Spring is finally in full swing here in Korea, and the weather has been absolutely amazing. Last weekend, to soak up the warm sunshine, I took a short weekend trip just outside of Seoul to the Korean Folk Village in Yongin.
While this place is famous among tourists for perfectly recreating a village from the Joseon Dynasty, it’s actually a super popular weekend getaway spot for locals like us. It’s where families, friends, and couples go to just walk around, eat good food, and enjoy their days off.
Right as you walk past the entrance, you’re greeted by a beautiful stream lined with blooming yellow forsythias and cherry blossoms. But here’s my favorite part: if you look closely, you can see traditional thatched-roof houses with modern apartment complexes peeking out right behind them. Isn’t it fascinating? That mix of deep history and modern city life in one single frame is exactly what makes living in Korea so unique.
What I love most about the Korean Folk Village is that it’s not just a quiet, dusty museum. It’s a living, breathing space. As you walk deeper into the village, you can actually see master craftsmen making things the traditional way, right in front of your eyes.
I saw a craftsman weaving traditional straw shoes (Jipsin), a fan-making workshop getting ready for the summer heat, and even a blacksmith hammering hot iron over a roaring fire. You can’t get this kind of raw, real-life energy from a textbook or an AI-generated image. This is the real, continuing life of Korea. Seeing that little kid staring in total awe at the blacksmith's forge was just too cute!
But of course, it's not all just traditional crafts. On the other side of the village, there was a massive line of people waiting to try the haunted house ("Ghost Zone") and enjoy the amusement park rides. You could really feel the lively, buzzing energy of Koreans just enjoying their weekend to the fullest.
It was the perfect, ordinary-yet-special weekend—eating great street food, walking through a beautiful historical site, and just recharging for the week ahead.
P.S. If you're ever planning a trip to Korea and want to experience this yourself, you can check out their recommended walking courses here: https://www.koreanfolk.co.kr/entertainment/recommended-course
