Samcheonggak Cultural Centre and Restaurant
Samcheonggak Complex was built in 1972 and held important historic meetings between South and North Korea. For the next 25 years it was closed to the general public and became a Kisaeng House. Kisaeng were female entertainers and similar to the Japanese Geisha. Samcheonggak was a place where politicians could have secret meetings, dine in style, discuss politics, be entertained and make deals. In 1999 the Seoul Metropolitan Government bought Samcheonggak and turned it into a cultural space.
Samcheonggak is located at the foot of Bukhansan Mountain and beside the Blue House (President’s Residence). Also nearby is the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Nowadays, Samcheonggak Cultural Centre is run by The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. They are responsible for the development of performance and educational programs, renovations, preservation, and running of Samcheonggak. They also run a resturant and Korean style hotel at Samcheonggak.
There are 6 buildings located at Samcheonggak. Each building has a distinct purpose. Ilhwa Hall which was first built to hold the historic meeting between the two Korea’s is now an arts and performing hall. Also located in Ilhwa Hall is a restaurant and tea room.
Cheongcheon Hall and Cheonchu Hall hold group lessons on a variety of courses. These courses range from a couple of hours to four month long courses. Courses include tea making ceremonies, crafts of the women’s quarters, folk songs and many more.
Yuha building is an exquisitely designed eight-sided pavilion where Pansori (Folk art), folk songs, Korean dums and instrument courses are primarily held.
Chihan Hall and Dongbaekheon Hall are now used as a hotel. The hotel recreates the traditional Korean Home Style. It can be a very exciting place to stay. It is located a few minutes by taxi from the centre of Seoul but at the same time is quiet and hidden away in the forest at Bukhansan Mountain. You can choose to sleep on the Korean style beds or Western Style.
Samcheonggak can also be used for seminars and international meetings. Samcheonggak is one of the most famous places in Seoul for traditional performances and fine dining.
For more information about the courses, the restaurant or hotel at Samcheonggak, check out their official site at Samcheonggak
How to get to Samcheonggak:
There is no public transport that serves this area. You must take a taxi or use the free shuttle bus. The shuttle bus runs hourly from 10:00 am to 21:00 pm. You can get the bus in front of Kyobo Book Centre (Gwanghwamun), the Eastern Gate of Gyeongbokgung among other stops. See the picture map below for more information.
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