---
title: "2019.07 Property 02. Chwi-ong Art Gallery, Gapyeong"
description: "A traditional hanok retreat in Gapyeong that blends art, nature, and cultural heritage. From tea ceremonies to starlit courtyard BBQs, this 25-year-old property shows what happens when hospitality meets craftsmanship."
published: 2019-07-11T00:00:00+00:00
author: "ONDA 편집팀"
category: "Insights"
image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa86c7a76e6d27312c2d_62e76783069cdfb4c79938a5_5e94297b65892bf8ec18a4c4_img_0047-e1562921530311.jpeg"
canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=2019-07weol-sugso-02-gapyeong-cwiongyesulgwan
locale: en
---
# 2019.07 Property 02. Chwi-ong Art Gallery, Gapyeong

![img_0047.jpg](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa86c7a76e6d27312c2d_62e76783069cdfb4c79938a5_5e94297b65892bf8ec18a4c4_img_0047-e1562921530311.jpeg)

**Property Type:** Hanok stay

**Address:** 300 Sumogwon-ro, Sang-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do

**Room Types:** 3-person, 5-person, 10-person rooms

**Facilities:** Seminar rooms, cultural experiences (tea ceremony, natural dyeing, traditional needlework, etc.), art gallery, natural cuisine (groups only)

**Nearby Attractions:** Chungnyeongsan Mountain, Garden of Morning Calm, Korean white pine forest trails, Seoul Toegyewon, and more

![5D3_0727.jpg](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa86c7a76e6d27312c83_62e76783069cdf7b9f9938b1_5e94297bf70fbb7a4b0fd28c_5d3_0727.jpeg)

### **Q Hello! Please introduce yourself and the property.**

Hi, I'm Jang Eun-hyeong, deputy director of Chwi-ong Art Gallery. I've always loved nature and traditional hanok architecture—I've been living in the countryside for that reason. I started running Chwi-ong Art Gallery because I wanted to share this joy with people around Seoul and international visitors who don't often get to experience this kind of culture.

Chwi-ong Art Gallery is a cultural complex built entirely from traditional hanok. It opened around 2003 in Gapyeong, close to Seoul, and for about 15 years we've offered nature-friendly lodging, cultural experiences, meals, and seminar facilities. If you count the years we operated in Pocheon before moving here, we've been at it for 25 years.

Right now we run the art gallery and accommodation together—11 hanok buildings in total, including the gallery, pavilions, restaurant, and guesthouses. Four of those are lodging, divided into 10 rooms: six rooms for 2–3 guests, three rooms for 5–6 guests, and one large group room. Since we're a lodging facility, most guests love doing BBQ in our spacious courtyard. Weather permitting, we provide grills and tables so you can cook outdoors. There's nothing like grilling meat under the stars on a summer evening. Originally we didn't have kitchens in the rooms, but after hearing feedback, we added them.

### **Q How did you end up building Chwi-ong Art Gallery in Gapyeong, and what's the story behind the name?**

We didn't originally set out to run accommodation—we wanted to create a venue for cultural exchange. Our director's pen name is "Chwi-ong" (lit. "old man who tends the kiln"), because he's a ceramist. The gallery's name comes from that.

When you're in the arts, Korean artists often exhibit abroad and foreign artists come to Korea for exchange shows. Usually, foreign artists get put up in hotels. But we thought: what if, during these cultural events, we showed them the traditional Korean architecture we love so much? Let them stay in it, experience it. That's why we built the gallery and the hanok lodging side by side.

As I mentioned, we ran a place called "The Ground" in Pocheon for about 10 years. But in 1998, Pocheon got hit by devastating floods. Losing a place we'd cultivated for nearly a decade felt like the sky was falling. Fortunately, people helped us—someone told us about a great spot in Gapyeong. We moved here, and looking back, it turned out to be an even better location.

We still hold curated and permanent exhibitions at the gallery—paintings, crafts—and continue exchanging with international artists. It's an open cultural space. Anyone can visit, not just guests. We might be the only accommodation with its own art gallery.

![IMG_20190619_112544](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa86c7a76e6d27312c75_62e76783069cdf05789938ae_5e94297a9610460b5e7f3063_img_20190619_112544.jpeg)

![IMG_20190619_112548](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c8f_62e76783069cdf96d49938af_5e94297b459693692b75b1a2_img_20190619_112548.jpeg)

### **Q You've received the Korea Tourism Organization's "Premium Hanok Stay" certification. What is that, and how do they select properties?**

Every year, the Korea Tourism Organization evaluates hanok properties on facilities, cleanliness, service—everything—and designates "Premium Hanok Stays." It's very rigorous. They shortlist properties based on their own criteria, then conduct multiple rounds of evaluations. If you hit a certain score, you get tier-based certification.

