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Things to Do in Insadong: Explore Ssamziegil and Take Home a Caricature

During a trip to Seoul, there are moments when you want a keepsake that feels a little different from another photograph. Insadong's Ssamziegil combines traditional Seoul surroundings with independent shops and hands-on experiences, making it an enjoyable stop on a city walk.

A couple caricature including their dog
A couple caricature including their dog
A black-and-white portrait of a couple and their dog
A black-and-white portrait of a couple and their dog

A gentle walk through Ssamziegil

Visitors with their dog and completed caricature
Visitors with their dog and completed caricature
A portrait of a woman with her dogs
A portrait of a woman with her dogs

Ssamziegil is a little different from a conventional shopping mall. As you enter, a gently sloping walkway leads naturally toward the upper floors. Workshops, small design shops, souvenir stores, snacks and places to try an activity line the route. You can take your time exploring without a fixed shopping plan.

A visitor with her dogs and their portrait
A visitor with her dogs and their portrait
A couple caricature with a Korean hanok background
A couple caricature with a Korean hanok background

It fits easily into a day around Insadong, whether you are on a date, visiting with family or seeing Seoul from overseas.

A black-and-white parent-and-child portrait
A black-and-white parent-and-child portrait
A mother-and-child caricature
A mother-and-child caricature

Remember your Seoul trip with a caricature

While looking around Ssamziegil, you can also stop for a caricature drawn on site. Travellers take many photographs, but a picture made by an artist during the trip becomes a different kind of souvenir.

Solo visitors can make a personal record of their Seoul journey. Couples can leave with a drawing of the two of them, and families can keep everyone together in a family portrait. It is also a fun experience for children visiting Insadong with their parents.

An experience to share with international friends

Insadong can be combined with traditional Seoul destinations such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village. Visitors from overseas can enjoy the street scenery, browse souvenirs and try an activity all in the same area. A caricature is easy to enjoy together even when people speak different languages.

In the cooler autumn weather described in this September 24, 2026 journal, a slow walk around Insadong was especially pleasant. Explore Ssamziegil, wander through nearby alleys, then continue toward Ikseon-dong, Bukchon or Gyeongbokgung to make a full day of it.

Alongside your travel photos, leave with a one-of-a-kind drawing. Years later, the faces and atmosphere in that little souvenir may bring back the whole day in Seoul.

Visit Beautiful Caricature

  • Beautiful Caricature, Ssamziegil entrance, second floor, 44 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (인사동길 44 쌈지길 입구 2층).
  • Access: approximately 3–5 minutes on foot from Anguk Station, Exit 6.
  • Hours listed in the original articles: 10:30–20:30; closed on Seollal and Chuseok day. Confirm current opening hours and any outdoor pop-up schedule before visiting.

Google Maps: Insadong Ssamziegil

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