also another place there that sells vegan Korean street food like tteokbokki and fish cake skewers. Don't know if they're still around. I also visited 'Beautiful Tea Museum' with my friend, it was a really nice place. I'm glad you mentioned the monks, I got scammed by one once. Don't let them give you something, because after they do they pressure you into giving a 'donation' and it's hard to get away from them. I ended up giving him some cash so he'd leave us alone, and my sister said "you shouldn't have done that". I learned after that to be tougher and less friendly when approached on the streets, and to get away as fast as possible.

[@zs9142]

This guide is spot on! As a Seoul native I feel like the tourist spots get kinda samey after a while, but I unironically enjoy visiting Insa-dong. The tea shop shown in this video is my favorite one, super authentic and chill

[@susantan3242]

Thanks for all your information. Very useful! 😊

[@CyberMew]

I like such 'guide' videos, please make more! :D

[@Mudskipper9876]

Thank you for sharing tea shops and art. On a rainy night, this is very comforting.

[@bl1ndguy0]

Do one for each major station!

[@ramizhashmi4966]

Fantastic place

[@carolinebrodie-browne1492]

I stayed in Insadong this summer and i loved it, totally agree with your comments though and I was so happy to see the friendly kultarae seller who served me in your video

[@barbarawither]

I bought a scarf there that had Hangul letters on it as the pattern. One of the only souvenirs I bought for myself! It also had the advantage of being very inexpensive!

[@GeorgiaMyname]

T .Billy…I just made a new playlist as “Best tips from an expert” and I’ll save all your videos to have them when I will be able to travel to Korea !🎉 but for now I keep watching your tutoring lessons to learn Korean language…lesson 10 today ! Thumbs up 👍 👍👍

[@riaconradt2554]

I stayed in the Insadong area when I went to Seoul for a short trip. Actually, the restaurant where I had the best food in Korea (only stayed 3 nights in total but still) was in the area. It’s called Doma (도마) and it’s just off Insadong road.

[@GoBillyKorean]

I found the restaurant you're talking about and it looks really nice! I'd want to eat there too :D

[@riaconradt2554]

@@GoBillyKorean It seems this restaurant was featured on TV before and I also watched one Korean series in which a scene looked very much like it was in the restaurant. It has a very unique feature inside the restaurant. And the food was really scrumptious.

[@catmama-bn]

I went there few times before and i just love the environment. I enjoy bingsu at one of the tea house. there's a lot of art and craft in this area. also i did manage to get myself the traditional rice snacks and the pumpkin seed treats at the exact booth you showed in the video.

[@sanfernandovalleyboy]

Real good Insa-dong guide. I also met a monk approaching me there once with some sort of golden ticket? Fortunatly I had a Korean friend with me who told me to stay away from them. I bought souvenir chopsticks in the main road and ate delicious mandu in a small but packed place in a side lane. Haven't been there again because it's such a tourist place and I prefer the authentic Korean experience now.

[@GoBillyKorean]

Yep! It's the common golden ticket they use. Sometimes they'll use other charms but the tickets are easier for them, probably since they're so cheap and they don't have to worry if someone runs off without "donating" to them.

[@m00hk00h]

Best thing about Insadong is it's vicinity to Ikseondong.

[@laurahiggins256]

So interesting! We stayed in Insadong during our first-ever visit to Seoul this summer and we LOVED it! HOWEVER, and I’m so glad you identified this, we still don’t feel like we’ve had the Korean food experience. We definitely plan to stay in Insadong again, but where else should we go to eat?

[@Enormosaurus]

I took my first trip to 서울 in October and bought souvenir 도장 from that exact place where you were filming! 3:57 They did amazing work. They will do English or Korean names, and one of the English names was normally too long (Christina) but they made it fit to avoid breaking it into two different names entirely. Highly recommend them to anyone who wants their own 도장.

[@GoBillyKorean]

Those ones looked awesome and if I needed a nice 도장 I would've bought one there.

[@CyberMew]

How much did it cost?

[@angelaragonesd9581]

Been there with my husband and kids last 2019! Awesome experience.. Got to buy personalized music box and so much cute stuffs! Would definitely come again 😍☺️

[@weave_girl325]

It was a fun area to walk around! We walked around on our last day got our little gifts before we left Seoul. It's so true about the food!

