Rakkojae, a Hanok Guest House

Seperti judulnya, Rakkojae adalah rumah tradisional Korea yang sengaja dibuat supaya turis-turis mancanegara bisa mencoba langsung bagaimana rasanya tinggal di rumah tradisional Korea. Rakkojae ini berlokasi di Bukchon Hanok Village dan di Hahoe Village kota Andong. Uniknya, walaupun berjudul 'tradisional', tapi kamar mandinya sengaja dibuat modern untuk kenyamanan para pengunjung. Gw sendiri belom sempet nyobain rakkojae ini karena baru tau. hihi.. nah, ini dia artikel lengkap dr http://blog.naver.com/korea_brand/10082507344 tentang Rakkojae.

One of the things foreign visitors in Korea take great interest in is Korean traditional houses, or “hanok.” Though many of the traditional houses in Seoul area have gradually disappeared with passing time, the Bukchon Hanok Village is one of the few remaining sites that are relatively well-preserved.

Let me introduce to you “Rakkoje,” a guest house in the Bukchon Hanok Village, where foreign visitors can get firsthand experience with Korean traditional houses. 

 

Rakkojae, a resting place with the olden time flavors 

 

Rakkojae, meaning a place where one can enjoy the traditions of times past and rest one’s soul, models the old “Jin Dan Hak Hweh,” a traditional Korean house that boasts a history of 130 years. It was designed as a place where guests can experience time-honored Korean culture without leaving the modern comforts of today. It has been about seven years since it started operating as a guest house.

Rakkojae was renovated from an existing hanok frame to a harmonious masterpiece by adding a traditional gate, patio, pond, chimney, pottery, pine trees, bamboo trees and other flora native to the Korean terrain.

 

Rakkojae is equipped with five rooms, modern amenities like bathroom and toilet, cooking facilities, and “ondol” (Korean traditional under-floor heating system). Rakkojae is an especially popular destination among Japanese people, composing around 95% of the visitors to the guest house. 

 

The CEO of Rakkojae, Mr. Young Ahn, says, “After ten years of living in the US, I returned to Korea and began to focus on showing foreign travelers Korea’s brilliant traditional culture.”

As Mr. Ahn realized that there wasn’t really a Korean traditional house that you could readily introduce to foreign visitors, he learned the news that the old Jin Dan Hak Hweh house was under consideration for demolition. He seized this opportunity, bought the house, revamped it, and opened what has now become Rakkojae.

He opened a second Rakkojae in 2009 in the Hahoe Folk Village which is located within the city of Andong in Gyeongsang Province.

Executive Director of Rakkojae, Ms. Kim Yoo-Soon, says, “Through Rakkojae, we are introducing not only traditional Korean life style, but spreading Korea’s “Jeong (affection, attachment)” culture as well.”

“We invite anyone who would like to experience the ways of traditional Korean life as our guests.

Rakkojae is not simply a traditional guest house. It is a cultural space where guests can experience the elegance of Korean traditions. Along with lodging, visitors can encounter traditional food, music, dance, art, poetry etc.”

Ms. Kim says there are many foreign visitors who so liked their stays at Rakkojae that they re-visit the house, and also that regardless of the season, there has been a steady stream of visitors. All the staff at Rakkojae, including CEO Ahn, work with the pride that they represent Korea.

Hanok, a warm foundation for the life of the Korean people

One of the fundamentals consisting human life is, along with food and clothing, “housing.”

Although fundamentally hanok follows the features of the traditional Oriental wooden buildings, it also has many distinguishing characteristics. One of them is its environment-friendliness. The raw materials used in hanok, such as soil, timber, and rock, are all natural and recyclable. Also, the way it seamlessly blends in with the surrounding nature is hanok’s one other virtue.

For detailed information and guide to Rakkojae, a traditional Korean guest house in the Bukchon Hanok Village, you can visit the official website: http://rkj.co.kr