Jeonju Hanok Maeul and the tiled rooftops of old Korea
Published on 08/25/2026 at 08:04 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Jeonju Hanok Maeul is a compact district of traditional Korean houses in the city of Jeonju, where rows of tiled rooftops create a continuous silhouette above narrow streets. Set within Wansan-gu in South Korea’s Jeollabuk-do Province, the village gathers hundreds of hanok homes into a single urban pocket that contrasts with the modern city around it.
Walking a city within the city
Jeonju Hanok Maeul occupies an area overlapping the neighbourhoods of Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong in central Jeonju, forming what many residents describe as a “village inside the city”.Jeonju Hanok Village is located in the city of Jeonju Traditional wooden houses line streets that follow the slope towards the Namcheon (Nam Stream), with low rooflines emphasising the layered pattern of dark tiles and pale walls.
The district contains more than 700 hanok, and many guides describe over 800, making it one of the densest surviving ensembles of such houses in South Korea.This maeul has more than 800 hanok Roof edges curve gently upwards above timber-framed verandas, while courtyard walls in plaster and brick create a continuous streetscape that reads as one long, low skyline when viewed from higher ground.
Hanok architecture and everyday life
The hanok of Jeonju Hanok Maeul combine timber structure, tiled roofs and courtyards, with layouts that can be read from the street in the way doorways and walls are set back from the lane.A section of the city with traditional-style Korean houses, high walls and narrow alleyways Many houses show the characteristic juxtaposition of ondol-heated rooms on stone platforms and open wooden platforms facing the courtyard, so visitors can see how domestic space was historically organised.
Over recent decades, a significant number of these hanok have been adapted to house guesthouses, teahouses, restaurants and workshops, giving the area a mixed character of residential lanes and commercial alleys.This village features more than 700 Hanok houses Many visitors stay overnight in converted hanok guesthouses, sleeping on floor bedding in rooms that still follow the original timber-and-paper construction, while street-facing houses often open onto small cafés and shops selling regional specialities.
Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Pungnammun and views from Omokdae
Jeonju is closely associated with the Joseon dynasty, whose royal Yi family traced its ancestral home to this city.Jeonju City is the ancestral home of the Yi family, who ruled the Joseon dynasty On the western edge of Jeonju Hanok Maeul stands Gyeonggijeon Shrine, established in 1410 and later rebuilt, which enshrines the portrait of King Taejo, the founder of Joseon.The Hanok village lies around Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong in Jeonju City Within its stone walls and wooden gates, visitors find halls, pavilions and a wooded precinct that frames the tiled roofs of the shrine buildings.
South of the village, Pungnammun marks the site of the former south gate of Jeonju’s city walls, originally constructed in the fourteenth century and reconstructed in 1768 after an earlier fire.Originally constructed in 1389, it was rebuilt in 1768 To the east, the hilltop pavilions of Omokdae and Imokdae provide elevated viewpoints over Jeonju Hanok Maeul, with stairways leading up through trees to open terraces where the layered roofs of the village spread out below.
Visiting Jeonju Hanok Maeul: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Jeonju Hanok Maeul stands in Wansan-gu in central Jeonju, in South Korea’s Jeollabuk-do Province, overlapping Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong and close to the Namcheon stream.
- The terrain within the village consists of gently sloping streets and lanes, with some stairways leading up to viewpoints such as Omokdae on the hillside above the rooftops.
- Jeonju Hanok Maeul lies within the built-up area of Jeonju, with Gyeonggijeon Shrine and Jeondong Catholic Cathedral forming prominent landmarks at its edge.
- The official language is Korean and the currency is the South Korean won.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Jeonju Hanok Maeul
Where is Jeonju Hanok Maeul located?
Jeonju Hanok Maeul lies in Wansan-gu in the city of Jeonju, in South Korea’s Jeollabuk-do Province, overlapping Pungnam-dong and Gyo-dong near the Namcheon stream.
What can visitors expect when exploring Jeonju Hanok Maeul?
Visitors walk through lanes lined with traditional hanok houses, many used as guesthouses, teahouses and workshops, with nearby landmarks such as Gyeonggijeon Shrine and Pungnammun gate.
What makes Jeonju Hanok Maeul distinctive among historic districts?
The district brings together several hundred hanok in a continuous urban ensemble, with tiled roofs, courtyards and hilltop viewpoints at Omokdae and Imokdae overlooking the surrounding modern city.
