The Kum Bak Yeon store (금박연) is among the time-honored stores given the title of Oraegagye (오래가게) by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sept. 20. The fabric imprinting store started business during the reign of King Cheoljong (r. 1849-1863), imprinting golden embroidery onto clothes and furniture for the royal family. Pictured is master gold leaf artisan Kim Deok-hwan applying gold decorations to a traditional Korean Hanbok set of clothes. (Kum Bak Yeon)
By Xu Aiying and Sohn JiAe
Long-established stores and restaurants that have kept themselves in existence over so many years, keeping alive their own traditions and stories, are called Shinise (老舗, 시니세) in Japanese or Lao Zihao (老字號, 라오쯔하오) in Mandarin.
There are many such time-honored establishments in Seoul and across Korea, too.
The store Kum Bak Yeon (금박연) has been around since 1861, where masters have imprinted gold colored embroidery onto garments or furniture for the royal famliy. There’s the Myungsindang Pilbang (명신당필방)”, a seal engraver that has survived for two generations. The old store has engraved seals for state guests, including Pope Francis and former U.S. President Barack Obama. The Tong-In Store (통인가게) is the oldest traditional crafts shop in Seoul, open since 1924 and home to more than 100 retailers who sell ancient and contemporary traditional craftworks.
To honor these old retailers, long stationed in the capital city, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected a list of some of them and decided to honor them with the title Oraegagye (오래가게), which means “the oldest stores,” and, also, to express the hope that the “oldest stores will stay around forever” (오래된 가게가 오래 가기를 바란다).
Announced on Sept. 20, the list includes a total of 39 stores that have been open for more than 30 years, that have existed for more than two generations, or that have been operated by an owner who has been designated either as a national Intangible cultural heritage of humanity asset or who has inherited their skills from other such masters.
“We won’t stop at just discovering and honoring the oldest stores with the mark of Oraegagye. Like Japan’s Shinise or Europe’s Hundred Years Storesv, we will try to promote Seoul’s oldest stores and their traditions to the world so that tourists from around the world can come and see,” said Ahn Jun-ho, director at the Tourism and Sports Bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “As the number of visitors coming to the city is on constant rise, we will continue to cater to them with unique tourism programs that will focus on these ancient retailers hidden across the city that will tell their own stories that have lasted throughout their existence,” he said.
Please find the list of Oraegagye stores below.
|
No. |
Name |
Business type |
Address |
Contact number |
Items or programs |
|
1 |
Gawon Craft Studio (가원공방) |
handicrafts shop |
45, Donhwamun-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-814-0250 |
jade crafts, jade art |
|
2 |
Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art (경인미술관) |
museum |
11-4, Insa-dong 10-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-733-4448 |
fine works of art |
|
3 |
Kooha Sanbang (구하산방) |
store that sells tudy material for traditional Confucian scholars (문방사우, 文房四友) |
11, Insa-dong 5-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-732-9895 |
caligraphy brushes, ink, inkstones and paper |
|
4 |
Gukseon Otchil (국선옻칠 |
lacquerware shop |
#637 Pomokbu, Gwangjang Market, Changgyeonggung-ro 88, Jongno-gu |
02-2265-3371 |
crafted lacquerware |
|
5 |
Kum Bak Yeon (금박연) |
workshop |
24-12, Bukchon-ro 12-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-730-2067 |
traditional gilt and embroidered craftworks |
|
6 |
Nakwon Tteokjip (낙원떡집) |
rice-cake shop |
Samildae-ro 444-1, Jongno-gu |
02-732-5579 |
steamed rice cake coated with honey and red bean (두텁떡) |
|
7 |
Napcheong Bronzeware (납청놋전) |
hand-forged bronzeware shop (방짜유기) |
Insadong-gil 39, Jongno-gu |
02-736-5492 |
hand-made brassware |
|
8 |
Naeja Peanuts (내자땅콩) |
confectionary |
Sajin-ro 111-1, Jongno-gu |
02-730-7239 |
traditional snacks |
|
9 |
Daegu Chamgireum-jip (대구참기름집) |
sesame oil retailer |
