Time Travel at Ikseon-dong Hanok Village

One of the highlights of my trip would definitely be Ikseon-dong. It was a juxtaposition of old and new in the form of a charming, little village surrounded by a busy place like Seoul. 

I found out about the place after watching Jacob & Kevin's BOYLOG a few months before and I made sure to go there the next time I come back to South Korea. I know I said that I left my heart at Pie Hole, but I'm pretty sure I left a part of my heart here as well. 

I met up with my friend, Marga, who I've known since elementary. We used to fangirl over J-pop together until we moved to K-pop. 5th Grade Celina and Marga would have never imagined meeting in Korea more than a decade later. 

First stop: Kyoungsung Bakery / 경성과자점

This cafe is known for their desserts such as pound cake and pudding, as well as beverages like fancy shmancy tea served in a wine glass. They retained the very traditional interior with regal elements. 

I'd be lying if I said that I didn't go here because my two favorite boys went here.

This is me in my fangirl mode.

As much as we wanted to try out their pound cakes, we decided to roam around more. As a very impulsive, spontaneous person, I decided to have myself drawn by an artist who was accepting on-the-spot art commissions. It took about 15-20 minutes for her to finish and it was really interesting to watch the whole process come together. 

We ended up staying at this place called 밀/Mil Toast House.

It may have been the smell of newly-baked bread and the sight of their staff preparing the food through the glass window that brought us into their cafe. 

They maximized the use of natural lighting for the main area of the cafe with the fabrics as shade, while adding accents under the counter tables and some areas around. 밀 literally means "wheat", and I noticed how the mixture of browns and white somehow reminded me of that. 

Sticking to their name, the cafe specializes in bread. As Marga's treat (thank you bby), we ordered the set which had their best-selling toast with an addition of a Strawberry dessert whose name I totally forgot. She got a glass of Blooming Tea while I ordered a bottle of their Strawberry milk.We spent the next few hours just catching up with each other's lives :') 

Only through research afterwards did I found out that Ikseon-dong is a known filming location for Korean dramas such as Goblin and Hotel del Luna. I personally don't think that my photos give any justice to its beauty, but I hope this somehow give you a push to add this wonderful place in your future itinerary!

Ikseon-dong Hanok Village (Visit Korea)