Rakkojae Seoul Bukchon
Village hotel: What would happen if the whole village, not just the vertically towering building, becomes a hotel?
Starting with the interest in and love for traditional hanok, Rakkojae developed Korea’s first traditional house-based travel program in 1994. Rakkojae has been studying the changes and evolution of hanok from the globalization to commercialization of hanok.
We are pursuing sustainable expansion, focusing on the next 30 years and inheriting the spirit of Rakkojae, which has been in operation for nearly 30 years. To do this, we are applying the new concept of a “village hotel” that is being introduced overseas. Hotels in large cities have high land prices and need to be developed in a highly dense manner, requiring vertical elevators to be connected to guest rooms. But village hotels are a concept hotel in which the alleyways become the elevators, and all hanok operated by Rakkojae in Bukchon Hanok Village become guest rooms.
This concept originated in Italy in the 1980s and began as an effort to recreate a small historical village that was abandoned and difficult to access. Usually operated by a single owner, guest rooms are scattered throughout several buildings in the historic center and have a sincere community spirit, allowing visitors to experience local life.
In recent years, customers have begun to reject stereotypical hotels and seek new luxury hotels. Many hotels decorate their interiors of the hotel with hints of local culture, but these efforts are still not sufficient. Today’s travelers, whose desire for sincerity has skyrocketed, want to feel the identity of a single alley, a street, or even a whole village. As a solution to this, horizontal hotels have recently begun to be built overseas one by one, and in Korea, Rakkojae is making the first attempt.
Now, the world is trying to find health and true relaxation for the body and mind, away from the benefits of civilization only for convenience. It is time for something that’s essential for modern people in the era of cold science and impoverished digitalization. As a solution to this issue, we would like to present the “affection” and “taste for the arts” cultures of Korea and share with the world a proud taste for arts and culture full of unique Korean specialties that are never second to the vastness of Chinese culture and the delicacy of Japanese culture.
If the relaxation and comfort felt in the lines and space of Hanok are a hardware beauty, the “affection” and “taste for the arts” that fill the inside are software beauties, which are unique Korean sentiments that cannot be felt in other countries. As the time goes by, hanok acquire an antique style and elegance.
A healthy journey is waiting for you to enjoy hanok, a house of natural beauty where the wind rests and the moonlight stays in harmony with nature.