The last time my husband and I played hanbok dress up was eight years ago. We wanted to do it again, so we headed to Jongno District to rent hanbok and take a walk inside Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁) last Children’s Day, May 5th. Since finding a place to park in downtown area is such a hassle especially on a Saturday, I searched for the nearest parking lot in advance and made a parking reservation at Twin Tree Tower located just across the palace. The regular rate is 3,000 KRW (146 PHP) per 30 minutes but I was able to purchase a 24-hour parking ticket for only 8,700 KRW (425 PHP) using a local app. Woot! We were able to roam around without worrying about the parking fee.

Hanbok (한복) refers to the traditional attire used in Joseon Dynasty. “Han” means Korean and “bok” means clothing. We rented our hanbok at a shop called Cham Hanbok. It is located at the 2nd floor of the building. Refer to the map above.







Hubby was so annoying and funny at the same time – he was in character, speaking in old Korean language and accent. Oh well, I also talked to him in Filipino and he couldn’t understand what I was saying. Haha! After walking around the palace for more or less an hour, we got so tired already (sign of aging LOL). Most people maximize their hanbok rental by having pictorials at nearby tourist spots like Hanok Village, Insadong and Changdeok Palace but we decided to go back to the rental shop though we still had so much time left.
Then we went to Cafe Mamas (Gwanghwamun branch) to grab something to eat. Cafe Mamas is a brunch cafe with several branches in Seoul. I usually visit the one in COEX.




And our last stop… Starbucks! We got to enjoy our LG VIP perks – free drinks!^^
It was a wonderful date. I had so much fun with Hubby, my lifetime playmate. Within the core of each of us, there is a little child who comes out in front of the person we’re most comfortable with. No matter how much we grow old, we should always embrace and nurture that child within us —the foundation of what we have become, who we are and what we will be. Happy Children’s Day Korea!
How to get there by subway:
Take Seoul Metro and get off at Gyeongbokgung station Exit 5 or Gwanghwamun station Exit 3. You need to walk for about 5-10 mins. Refer to the map below.