Korean Folk Village

Full transcript

Annyeong, yeoreobun! Yul here. Quick question. Have you ever watched a Joseon-era K-drama, with busy markets, straw-roofed houses, and a mysterious scholar walking down a dirt road? Well, there's a good chance some of it was filmed right here. Welcome to the Korean Folk Village in Yongin!

It opened on October 3, 1974, and it works like a time machine. Around 270 traditional houses show how people lived in the late Joseon dynasty. And here's what's cool: you can see every level of society. Farmers' houses with thatched straw roofs, wealthy families' homes with tiled roofs, a government office, even a village market. You can walk from a poor farmer's hut to a nobleman's mansion in five minutes.

Now, the K-drama part. Famous dramas like Jewel in the Palace, Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Moon Embracing the Sun used this village as a set. Even the zombie series Kingdom shot some scenes here.

And plot twist: this village isn't a quiet museum. It's alive! There are traditional performances every day, like farmers' music with drums and spinning ribbon hats, and jultagi, tightrope walking. A performer walks on a rope high in the air, jumps, sits down, and tells jokes at the same time. Daebak!

Yul's tip! Check the performance schedule as soon as you arrive, and plan your walk around it. And if you can, rent a hanbok. Walking these streets in traditional clothes makes you the main character of your own drama.

Next, let's go to the port where a famous black noodle dish was born. Kaja!