Walking in the Alley — A Stroll Through Samgakji’s Backstreets

In recent years, Samgakji has been changing fast, as young, trendy spaces open among the long-standing shops that have kept watch over its narrow alleys. Step off the main boulevard and walk the old backstreets. This is a stroll through Samgakji to discover new spaces that have been open for less than a year.

Compiled by Pyo Youngso
Illustration Kim Eunbin

Mars

Q Could you briefly introduce your space?
A It’s a wine bar that carefully prepares and serves conventional and natural wines along with European-style French cuisine.

Q When and why did you first settle in this alley?
A I run a small tonkatsu restaurant called August Tonkatsu ( august_tonkatsu) on the main road by Samgakji Station, so I ended up setting up nearby. We opened in March, so I named it Mars (the French word for March).

Q Is there a place in the Samgakji area you’d recommend?
A There are sidewalks on both sides of the Samgakji overpass. When you stand there, the railroad tracks stretch out beneath your feet. It’s fascinating to look down on trains passing below, and every time I see it, I feel like going somewhere far away.

Q Tell us about the alley you remember most from your travels.
A The old quarter of Lyon, France, ‘Vieux Lyon.’ Square cobblestones blend with the lights of old shops, and boulangeries, pâtisseries, restaurants, clothing stores, galleries and a cathedral are scattered throughout the alleys. I loved its natural atmosphere.

Q Who would you recommend a stroll through Samgakji’s alleys to?
A Samgakji is an old neighborhood, so small, long-established shops mix with trendy, newly renovated ones, and there are many great places to eat. I think people of all different tastes will find something to enjoy here.

Q Is there an alley in another area that you like or are curious about?
A Lately I’ve been enjoying Yeonmujang-gil in Seongsu-dong, where old buildings now house hip bars, cafés, restaurants and select shops.

Interviewee :    Chef Moon Sangwook

Clumsy Bakery

Q Could you briefly introduce your space?
A It’s a small dessert shop opened by someone who left an ordinary job at a large corporation to pursue self-fulfillment.

Q When and why did you first settle in this alley?
A To find a location, I started by exploring neighborhoods I had always liked. I wanted a place not far from home, with a fair amount of foot traffic but not too crowded. The alleys just inside Samgakji Station turned out to be exactly that.

Q Is there a place in the Samgakji area you’d recommend?
A I like the road from Samgakji Station toward Noksapyeong Station. I especially recommend it in autumn, when the roadside trees turn colors. It’s a pleasant place for a walk in the green season, too.

Q Tell us about the alley you remember most from your travels.
A When I was in college, I studied English in London for a year. I’d recommend Upper Street in Islington, near Angel Station, where I lived at the time. It’s full of restaurants, dessert shops and things to see, including Ottolenghi, which I visited at least once a week while dreaming of a dessert shop of my own. Even now, when I close my eyes, I can picture the scene there.

Q Who would you recommend a stroll through Samgakji’s alleys to?
A I’d recommend it to people who prefer somewhere a little more relaxed than overly dense shopping alleys like Seongsu or Hannam-dong.

Q Is there an alley in another area that you like or are curious about?
A I like Seosunra-gil and Wonseo-dong, where you can wander leisurely and take in the charm of the alleys. They’re also among the places I walked around while searching for a location for my shop.

Interviewee :    Pastry Chef Kim Jun

Gatabuta

Q Could you briefly introduce your space?
A Gatabuta makes plain, simple Hawaiian food. We opened on April 30, 2021.

Q When and why did you first settle in this alley?
A I came across it by chance on a walk. Watching people hurry past the old alleys, worn-out apartments and buildings where time seemed to have stopped, I suddenly thought, ‘I’d like to run a business here.’ Later, when I seriously started looking for a spot, I came back to this alley and found the space we have now.

Q Is there a place in the Samgakji area you’d recommend?
A I recommend Parfum Samgak. A good fragrance brings life back to a tired day. It’s a warm space that is both stylish and able to awaken feelings you’d forgotten. I’d also recommend Who’s Coffee (whos.coffee). The coffee is great, and so is their conviction about how they treat coffee. It’s full of positive energy, with delicious coffee and enjoyable conversation.

Q Tell us about the alley you remember most from your travels.
A On the way from Ala Moana Center in Hawaii to Ala Moana Beach, there’s a wide park and a canal between the tennis courts. Passing through that park always thrilled me. The warm sunshine, birds I couldn’t name and the lively sounds of people exercising were enough to make my heart pound with excitement.

Q Who would you recommend a stroll through Samgakji’s alleys to?
A A variety of spaces gather here, from old, long-established shops to new stores large and small. Above all, the strength of this street is that many of the merchants communicate and share with one another. Tucked between the small alleys and the big ones are many stories of their own. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy the atmosphere, both unfamiliar and friendly, that new people and new places bring.

