Chuseok edition

Take advantage of the clear roads and saunter over to the National Folk Museum of Korea, on the east wing of which you’ll find a nostalgia street recreating the city from the ‘60s and ‘70s  entitled "A Street to the Past: Experiencing Mom and Pop's Childhood.” There’s a small barbershop called Hwagae reminiscent of the Sogyeok-dong area that’s fully equipped with a briquette heater and the boutique store of designer Nora Noh, who revolutionized ready to wear clothing for women in the ‘60s. Old school Korean snacks such as ramen ttang (snacks made of instant noodles) and jiwipo (fish jerky) can be found at the manhwa-bang within. The Children’s Museum branch of the National Folk Museum will be holding a hands-on cultural experience entitled “It was like this, back then” every third Saturday and last Wednesday until November (this month falling on the 19^t and the 30^th). The experience will have families traveling back in time and meeting characters from that past in real life. If you’re into shows, there’s a musical entitled “Mong Dang Pencil” depicting the lives of 1974 Korea at the museum. Sure, the show’s in Korean only but tickets are free so it’s something to do for a cultural experience even if you don’t necessarily understand the language. Not too far from the museum, there’s Insadong and the Bukchon Hanok Village as well. Cars are forbidden to access the roads during the weekends and every so often, you’ll come across some street performers playing traditional Korean percussion. Stop by here on your way to the Arario Museum or the Jeongdok Public Library. On the 12^th and 13^th, the neighborhood will be hosting The Bukchon Music Festival. Check out their website (bukchonmf.or.kr) and you’ll see the festival showcases various types of Korean instruments as well as some hints of Latin Jazz. For local Korean eats, head over to the Seoul Marketplace held at the Cheonggye Plaza and at Seoul Plaza taking place from 14^th to the 17^th. You can get your hands on things such as dried yellow corvine from Mokpo and dolsangat kimchi from Yeosu without even leaving the comfort of the city!