Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Seoul shares the humid continental climate of most of the Korean Peninsula, with pleasant
but short springs (late March-May), muggy and frequently wet summers (June-September),
and crisp, clear autumns (October-November). Winters (December-March) are among the
coldest in the country due to the city's northern location, with temperatures in January and
February averaging around -5°C.
TRANQUIL TEAHOUSES
If you need a respite from the relentless energy of Seoul's streets, which is all too
likely, consider heading to one of the city's old-style teahouses (
chatjip
). These are
in danger of being crowded out by chain coffee shops in some neighborhoods but
continue to thrive in areas that Seoulites visit for a bit of tradition, like Insa-dong and
Bukchon.
From the moment you enter a teahouse it's clear they're carefully designed to put
the customer at ease. The lighting is soft and the colors muted. The decor consists
of carefully placed ceramics or scrolls of graceful calligraphy. Seating is usually on
cushions on the floor or wooden benches, with nooks and cubbyholes affording pat-
rons privacy. The soundtrack may be the plaintive strains of old music, running wa-
ter, or even live birds.
The typical
chatjip
has a dizzying range of beverages, from relatively common
concoctions like green and roasted corn tea to more exotic blends said to be good
for a variety of ailments. These include
ssanghwa-cha,
a slightly bitter concoction
of medicinal herbs said to warm the body and ward off colds, and
daechu-cha,
a tea
made of jujubes that apparently relieves coughs and muscle pain. Teas are usually
served with
ddeok
(rice cakes) or Korean sweets, and customers are encouraged to
linger, making tea shops an ideal hangout for writers, artists, or the simply contem-
plative.
While you'll spot teahouses all over the city, the back alleys of Insa-dong, where
they're at their more atmospheric, is a good place to start looking. The esoteric-
ally named “Moon Bird Thinks only of the Moon,” with its garden-like interior, and
Yetchatjip,
which is home to about a dozen free-flying birds and prides itself on its
fruit teas, are two of the more renowned.