Q Is there an alley in another area that you like or are curious about?
A I sometimes visit Huam-dong to meet friends. Walking past the shops, large and small, along its steep hillside roads, I often feel as if I’ve traveled back in time on a picnic.

Interviewee :    Chef Kwon Deok

Bau Cafe

Q Could you briefly introduce your space?
A It’s a small café on a street in Samgakji with many old, long-standing shops. Our signature drink is the black sesame latte, and we vary the menu with desserts made with black sesame and seasonal desserts.

Q When and why did you first settle in this alley?
A I’ve lived in Namyeong-dong for five years, so I started coming to Samgakji often, and I found many cafés I love. That made me want to open a small café here, and a good space happened to come up, so I started right away.

Q Is there a place in the Samgakji area you’d recommend?
A Samgakji has many shops that keep their old houses just as they were. One of them, Doyajip, is an aged-pork restaurant in a house more than 40 years old. I love it for the modern style added to an old space. As for the taste of the meat, there’s really nothing more to say.

Q Tell us about the alley you remember most from your travels.
A My love of coffee grew even stronger after a working holiday in Australia in my twenties. I recommend Hosier Lane in Melbourne, which became famous as a filming location for the drama “I’m Sorry, I Love You.” It’s the hippest alley I’ve ever come across, and personally it holds many memories for me.

Q Who would you recommend a stroll through Samgakji’s alleys to?
A Recently, the old shops around Samgakji have been turning, one by one, into spaces with a youthful sensibility. As a result, the neighborhood has taken on an atmosphere where past and future coexist. I think not only young people but also those who remember Samgakji’s past will find new inspiration in its changed look. I’d love to have Bau Coffee join that walk, too.

Interviewee :    Owner Lee Hanseok

Parfum Samgak

Q Could you briefly introduce your space?
A Parfum Samgak began as a local perfumery that wanted to express Seoul’s hip center through scent. Samgakji is where three roads split off toward Seoul Station, the Han River, and Itaewon, and our showroom sits right in the middle. Its signature feature is the red brick, usually used for building exteriors, that we brought inside. We wanted an atmosphere that feels shy and understated, yet warm and refined. Aiming to share our interest in fragrance with the trend-conscious MZ generation, we offer room sprays inspired by Namsan, the Han River, and Itaewon. We also run a scent-sampling class called ‘Olfactive Journey’ so people can enjoy fragrance more actively.

Q When and why did you first settle in this alley?
A I’ve lived in Samgakji for about 15 years. It’s very easy to reach downtown areas like Gwanghwamun and Yeouido, and it’s close to both Seoul Station and Yongsan Station, so getting around for work meetings is convenient. Namsan and the Han River are easy to get to, too. A few years ago I started seeing cafés, restaurants, and wine bars open up around here, and I found myself wanting to join them.

Q Are there any places in the Samgakji area you’d recommend?
A Between Sookmyung Women’s University Station and Hangang Bridge, there are dozens of places worth making time to visit. The ones we go to often include Bau Cafe, famous for its black sesame latte; NM (nm.seoul), whose menu draws heavily on Samgakji as a motif; and Max, which served French home cooking in this neighborhood for a long time, went through a stretch as a Japanese katsu place, and now offers wine with French dishes to match. I’d also recommend Gatabuta, which opened not long ago but serves proper Hawaiian poke. And of course, I can’t leave out the all-day brunch spot Vert (vert_629)!

Q Tell us about the alley you remember most from your travels.
A The one I remember most is Tianzifang (田子坊) on Taikang Road (泰康路) in Shanghai. Laundry hangs everywhere in the lòngtáng (弄堂), Shanghai’s traditional style of housing. In the evening, small shops light up, and tiny restaurants sit on the second floors. It’s a charming neighborhood where East and West meet in an exotic way among red brick buildings. If you want to feel Shanghai’s past and present together, I hope you’ll visit.

Q Who would you recommend a stroll through Samgakji’s alleys to?
A Yeonnam-dong and Mangwon-dong are great, but if you’re looking for a space that’s a bit calmer yet still trendy, I’d recommend Samgakji. I think it has a different feel from Seongsu or Hannam. It seems taciturn, like it only says what’s necessary, but inside there’s warmth and a color all its own. I think of Samgakji as something like a small, homey yet refined restaurant in a back alley that only those in the know go to.

Q Is there an alley in another area that you like or are curious about?
A These days I often take evening walks along Seoullo, and at the far end of Seoullo 7017, where Mallijae-ro begins, I notice a row of wonderful restaurants and cafés. I’m curious about Mallijae-ro, home to Gongil Bueok, Mallijae Bistro, Very Street Kitchen, Opton, Malli 199, Jongjong Seoul, and more.

Interviewee:    CEO Hwang Ingwon