To be certified as a hanok stay, the entire structure must be a traditional hanok. There are too many pseudo-hanok these days, but the goal is to convey authentic cultural value, especially to international visitors. You can't have beds. Ondol (heated floors) and bedding have strict standards. Cleanliness is paramount—those two factors are the core criteria.

We're in the highest tier: "Best Premium Hanok." We scored well not just on the building's charm, but also on what matters most in lodging—cleanliness across all facilities.

### **Q Chwi-ong feels less like a hotel and more like a cultural hub. What values do you emphasize most?**

You know the first word foreigners—especially Europeans—learn when they visit Korea? "Ppalli ppalli" (hurry hurry). (laughs)

But traditional Korean culture isn't like that at all. It's rooted in living leisurely, in harmony with nature. Yet too many people assume Korea is just fast and frantic. So through traditional architecture, we want to show all our guests—Koreans and foreigners alike—authentic Korean food, clothing, and shelter. Sleep in a hanok surrounded by nature. Enjoy meals made from seasonal, foraged ingredients (group bookings only). Experience culture.

We manage our own ingredients. We plant things ourselves and forage seasonal wild edibles from the mountain—wild chives, shepherd's purse, mugwort. In summer, we grow lettuce and peppers; in fall and winter, we dry and use them. It tastes great, and the whole farming process is part of the slow life we value. Unfortunately, we only serve these meals for seminars, workshops, and other group cultural events—you have to come as a group.

Yes, it's more work. But if we're going to live close to nature, that kind of effort is part of it. (laughs)

![5D3_0767](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c89_62e76783069cdf33519938b0_5e94297ab499e59f7bdf31bd_5d3_0767.jpeg)

![5D3_0892](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c8c_62e76783069cdfc0479938b2_5e94297a36c30b846ce8c0ba_5d3_0892.jpeg)

![5D3_0738](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312cd4_62e76783069cdf6d5d9938b5_5e94297c65892b3b8518a4c5_5d3_0738.jpeg)

### **Q What makes Chwi-ong—and hanok stays in general—special?**

A hanok is a living, breathing structure. Built entirely from natural materials—wood, red clay, tiles—it's incredibly comfortable and cozy.

At Chwi-ong specifically, every room is designed so that when you open the windows or doors, you see mountains and trees. The goal is to give guests rest and leisure, to let their eyes and minds recharge—a kind of purification for body and soul. So when guests arrive, we actually ask them not to do much of anything. You've heard of "staring-into-space contests," right? You need to empty your mind to make room for new ideas. Modern people are too busy—they never get to rest.

Our motto from the start has been: "Come here to rest." There's no TV, no Wi-Fi. We tell guests to feel what real leisure is. Just stare blankly at the forest through the window. Watch raindrops fall from the eaves. Rest. That's our wish. That's what sets us apart from other properties.

This isn't like a typical hotel where you close a metal door and you're sealed off. Here, no matter which door or window you open, you're in dialogue with nature. It's an open space.

### **Q You must get a lot of international guests. Any memorable ones?**

International guests make up 30–40% of our clientele—pretty high. It's the hanok, sure, but also because travel these days is less about sightseeing and more about experiencing culture. Foreigners especially appreciate that. Everyone is memorable, but I especially love when guests are surprised and delighted by the traditional Korean meals we serve.

One group from Europe really stands out. Since we're a traditional hanok, everything is floor-level—no beds. That can be uncomfortable. But when I went to their room, they hadn't even unrolled the bedding. I asked if something was wrong. They said the warm ondol floor felt so good, they wanted to sleep directly on it to feel it with their whole body. I worried their backs might hurt, but they said waking up on the ondol left them feeling refreshed and light. They gave us a big thumbs up. (laughs)

### **Q You offer a wide range of cultural experiences. Can you give us a quick overview?**

We run about 10 different cultural programs. We do traditional wedding ceremonies—both real weddings and experiences (limited capacity). You can try traditional instruments, pansori, samulnori, folk songs.

Our most popular regular experiences are natural dyeing, traditional needlework, tea ceremony, tofu-making, and rice cake-making. Needlework is traditional embroidery—you dye threads and make brooches and other items. Rice cake-making is done in the courtyard, pounding rice cakes with a wooden mallet to make injeolmi. Living in harmony with nature, through food, clothing, and shelter—that's the most rewarding part.

