Hanok Village

Hanok, a unique residential structure equipped with features to withstand both cold and heat.
A village managed or developed to preserve the traditional Korean housing culture, hanok, and to promote its cultural uniqueness.

Access by subway

• Bukchon Hanok Village : Line 3 Anguk station
• Namsangol Hanok Village : Line 4 Chungmuro station
• Eunpyeong Hanok Village : Line 3 Gupabal station → Bus (No. 7211, 10 minutes travel time)

Information

Uniqueness of Hanok

Hanok is a traditional Korean architectural style designed to address both the hot and cold conditions of the Korean Peninsula, which experiences both continental and oceanic climates. The unique features of hanok are as follows:

First, hanok structures vary slightly by region. In the colder northern regions, hanok developed with a low-roofed, overlapping structure (gyeopjip), where rooms were arranged in two rows or closely attached without a wooden floor (maru) to block out the cold and retain heat, allowing all household activities to be conducted indoors. In the warmer southern regions, hanok evolved with a single-line layout (hotjip) to promote airflow, with rooms, wooden floors, and kitchens arranged in a row, and many windows and doors for ventilation. In the central region, a combination of these two styles led to many hanok being built in an L-shaped (ㄱ) layout.

Second, hanok features a balanced combination of ondol (a traditional underfloor heating system) for warmth and maru (an elevated wooden floor) for cooling. A single house is equipped to handle both cold and heat, which is one of the most distinctive features of hanok and unique in the history of global architecture.

Understanding and experiencing each part of a hanok offers significant insights into Korean culture and its people.

Government Efforts for Preservation and Development

To promote the dissemination and expansion of hanok, the central and local governments have undertaken various initiatives, including: defining hanok in building regulations, establishing standards for reconstruction and major repairs, implementing tax reductions such as property tax incentives for hanok, providing financial support, revising guidelines for rural housing improvement projects, creating model hanok villages in rural new towns, distributing hanok design books for rural areas, conducting R&D on hanok technology, performing mock-up tests for new technology verification, developing infrastructure for the wood industry and its R&D, and establishing a National Hanok Center.

Additionally, ongoing efforts are being made for the preservation, management, and active utilization of hanok. The following two examples illustrate the management, promotion, and utilization of hanok in Seoul.

Since 2001, Seoul has been purchasing hanok that have high preservation value but are at risk of destruction or damage, and operating them as public hanok. As of 2023, the city has 34 public hanok, which are used as key spaces to introduce Korea’s traditional housing style and its unique residential culture to external visitors, and to support various community activities for local residents.

Through the Seoul Hanok Support Center, the city encourages the registration of existing hanok in the area and implements the ‘Three Major Hanok Preservation Support Projects,’ focusing on three areas that frequently encounter issues or difficulties in maintenance: small-scale repairs (such as roof leaks, column corrosion, and plaster peeling), replacement of old electrical wiring (including updating internal wiring, installing standalone smoke detectors, and grounding work), and termite control (such as wood treatment with chemicals and soil treatment). Recently, efforts have also been made to use advanced drones to inspect roof tile conditions and ensure proactive responses. However, there is a declining demand for hanok, making it urgent to devise countermeasures.

Useful tips for tourists