Seochon Village and Tongin Market's Brass Coin Lunchbox Tradition

Seochon Village's quieter character

Seochon Village, sitting on the opposite side of Gyeongbokgung Palace from the more famous Bukchon Hanok Village, offers a similarly historic residential alley experience with noticeably fewer tourists, home to a mix of preserved traditional houses, small galleries and independent cafes. It rewards an unhurried wander, and its comparative quiet makes it a good pick for travelers who found Bukchon more crowded than they'd hoped.

Tongin Market's brass coin lunchbox system

Tongin Market runs a distinctive "dosirak (lunchbox) cafe" program where visitors exchange cash for traditional brass coins (yeopjeon) at a central booth, then use those coins to "purchase" small portions of banchan and other dishes from individual stalls around the market to fill their own lunchbox. It's a genuinely unique, interactive way to sample a wide variety of small dishes, distinct from ordering a full meal at any single stall.

How to actually participate

• Buy an empty lunchbox and a set number of brass coins at the market's exchange booth near the entrance.
• Walk the market and use your coins at participating stalls to select the dishes you want in your box.
• Find a seat in the market's designated eating area to enjoy your assembled lunchbox.
• The program can have limited hours, so checking current operating times before your visit is worth doing.

Photography etiquette matters here as much as in Bukchon, since Seochon's hanok houses are also lived-in residences -- keep to public alleys and avoid photographing directly into private homes or courtyards as you wander.

Morning visits tend to catch the market at its most active for the brass-coin lunchbox program specifically, since some participating stalls sell out of popular items by early afternoon on busier days, particularly weekends.