Ihwa Mural Village이화벽화마을

About this place

Ihwa Mural Village is a hillside residential neighborhood in Jongno-gu, draped along the lower slopes of Naksan Park. In 2006, the government's Naksan Project brought around 70 artists to paint murals and install sculptures throughout the steep alleyways, transforming what had been a low-income district into an open-air gallery. Colorful depictions of fish, flowers, and animals cover the alley walls, and mosaic-tiled staircases climb toward panoramic views of the Seoul city wall and downtown skyline. In 2016, residents removed several large murals in protest over overtourism-related noise and litter, drawing national attention to the tensions between public art and neighborhood life. Much of the artwork remains and the village continues to be a popular stop on the walking route between Hyehwa Station and Naksan Park.

Good to know

Address

70-11 Ihwajang-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Hours

Always open

Open-air public area, accessible at all times, with no official visiting-hour limit of the kind Bukchon has. It is a residential neighbourhood where people live, so keep noise down and visit during the day.

Sources

Confirmed 2 October 2026

• culture.jongno.go.kr

Find more photos

Photo spots nearby

• Naksan Park5 min by transit
• Changsin-dong Sewing Street13 min by transit
• Heunginjimun Gate (Dongdaemun)17 min by transit
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza20 min by transit
• Changgyeonggung Palace20 min by transit