Just like most other Korean cities, Jeonju is chock full of cafés. However, the best experience you can have having tea at one of their teahouses.

Suggested read: Ireuri Cafe: Insta-worthy café in Jeonju Hanok Village

The vibes are very different: everyone feels to be moving at a much slower pace and everything is a lot quieter. I feel much more relaxed at their teahouses, especially those in Jeonju Hanok Village.

One of the most famous teahouses in Jeonju is none other than Gyodong Dawon. It is particularly reputable among tourists, but also holds its place among the locals.

Our Gyodong Dawon experience

Gyodong Dawon is easily recognisable from afar. It looks as if an actual house has been renovated into a teahouse.

The teahouse houses a courtyard, where you’ll find old jangdok (clay jar for containing soy sauce, hot chilli pepper paste, soybean paste and the like) flanked by short trees.

Unlike other teahouses in Insadong that I’ve been to, such as Shin Old Teahouse and Jeontong Dawon, you’ll have to remove your shoes before entering Gyodong Dawon. This is much like entering someone’s house, where footwear is not welcomed.

While I’m not sure if it’s common practice in traditional teahouses, I found this detail rather endearing. It feels as though they are welcoming you into their personal, intimate space. The homely feeling really takes the experience up by a notch.

When you enter, you’ll find that the inside of the teahouse is rather spacious. Tables are low, and you’ll have to sit on the floor.

Gyodong Dawon boasts this impressive shelf where they display almost every teapot, tea cup, and I believe tea bowls (!) imaginable. It’s a beautiful collection, and is a testament to how seriously they take their tea.

We picked a lovely seat that allowed us to see the courtyard.

I don’t recall the tea we ordered, but we opted to have it hot in a pot and shared among the 4 of us.

The staff was very well-spoken and extremely fluent in English. I suppose it comes with a job where you frequently have to interact with tourists!

He took the time to explain the tea to us, as well as ran through the various steps of the Korean tea ceremony with us. The Korean tea ceremony is a traditional way of brewing and drinking tea – simpler than the Japanese chadou, but still with its own rich knowledge and history.

Just like how the tea ceremony is simple yet elegant, the tea at Gyodong Dawon portrays the same characteristics. It was clean and fragrant, easy to drink, yet you can tell it is made from tea leaves that are well-grown and well-prepared.

We didn’t order any snacks and just kept our time there to savouring the tea. In all honesty, to do nothing but sip on tea in a beautiful teahouse is one of the most luxurious experiences one can get in Jeonju.

I have yet to explore other teahouses in Jeonju, particularly in the village. However, Gyodong Dawon will certainly be my go-to if I need somewhere reliable in Jeonju Hanok Village for my afternoon tea.

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DIRECTIONS

Address: Eunhaengro 65-5, Wansangu, Jeonju

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