Arts & culture
Bongsutgol Village
봉숫골
Tongyeong's blue-sea art alley
A hillside alley in Tongyeong that honors abstract painter Jeon Hyuck Lim, the "painter of the sea." Once a food street, it now holds 30-plus cafes, studios and craft workshops, with cherry blossoms in spring and cobalt sea views throughout. Small and low-key, but steeped in art.
What to see & do
Painter Jeon Hyuck Lim Street A commemorative street lined with tile reproductions of the abstract pioneer's paintings.
Jeon Hyuck Lim Art Museum A tile-clad building showing 80-plus works spanning 30 years, plus his tools, photos and poems.
Bookshop Bomnal A restored abandoned house turned into a themed bookstore and cultural hub that won a 2019 national Good Place award.
Seasonal festivals Cherry blossoms in spring, the Jeon Hyuck Lim Art Festival and Hwayangyeonhwa Festival in fall.
Eat & do here
- Bookshop Bomnal봄날의책방 A converted old house with themed rooms for reading, classes and exhibitions, its walls quoting Tongyeong's writers.
- Nijiten니지텐 A quiet white-fronted Japanese spot known for tendon and crisp tempura.
- Gimseonsaeng Chungmu Gimbap김선생충무김밥 A go-to for Chungmu gimbap, the local specialty born in Tongyeong's old namesake.
- Monodrama모노드라마 A house turned black-and-white photo studio for keepsake portraits of your Tongyeong trip. Website
- Buen부엔 A red-brick dessert cafe by the old guardian tree, with big windows over the village. Instagram
- Traveling Witch빗자루탄마녀 A tiny gift shop and rest stop selling souvenirs and house-blended teas like Sunset Glow and Spring Flower. Instagram
- Salon, Hosim내성적싸롱호심 A cultural salon-cafe by illustrator Bapjang, with a garden-and-pond view that nods to Tongyeong's old salon culture. Instagram
Source: Korea Tourism Organization, “Korean Streets & Alleys” (2024). Rewritten for DealSeoul; details may have changed since 2024, confirm hours and openings before you go.
