Ladies and gentlemen, are you curious to try on hanbok? Head over to Goguan Studio in Insadong, a street home to Korea's traditional arts and crafts, cozy cafes, diverse street foods, restaurants that serve parades of colorful dishes and alleys that lead to smile-inducing surprises. Needless to say it's one of my top five favorite areas in Seoul. No matter how many times you visit, there's something new to discover.
Once you enter Goguan Studio, let the workers know. You'll then chill out in the Waiting Area on the third floor. The walls and ceilings are covered with writings left by customers.
To leave your own message, head over to the ink station. Paper and brushes are ready for action. On the right is a collection of eight traditional teas. However the particular day my friends and I went, the containers were empty.
I recommend arriving 30 minutes before your reservation. This will give you time to choose your preferred hanbok and to look at photos of previous customers.
Men can choose to be a king, warrior, yangban and many more. Pose with a sword or keep it simple and mighty with your fists on your thighs (see photo below for reference).
Didn't have time to grow your facial hair? No problem. The makeup artists will happily stick one on you.
For the full list of options, male and female, click here.
Getting your makeup and hair done is not mandatory and comes at an additional cost. My philosophy: wearing an outfit without the proper makeup and hair is like half-cooking a chicken.
The makeup costs 15,000 won (about $15 USD). According to your choice of hanbok, the artist will apply foundation, powder, eye-shadow, eyeliner, false eyelashes, blush and lip color. Doing your hair will cost 5,000 won.
Off to the Selfie Photo Area! There are themed rooms where you can shoot photos with your own camera and phone. The following photos are taken at the Selfie Area.
My friend readjusting her hairpiece. She makes such a pretty princess, doesn't she? :)
Our official hanbok photo taken by Goguan Studio. We're going to show this one to our grandchildren some day.
There are other hanbok studios scattered around Seoul. As much as I like to try new places, I'd come back to Goguan Studio for another round. Bring your family, friends or significant other to make some fun memories :)
Goguan Studio is near Tapgol Park, thus is located closer to Jongno 3-ga Station (exit 1) than Anguk Station (exit 6). Enter through the left corner of the building and walk up to the second floor. Here's the address: 2F, 143 Insadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Remember to make a reservation before you go! You can reserve a spot on their website or call them at 101-09-83326.