Gyedong-gil 67, Jongno-gu |
02-765-3475 |
sesame oil, perilla oil |
|
10 |
Donglim Knot Workshop (동림매듭공방) |
workshop |
10, Bukchon-ro 12-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-3673-2778 |
knot crafts and hands-on programs with knotting |
|
11 |
Dongyang Mill (동양방아간) |
rice cake shop |
77, Jahamun-ro 40-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-379-6987 |
half-moon-shaped songpyeon (송편) rice cake and other types of rice cake |
|
12 |
Manna Bunsik (만나분식) |
snacks store |
Pilundae-ro 9-2, Jongno-gu |
02-732-5101 |
tteokbokki (떡볶이) rice cake in a spicy sauce and soondae blood noodle sausauge (순대) |
|
13 |
Myungsindang Pilbang(명신당필방) |
craftworks shop |
Insadong-gil 34, Jongno-gu |
02-722-4846 |
caligraphy brush, ink, inkstone, paper and seals |
|
14 |
Munhwa Barbershop (문화이용원) |
barbershop |
Hyehwa-ro 7, Jongno-gu |
02-762-2314 |
haircuts |
|
15 |
Parkindang (박인당) |
Store for formal stamps and seals |
#302, Daesin Building, Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-ru |
02-733-3429 |
stamps, seals |
|
16 |
Bukchon Woodcraft Workshop (북촌목공예공방) |
workshop |
Gye-dong 6-gil 12, Jongno-gu |
02-725-1061 |
hands-on experiences making woodcrafts |
|
17 |
Biwon Tteokjip (비원떡집) |
rice-cake shop |
Yulgok-ro 20, Jongno-gu |
02-765-4928 |
yaksik (약식), a type of sweet rice made with various nuts, jujubes and honey |
|
18 |
Sambowon (삼보원) |
religious items (Buddhist) |
Ujeongguk-ro 53, Jongno-ru |
02-732-9904 |
Buddhist rosaries, incense |
|
19 |
at Gimbap (손맛김밥) |
snacks |
18, Jahanum-ro 15-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-722-8389 |
seaweed-wrapped rice rolls filled with a variety of ingredients, known, as mayak gimbap rice rolls (마약김밥) |
|
20 |
Sunhee’s Banchan (순희네 반찬) |
shop that sells hand-made side dishes |
Changgyeonggung-ro 88, Jongno-gu |
02-2279-1885 |
spicy marinated crab and flatfish, fermented gajami sikhae (가자미식혜) |
|
21 |
Ahwon Gongbang (아원공방) |
handicraft workshop |
Bukchon-ro 5ga-gil 3, Jongno-gu |
02-735-3482 |
candlesticks and other jewelry |
|
22 |
Yuil Oriental Medicine Clinic (유일한의원) |
Oriental medicine |
17-3, Yulgok-ro 30-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-742-5533 |
acupuncture and other Oriental medicines |
|
23 |
Jidaebang (지대방) |
café |
Insadong-gil 33, Jongno-gu |
02-738-5379 |
traditional tea and snacks |
|
24 |
Cheongwonsanbang (청원산방) |
workshop |
27, Bukchon-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-715-3342 |
hands-on experiences with woodcrafts |
|
25 |
Talbang (탈방) |
handicraft workshop |
Insadong-gil 48, Jongno-gu |
02-734-9289 |
traditional tal masks (탈) |
|
26 |
Tongmungwan (통문관) |
bookstore |
Insadong-gil 55-1, Jongno-gu |
02-734-4092 |
old books and other documents |
|
27 |
Tong-In Store (통인가게) |
gallery |
Insadong-gil 32, Jongno-gu |
02-733-4867 |
old artworks |
|
28 |
Haneul Mulbit (하늘물빛) |
workshop |
Changdeokgung-ro 5-gil 8, Jongno-gu |
02-765-9970 |
traditional dyes and dying |
|
29 |
Hakrim Dabang (학림다방) |
café |
119, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu |
02-742-2877 |
coffee |
|
30 |
Hyoja Bakery (효자베이커리) |
bakery |
Pilundae-ro 54, Jongno-gu |
02- 736-7629 |
breads, related snacks |
|
31 |
Gamu (가무) |
café |
Myeong-dong 4-gil 16, Jongno-gu |
02-776-3141 |
coffee, tea |
|
32 |
Dol Record (돌 레코드) |
vinyl record shop |
49-29, Majang-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu |
02-2235-7130 |
vinyl records, LPs, EPs |
|
33 |
Seoul Sanghoe (서울상회) |
general store |
Namdaemun Market 4-gil, Jung-gu |
02-788-8149 |
ginseng and related items |
|
34 |
Seoul Music Store (서울음악사) |
music store |
56, Eulji-ro 1-ga, Jung-gu |
02-776-4756 |
CDs, DVDs |
|
35 |
Songlim Shoemaking (송림수제화) |
shoe store |
Supyo-ro 60-1, Jung-gu |
02-2279-1910 |
handmade shoes |
|
36 |
Eulji Dabang (을지다방) |
café |
Chungmu-ro 72-1, Jung-gu |
02-2272-1886 |
black herbal tea (쌍화차) |
|
37 |
Chong Ro Tailor (종로양복점) |
tailor |
#618, Eulji Biz Center, Supyo-ro 45, Jung-gu |
02-733-6216 |
tailor-made suits |
|
38 |
Taegeukdang (태극당) |
bakery |
Dongho-ro 24-gil 7, Jung-gu |
02-2279-3152 |
breads with red bean |
|
39 |
Han Young Tailor (한영양복점) |
tailor |
Toegye-ro 20-gil 2, Jung-gu |
02-753-1988 |
tailor-made suits |
