News reference date: September 25, 2026. Published September 26, 2026.
Seoul Hanok Week will return from October 2 to 11 with 82 programs, its largest lineup to date, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s September 23 announcement. The fourth edition will take place across Bukchon and Seochon, combining exhibitions, tours, performances, and hands-on activities connected with traditional Korean housing.
The announcement offers a timely reason for international visitors to look at hanok as more than a recognizable roofline. A house can be approached through its materials and appearance, but also through the way people enter it, move through it, and use its different spaces.
What the city has announced
The program includes guided and self-guided visits. Some guided tours are intended to provide access to buildings that are not normally easy to visit, including the House of Woon Kyung and the Embassy of Switzerland in Korea.
The city’s English-language announcement also lists activities specifically for foreign participants, including a Seochon walk on October 7 and hanok walking tours on October 8–9. These are scheduled programs, not confirmation that places remain available.
Why reservations need attention
The city says advance applications for relevant programs began on September 18, with participants selected by lottery. Some activities may accept people on the day when booked participants do not attend. Visitors should check the Seoul Hanok Portal for the conditions of the individual activity instead of assuming that every event is open for unrestricted entry.
A more thoughtful way to experience hanok
Our suggested approach is to choose one question before beginning a tour. How does the entrance affect your first impression? Where can you see outside from an interior space? Which elements appear historic, and which suggest adaptation for present-day use?
These questions help turn a walk into an exercise in observation. They also leave room for a guide to explain details that cannot be understood from appearance alone. When you do not know whether a feature is original, restored, or newly introduced, ask rather than assume.
Photography can support this process. Instead of taking only a broad view of the building, consider recording a doorway, the meeting of two materials, or a view framed by a window—where photography is permitted.
Being a considerate visitor
Treat access as an invitation with boundaries. Follow the route provided, ask before entering a room that is not clearly open, and respect instructions about shoes, photography, and noise. Avoid photographing residents or looking into private interiors without permission.
The strongest reason to attend Hanok Week is the opportunity to spend time with architecture rather than merely pass through it. One carefully chosen visit, supported by good questions and respect for the setting, can offer more insight than a long list of hurried stops.