[@stargirl7646]

Thank you for this!! I like this area a lot

[@dylanthekoreanteacher]

인사동은 항상 외국 분들에게 추천하는 곳이죠 :). I always recommend visiting 인사동 to my international friends and students :)

[@stargirl7646]

7:08 wait, I might have been to this same place lol!! I bought an antique spoon! 😮

[@XOut4This]

I plan on visiting SK in the Spring and making a stamp and a fan with my friend. I’m not sure if this is where she wanted to create it. 😊

[@GoBillyKorean]

They also have "one day classes" where you can do that sort of thing around Korea.

[@lisagreenfield1029]

i enjoyed the sky cafe at the top of the square shopping mall area (sorry dont know what its called) We got a slushie as it was june and hot and just chilled there after a morning of walking around. Insadong is a beautiful area but my favourite area in seoul is myeong dong. Please do more guide videos as you know where all the secret must see gems are!! xx

[@laviedevantsoi2322]

한국인인데도 도움 됩니다...ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[@kamadams7928]

Would love to know where the mask and brush stores are

[@b.a.p.4718]

I was there alone last month but was too shy to do much. 😢

[@moocow5556]

reminds me of downtown denver, i dig it

[@davidha8874]

can we get a guide to find the best samgyupsal? and gopchang? and best hanok? =D

[@LariTanner]

I noticed that you've been there in Insadong and you did a video from Hongdae (sp?) I was wondering which areas in and around Seoul are better for whatever reason, food, hotel stays, etc. Can you do a vido on that? :) I'll be there in May and trying to decided where to stay and go and I'll be on a budget so this is very helpful!!

[@GoBillyKorean]

I think it just depends what stuff you like. But typically anywhere around this area would be fine for most tourists, as most things are in this area or near - including restaurants and activities. This past trip I stayed near 홍대 and was pretty happy with it.

[@LariTanner]

@@GoBillyKorean Yah, I'd like to avoid all the crowds and your video in 홍대 appealed to me, so I'm trying to convince my family that's going with me to stay there instead! :) Thanks for your reply and helping me out. I was born in Seoul, but haven't been back since I was 4 years old and when I was there, it was still a bit of a war torn country, (1967). ;) I'm excited to get back to the motherland!

[@-skz_svt-]

Just a question, I'm going to korea this year and I was just wondering if it's easy to get around korea as a foreigner knowing a tiny tiny bit of korean? Love your videos!!!

[@GoBillyKorean]

Yes, you can get around Korea (especially Seoul) just fine without speaking any Korean. You just won't get to experience as much of the country without it though.

[@christ-nal6908]

꿀타래 = Korean sweet most similar to the Chinese "Dragon's beard candy"

[@바른생활사나이-f9b]

홍대는 언제 올라오나요?^^

[@lisawilliams2444]

You mentioned not to shop in Insadong for most things, but then you mentioned "other places"; where are these "other places" you're referring to? If not Insadong, I would love for you to say "go here or there" instead. I'll be staying in this area and would have loved for you to say where else to go eat instead, but thanks for the video. Appreciate it.

[@MUSICALSAVE_DEMO_MUSICAL9]

서계동편도 보고 싶어요 ^^

[@Karina_sharp]

Myeondong is way expensive locals don’t it there , topical touristic place

[@violetsprite]

"Pumpkin Taffy. No added Sugar"

[@GoBillyKorean]

It has sugar in it naturally, but it's just not the regular "white sugar" you'd see in regular snacks. It was really good! I'm not sure if he's in the same spot every day, but he was really easy to find on that main road you see in the video.

[@laviedevantsoi2322]

잘 아는 거 아니면 진짜 딱 구경만 하기에 좋은 곳...

[@maithreyiray8869]

Has anyone e er told you that you low key look like Charlie Puth! 😌❤️

[@MarkH-f3f]

Myeongdong, insadong, the stream area are on the top of the worst places Ive been ever.. Tourist rip off attempts everywhere.. noticeably. Smells horrible, people are rude or workers are like 12 year old girls. The food is disgusting served in a dirty, smelly, expensive place. I couldnt eat anything so disgusting. Not thr korea I have scene so far other places BUT IM 51.. Again, worst place ive ever been.❤

[@lisawilliams2444]

So where did you eat while you were there? Do you have any suggestions? Unfortunately I'm already booked to stay in Insadong. So please let me know where you'd recommend to eat. Thanks