Getting Lost in Bukchon Hanok Village
One of the most epic instances of getting lost that I’ve ever experienced happened during my visit to Bukchon Hanok Village, a tourist spot filled with traditional Korean houses. We took the subway and, feeling overly confident, I directed everyone to get off at a particular station (the name escapes me now). Turned out, we got off one station too early. By the time we realized it, we were already outside the station, and honestly, the thought of going back underground to re-enter the subway was too much effort.
So, we decided to brave the scorching heat and walk through Seoul instead. Thankfully, the sidewalks there are spacious, making the walk comfortable despite the relentless sun. The air was clean with minimal pollution, but the heat still got to us, leaving me dizzy and sweating—quite the workout!
After walking for a while, we still couldn’t find the village. Ugh, hilarious in hindsight but frustrating at the time! That’s when Adrian stepped in and took charge. Thankfully, he managed to guide us to our destination. Yay! We finally made it and started exploring the area. I must admit, I’m terrible at reading maps. While I’m pretty good at memorizing landmarks, maps just confuse me sometimes.
For cultural tourism enthusiasts, Bukchon Hanok Village is a must-visit. This village has been around since the Joseon Dynasty and is still home to its original residents today. Visitors are expected to show respect, such as refraining from taking random photos without permission. Back in the day, this area was home to government officials and aristocrats, so the traditional houses (hanoks) here were considered high-class residences.
Walking through the narrow alleys of Korea, with their uphill and downhill terrain, was an experience in itself. I enjoyed it so much that—yes, you guessed it—I got lost again. It was honestly confusing trying to find a way out of the village. According to the map, it should’ve been close to Changdeokgung Palace, but we couldn’t seem to locate the path. Facepalm moment.
Getting Lost Again on the Way to Changdeokgung Palace
After wandering aimlessly, Adrian suggested we sit down and rest for a bit to clear our heads and think.
“All we need to do is head straight, and we’ll get there. It should be simple,” Adrian said confidently.
“Don’t get your hopes up; we’ll probably get lost again,” I replied, exhausted and skeptical.
“Well, we need to get out of this village anyway. Let’s just walk straight ahead. If we find the palace, great. If not, we’ll head home. The important thing is to get out of Bukchon Hanok Village first. Once we’re out, we can call a taxi,” Adrian declared firmly.
It’s worth noting that taxis aren’t allowed inside Bukchon Hanok Village, so you have to walk to the outskirts to hail one.
Reluctantly, I dragged my tired legs forward, grumbling the entire way.
“Ugh, it’s so hot!”
“Why does it feel like we’re never getting there?”
“Are we lost again, or what?”
In the end, we eventually found our way—but not without plenty of memorable missteps along the way.
And Then Basti’s Question Had Me Laughing
As I continued my string of complaints, Basti looked up at me with wide, curious eyes and asked a question that made me burst out laughing and oddly energized me again.
“Mom, are we lost? Is there going to be a monster eating us because we’re lost?” he asked seriously, his big eyes filled with concern and imagination.
Honestly, I was torn between laughing and feeling sorry for him—his expression was just so pitiful! Oh, Basti, it’s not that bad. Where does he even get these ideas? Hahaha.
So, we kept walking. Just as we were getting into the rhythm of it, a massive, imposing building suddenly came into view on our left.
“What’s that?” I wondered aloud.
“Wait, is that the palace?!” I exclaimed, my eyes lighting up with excitement.
“We found it! We found it!” I cheered, jumping up and down like a kid, which prompted Basti to jump around excitedly too. It was such a joyous moment—after all that exhaustion, we finally reached our destination! Hahaha. My earlier lack of energy instantly vanished.
“So, weren’t you just complaining about being too tired? Are you sure you still have the energy to explore the palace?” Adrian teased me.
I just grinned at him sheepishly. That’s me—discovering a new place always recharges my batteries. It’s like I went from zero to fully charged in an instant. Hahaha.
Lost in Seoul at Night
Those two times getting lost were nothing compared to what happened after our trip to Nami Island. This one takes the cake!
On our way back from Nami Island, we took the MRT. As we got off, Adrian’s phone battery died, and he asked me to navigate us back to the hotel. “No problem,” I thought. The hotel was close to the MRT station, and we’d already gone back and forth a few times.
Feeling confident (as usual), I decided to conserve my phone’s battery. After putting the hotel name into Google Maps, I only checked the direction briefly and started walking without turning on GPS.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Adrian asked skeptically.
“Yes, I checked on Google Maps,” I replied casually.
We walked on, with Adrian carrying a tired Basti while I tucked my phone into my shirt pocket.
After nearly 20 minutes of walking, we still couldn’t find the small turn leading to the hotel. The later it got, the quieter the streets became, and the atmosphere grew a bit eerie. Frustrated and exhausted after an entire day of activities, combined with the cold night air, I finally gave up and stopped walking. Then, embarrassingly, I started crying.
“Why is this taking so long? Google Maps said it was just a 10-minute walk, and it looked so close!” I whined.
“Let me see the map. You carry Basti,” Adrian said, taking my phone. After a moment of studying the screen, he shook his head.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, confused.
“You’re going the wrong way. The hotel is behind us. We’ve been walking in the opposite direction for 2 kilometers.”
“What?! Are you serious?” I cried, tears welling up again.
“Alright, calm down. Let’s take a break. We’ll eat at that diner over there,” Adrian suggested, trying to console me. I felt so guilty—how had I managed to get us lost again?
After eating and recharging with some food, Adrian took over navigation. We retraced our steps for 2 kilometers back toward the MRT station, and sure enough, the hotel was close to the station all along—we’d just gone the wrong way.
As we walked back, I couldn’t help muttering to myself, “Oh my goodness, Eka! Why can’t you read maps properly?” Hahaha.