31 Jul 2014

Handicraft Haven


To me, its definitely an experience boost when a mall gives out free helium balloons, and pretty ones at that. The three of us spent the entire early afternoon at Insadong, and mostly Ssamziegil, dragging a helium balloon around like a public nuisance.... but hey I love helium balloons more than anything so no judging alright. #thedeprivedchildhoodchoseme

As mentioned in previous posts, Seoul is a must-go destination if you are a handicraft/handmade items enthusiast, like me, and Insadong would be one of them places opened almost everyday for like-minded people to head there and blow their entire fortune away. In my opinion, Insadong is split into two sections: Ssamziegil and the rest of Insadong. The rest of Insadong mainly features shops selling antiques, like traditional Korean pottery, and also souvenirs. I would not recommend you guys to get your souvenirs here as they might charge you higher *cough*price discrimination*cough*, instead, head to Namdaemun Market for your souvenirs!

We spent most of our time at Ssamziegil (쌈지길) and it really reminded me of Singapore's SCAPE, just that it's a cooler SCAPE with so many local artistes selling their work here either in shops or carts. I adore the layout and deco inside this space, it's pretty child-like and free-spirited as they allow grafitti on the walls, there are a couple of hopscotch boxes on the grounds, photo booths/photo points at certain corners and also random 3D art installations around.

However, the best part about Ssamziegil is that, to get from one level to another, there's no need to climb steps as the pavements are all upward sloping. This means that if you keep walking, it will lead you to the rooftop of Ssamziegil, and if you walk downwards, it will lead you to the ground level. Good for sloths like me.

Admittedly, I blew n amounts of cash on many many postcards and stickers of cute illustrations by the artistes on animals, humans, numbers, objects, raindrops, you name it they have it. Sigh, someday I wish I would be as talented as those people after attending art college. It's a never-ending cycle of me seeing cute illustrations or artwork or whatnot, spending money, then procrastinating about how I do not have any self-control and the whole thing repeats itself.

To get to Insadong
Take the Seoul Metro to Anguk Station and exit by Exit #5!
Ssamziegil is the building with the huge ㅆ on it, or if you are chinese, look for the 人人, or the ^^, I don't know how you would like to interpret it.

Stay hipsterrrific,
Ming Rui