Daehangno Area

Daehangno, a street of youth and theatres, is always bustling with the exuberance of the young. In the evening, neon signs are lit one after another and the streets are filled with people visiting all kinds of places of interest. During the weekend, the Maronnier Park and its surroundings turn into a performance stage for young talent. The outdoor stage at Maronnier Park is open at all times and many people meet here in groups of twos and threes to chat or to head for an evening performance. Many theaters, concert halls, and musicals are concentrated in Daehangno where a wide variety of performances are held throughout the year in 40 small and large theaters. For this night tour of Daehangno, Ms. Kaori Yano, a Japanese employee from the e-Marketing Team of KNTO, accompanied the reporter.

Daehangno, an Exciting Place to Enjoy Unique Performances All Year Round In Daehangno, there are about 40 small and medium sized theaters like Hakjeon Blue Theater, Dongsoong Art Center, Batangol Art Center, Comedy Art Hall, Madang Sesil Theater and large theaters like Munye Theater. In autumn, the area hosts the Seoul Performing Arts Festival. In early summer, the Seoul Theater Festival is held. Since the majority of performances are in Korean, foreign visitors are advised to check the language availability in advance. * Seoul Performing Arts Festival Homepage: http://www.spaf21.com (Korean) * Comprehensive Culture & Arts Information System http://www.culture-arts.go.kr (Korean, English)

-Daehangno Tour Itinerary- Samcheonggak (performance or arts and crafts experience)→ Dinner at Daehangno STONEGRILL → Daehangno Jazz Bar Chunnyun

5:00 pm - Samcheonggak, where People want to Live Even though the variety of performances at Samcheonggak was enticing, Ms. Yano and I decided to try out Hanji craft because of a dinner appointment down in Daehangno. It takes about 3 hours to make a lamp using Hanji paper, and drying the glue takes about 2 hours. The secret of Hanji craft lies in the use of Clorox! How many people would know that Clorox is used to decolorize Hanji in order to give it an antique touch? Lessons are given in both Korean and English and anyone can easily follow the procedures because the level is basic. Even if you are visiting Samcheonggak in the summer, be sure to take a jacket with you because it can be quite cool in the evening. Ms. Yano said she wanted to live there, but despite her wishes, we headed towards Daehangno to fill our hungry stomachs. >> Go to Samcheonggak

7:00 pm - STONEGRILL - The Steak of your Dreams “There it is!” Ms. Yano easily spotted STONEGRILL, a restaurant serving grilled steaks. The sign was in Korean, Japanese, and English, so it was relatively easy to find. The steak is grilled on a stone slab with various meats, seafood, vegetables, and fruits. As such, you can enjoy the natural taste of all kinds of food and that are almost completely non-fat. The recommended menu of STONEGRILL is lean beefsteak, which is served with a variety of vegetables like mushrooms, potatoes, zucchini, and onions. You can grill the meat and vegetables according to your taste. In addition to the pleasure of cooking for oneself and eating healthy food, the steaks at STONEGRILL taste excellent. Don’t forget to try the unique barley soup and sweet potato pudding that are served as dessert. They taste just awesome. All dishes are served with salad, soup, bread and dessert. * The price is between 16,000 won and 37,000 won / Lean beefsteak 32,000 won / White-flesh fish grill 16,000 won * Telephone: +82-2-764-6464 * Address: 1-155 Dongsung-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

8:30 pm – Jazz Mania Yano Fully Recommends Chunnyun Jazz Bar

The Chunnyun Jazz Bar is a club where people can enjoy live performances three to four times a day, with the first show starting between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. The last performance ends at 1:40 am. Ms. Yano, who likes jazz very much, shouted for joy when she saw the performance schedule on the board. At the entrance to the club, there is a board with a week long schedule of performances, so visitors have the pleasure of selection. Chunnyun Jazz Bar is a well-known jazz theater in Korea and people can order a meal, beverages, cocktail, or liquor while enjoying the performance. If you order beer or wine only, a separate performance admission of 5,000 won is charged. Visitors can buy CDs or DVDs of the performing musicians. * Meal 20,000~60,000 won / Beer 6,000 won ~ / Cocktail 15,000 won * Open 5:00 pm - 03:00 am * Homepage : http://www.chunnyun.com (Korean) * Telephone: +82-2-743-5555 * Address: 1-66 Dongsung-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Numerous cafes and pubs with beautiful exteriors and unique interior designs are plentiful in Daehangno. Also attracting the young frequenting the area are restaurants lining the street. They offer a wide range of food from around the world, from pizza baked by an Italian chef, to Spanish, Swiss and French cuisine. Even though most theatrical performances are in Korean, it may be a good idea to try out a play if you are in Daehangno, which is a Mecca for theaters. There is a variety of performances, from pantomime concerts to musicals, and it is easy to buy tickets from touts promoting performances and selling tickets in the street.

Photo Gallery    At night, Daehangno offers double the pleasure and double the joy!

Samcheonggak in its beautiful sunset glow!

The must-visit restaurants and shops of Daehangno!