12/09/2021
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Enjoying your trip to Gyeongju with family and getting work done in the living room of a hanok Wiyeonjae Hanok Stay in Gyeongju
Located across the street from Cheomseongdae Observatory on Jjoksaem-gil in Gyeongju is a hanok that is sure to catch your eyes. A flower wall decorated with roofing tiles continues, and behind the wall stand trumpet vines and pine trees in harmony. Then, you see a signboard for Wiyeonjae Hanok Stay above the front gate with a huge engraving of 囍 (“ssang-hui”) meaning “double happiness.” The name of this place derives from the four-character idiom 無爲自然 (“mu-wi-ja-yeon”) that conveys the owner’s wish for guests to enjoy time as it naturally goes by.
You can also spend your workation here. The quiet and still hanok is the best place to get the work that has piled up done. In the room is a small table where you can work while enjoying the freedom of high-speed wireless Internet on the living room facing a green garden. One of the benefits of staying at Wiyeonjae Hanok Stay is that famous attractions in Gyeongju are just around the corner. Cheomseongdae Observatory is a 1-minute walk, and most tourist destinations such as Daereungwon Ancient Tombs, Hwangnidan-gil, and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are also close enough to visit on foot. While you work at the hanok, your family can enjoy their trip.
Stepping into Wiyeonjae Hanok Stay after opening the front gate, you will be greeted by the U-shaped hanok. It create a cozy ambiance, and the octagonal roof and thick pillars show the beauty of hanok while the garden with bamboo and pine trees along the wall adds to its elegance. The hanok is built using red clay and pine trees with traditional construction techniques applied.
All five rooms are ondol (Korea’s traditional underfloor heating system). The floors of the ondol rooms were built with special care by mixing charcoal and soil. Since each room is large enough, there is still space even when a comforter for two people is unfolded on the floor. Beddings are washed daily. The thick cotton comforter rustles when it touches your skin as it is routinely dried under sunlight. The pleasant feeling from the well-dried comforter helps you have a good night's sleep. When you look at the ceiling and face pine trees and a rafter on the soft comforter, your eyes and mind become relaxed.
The numaru (loft) attached to the Munmu room is a great place to enjoy the beautiful view of the front yard and hanok from the loft, like a giant landscape painting. There is no better place than the numaru to enjoy breakfast. When breakfast with sandwiches, jam, coffee, and fruits on a small dining table is served, you will feel like you are treated like a king or a queen.
The bathrooms are modern, clean, and convenient. The shower booth with a fan heater maintains warmth even in the middle of winter. The washroom has a small window with a garden view. Natural light coming in through the windows creates a cozy atmosphere.
Nearby Tourist Destination
Wolseong District (Gyeongju Historic Areas)
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gyeongju Historic Areas comprise five historic areas. Among them, Wolseong District was a palace site of the millennium-long Silla dynasty. In the district are Wolseong, the capital of Silla, Gyerim Forest; the forest where Kim Al-ji, founder of the royal Kim clan, was born; Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, a separate palace site with a beautiful night view; and Cheomseongdae Observatory, the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia.
Hwangnidan-gil
Hwangnam-dong is popular neighborhood with trendy cafes and restaurants that were once hanok buildings now frequently visited by young people. You can enjoy the old-fashioned atmosphere as there are buildings from the 1960s and 1970s in the neighborhood. Hwangnidan-gil is a portmanteau of “Hwangnam-dong” in Gyeongju and “Gyeongnidan-gil” in Itaewon, Seoul—creating the meaning of “Gyeongnidan-gil in Hwangnam-dong.”