![IMG_0029](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c9c_62e76783069cdf176c9938b6_5e94297bb499e56487df31be_img_0029.jpeg)

![IMG_0026](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312caf_62e76783069cdf9a2b9938b8_5e94297c65892b479618a4c6_img_0026.jpeg)

### **Q What's your top recommended experience, and where do you get the materials?**

My top recommendation—also the highest guest satisfaction—is natural dyeing. You dye cotton T-shirts, handkerchiefs, scarves using the most natural materials possible, so it's safe for skin contact. We either forage fresh ingredients like mugwort or use dried dye materials we've purchased.

For blue, we use indigo. Depending on how you treat it, you get anything from pale sky blue to deep navy. The indigo plant is fermented, and I reuse that fermented paste. For red, we use sappanwood (a tree with red heartwood), safflower, or cochineal—a cactus insect that's actually edible and used in strawberry milk, lipstick, blush, etc. Yellow and green come from flowers and plants, but we also use onion skins a lot. Onion skins are a fantastic dye—you get everything from orange-yellow to khaki.

So from primary colors—red, yellow, blue—to complex hues, guests choose their favorite and dye white fabric. You can see people's emotions shift as they work. Natural dyeing is incredibly calming and awakens all five senses.

### **Q What do you hope Chwi-ong becomes known for?**

I want us to have a devoted fanbase—"Chwi-ong maniacs"—people who keep coming back. Our repeat visit rate is really high. Guests who are satisfied come back every season. Couples who visited while dating return after marriage, during pregnancy, after the baby's born, on the child's birthdays. We call them "Chwi-ong maniacs."

They could go anywhere, but they keep choosing us. I'm grateful. Regular pensions are usually Western-style buildings, but people say our place feels like "coming home to the countryside," "like visiting grandma's house." It feels warm. Some guests come when life gets hard—they rest for a day, talk with me, and leave feeling lighter. If we can help even a little, that's enough. My goal is for more people to come often—to rest, to empty out, to let go.

![5D3_0793](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c92_62e76783069cdfbb8b9938b3_5e94297c459693c6f775b1a4_5d3_0793.jpeg)

![5D3_0756](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa86c7a76e6d27312c7c_62e76783069cdfb4689938b4_5e94297db499e5d46ddf31de_5d3_0756.jpeg)

![IMG_0022](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65a9fa87c7a76e6d27312c99_62e76783069cdf303c9938b7_5e94297e9610464fbb7f3065_img_0022.jpeg)

### **Q How did you find ONDA, and how's the experience been?**

I learned about ONDA through the Korea Tourism Organization. We were designated a "Quality-Certified Hanok" in 2018 under the Korea Tourism Quality Assurance standards, and they introduced us to ONDA's booking management system.

Around May last year, I attended an ONDA seminar in Gapyeong. I got a lot of useful information, and the staff were so friendly—it left a great impression, so we started using the platform. Before, we took bookings by phone and website message board. I carried around a handwritten reservation ledger. Since switching to ONDA, admin work has gotten way easier, we're listed on multiple OTA channels, and our booking rate has gone up. I can check reservations anytime on the ONDA Plus app—super convenient.

The regional seminars for partners gave us practical data and honest advice from both the guest and host perspectives. It's helped us grow into a better space for travelers. I hope you keep hosting those seminars—they're really valuable for the Korean hospitality industry. (laughs)

### **Q Finally, any hidden gems or personal restaurant recommendations nearby?**

The closest attraction is the Garden of Morning Calm—only five minutes by car—so lots of guests visit. But the place I really want to recommend in connection with the gallery is "Jat Hyangggi Pureun Sup" (Korean White Pine Forest), which opened last year. It's run by the Gapyeong local government. As the name suggests, it's a forest of Korean white pines. Admission is cheap, and there are five trails ranging from 30 minutes to two hours. Conifers produce the most phytoncides, and Gapyeong is full of Korean white pines. After a walk through the forest, your head feels clear. You breathe it in through your nose, see it with your eyes, gulp it down, and even your skin absorbs the phytoncides and the breath of nature. The dense forest trails are perfect for a slow stroll—I highly recommend it if you need real rest.

As for food, Gapyeong is famous for dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken), both teppanyaki-style and charcoal-grilled. And since this is pine nut country, pine nut tofu dishes are everywhere. Both are local specialties, so they're all delicious. (laughs) Each restaurant has its own way of making pine nut tofu, but the mild tofu flavor combined with the nutty richness of pine nuts makes it more nutritious and flavorful than regular tofu. If you come to Gapyeong, definitely try it.

## [**View full magazine >>**](http://bit.ly/magazineon31)

## [**Subscribe to the magazine >>**](http://bit.ly/magazinesub)