Twinkle Twinkle’s Ssuktang-cha

Since so many tourists visit here, the streets of Insadong and Samcheong-dong are full of signboards proclaiming “traditional this” and “traditional that.” Banjjak Banjjak Binnaneun or Twinkle Twinkle is one place in Insadong loved by tourists and locals alike. A lot of the customers here enjoy their fusion beverages, such as their black bean smoothie or patbingsu (shaved red bean ice) but if you want to taste something real, try out their Ssuktang-cha (special mugwort tea). It’s 12,000 won for a single cup, which is equivalent to a nice bowl of Pyeongyang-style cold noodles, but to make this tea, they use special ssajuari (mugwort) from Ganghwa Island that was aged for four years in sea fog. The deep, bitter fragrance of mugwort fills the teacup. If you are not the biggest fan of bitter teas, you should opt for the Ssuk-cha (regular mugwort tea) instead. Want an insiders tip? Baked injeolmi rice cake served with bean powder goes really well with the tea.