After spending an afternoon at Changdeokgung Palace near Insadong, I decided to drop a visit to one of my favorite areas in Seoul-Insadong. Something about this place always warms my heart. The galleries, the street food vendors, traditional tea houses as well as the amazing Korean restaurants that won't kill your budget! For 5,000-6,000 won, you can eat until your stuffed! Now that's my kind of meal :)

This day was spent to pamper Sarah...I found the mandoo place that I so craved for all these years! 'Sadong Myunok - 사동면옥' is a famous mandoo (Korean dumpling) restaurant that my cousin took me to 4 + years ago, and couldn't find it a few months ago. But this day, I just couldn't leave Insadong until I found it. Their mandoo soup totally hit the spot, then picked up a 'hoduk' on my way to a tea house.

i can't believe i found this restaurant after 4 yrs! happy to know it's still around...

outside of 'sadong myunook' restaurant-insadong (phone number-02-735-7393)

well known for their mandoo soup at 'sadong myunook'-insadong

the size of this mandoo...amazing!

the amazing mandoo at 'sadong myunook'

the stamp stand-traditional korean 'dojang' stamps-personalize with your name

love the stamp stones...starts at 30,000 won

famous 'insadong' cafe in insadong

'insadong' tea house

enjoying tea at 'insadong' tea house

guests leaving messages on wooden logs...

the endless shopping...

shopping area off of the main street of insadong (kinda hidden)

handmade soap shop-insadong

these handmade soaps are amazing! everything from ginseng soaps to ginger soaps...prices average 13,000-15,000 won

famous 'hoduk' stand in insadong

crazy lines to get hoduk!!! but it was sooo worth it :)

i would really like to learn how to make this actually...

there's just no way this is any way healthy...

'hoduk' made out of corn...center filled with sugar syrup base. yum!!! my favorite street food in seoul!

mittens i bought for 10,000 won ($10)! too cute...but as soon as i bought it, i reached into my bag to grab the ones i brought only to find i lost one...oh the irony!