YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab
Make your very own name seal with in Insadong! Creatrip members get a 5% discount!
Insadong is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Seoul, near Exit 6 of Anguk Station. This is a place where you can experience authentic Korean culture. You can shop for many traditional souvenirs and try a variety of street foods that the local people love. Many foreign tourists come to this shopping district to buy traditional Korean gifts. There are many different things you can try in Insadong. Among those things, Creatrip would like to introduce you to the YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab (어라연전각체험관). At YHLAYUEN, you can experience the process of engraving a seal and take it back home as a unique souvenir. Engrave your name on the seal in Korean and keep it for a lifetime!
YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab
Information
Address: 2F YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab, Insadong-gil 34, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 종로구 인사동길34 어라연전각체험관 2F)
Telephone Number: 02-722-8415
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00
Why We Recommend It
Korean people stamp their seals on official documents instead of signing a signature. An engraved seal represents a person in Korean society and carries a special meaning to Korean people. You can make your own seal with your Korean name at the YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab.
YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab is located at the heart of Insadong, which is the most representative tourist attraction in Seoul. You can easily reach Insadong by any means of public transportation, and it's very easy to get around.
You can create a unique seal with your name engraved in Korean. After you finish engraving your name in Korean on the seal, you can request to print a meaningful phrase or pattern on the handle in the color of your choice.
This store uses soft colored stones to make the seal. There are professional seal makers on-site who assist you throughout the class. You don't have to worry about making mistakes. Just relax and enjoy your experience!
Things To Keep In Mind
You must make an appointment at least 2 days in advance.
Cancelations can be made 3 days before the scheduled reservation date with a full refund. After that, the reservation cannot be canceled or refunded.
Children under seven are not recommended to participate.
The A package experience takes about 30 to 40 minutes. The B package experience takes about 50 to 60 minutes.
The classes are held at 13:00, 15:00, and 17:00 on business days.
If you have any questions or would like to change your reservation, please contact help@creatrip.com.
Price
Package A | Handmade Seal Engraving Experience (Includes: seal, bookmark, & stamp storage pouch.) |
20,900 KRW | |
Package B | Handmade Seal Engraving Experience (Includes: seal, custom color engraving on the stamp handle, bookmark, & stamp storage pouch.) |
31,350 KRW |
Package Details
Duration | Package A: 30-40 minutes |
Package B: 50-60 minutes | |
Class Times | 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 |
Recommended Age | For this experience, you will be using mechanical tools that can potentially be dangerous for younger children. Children 7 or up may participate in the activity. |
How To Reserve
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Our Visit
Located at the heart of Insadong, the YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab offers a special opportunity to foreign tourists. There are many handmade seal engraving workshops in Seoul. However, a majority of them use low-quality stones and cheap materials. The YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab offers high-quality materials at a lower price than the industry average to Creatrip members.
At YHLAYUEN, you can get the amazing experience of creating your own personally engraved stamp! There are 2 courses you can choose to take, Package A or Package B.
Package A includes hand-engraving a personal stamp, a bookmark, and a stamp storage box. This is the more simple experience, as it only requires engraving your name, and takes about 30-40 minutes.
Package B includes the same things as Package A, but also includes a personal design on the side. You can write a meaningful message or draw a simple drawing with color on the side of the stamp. This makes it extra special because it will be your very own, unique stamp! Package B requires about 50-60 minutes to complete.
I tried out Package B!
First, the instructor provided me with gloves, a blank stamp, a knife, a ballpen, a special ink pad, a piece of paper for the stamp designs, and a placeholder for the stamp. The instructor will give you clear instructions throughout the entire process, so don't worry about not knowing what to do!
Once I received all the materials, I looked at the design examples given on the paper and started to draw out my own design. You can write up to 3 characters for your name, but it looked best to keep it at 1 or 2 characters. Most people seemed to use 2 characters for their designs!
I decided to write the 2 characters of my first name for my design! I wrote my name in a more traditional Korean writing style. You'll be using a pencil, so you can erase as you go and try out as many different styles and designs as you'd like!
After I finished my design, I was given a transparent sheet of paper to trace it on so that I could transfer the design to the stamp.
For the stamp to come out in the correct direction, we flipped the transparent sheet before drawing the design on the stamp. The design appears backward and in a red color. Then, we made the cuts deeper.
The design comes out much cleaner and prettier if you use less force and gently scrape away at the surface – it wasn't difficult to do at all and didn't require much strength! I wanted the lines to be thicker, so I scraped over them 4-5 times.
After I was finished, the instructor helped clean up my design, and then I was able to press the stamp on the ink pad and test it out! I was really satisfied with the results because my name design came out really pretty! After finishing the stamp design, it was time to decorate the side!
Just as I did the first design, I first drew out the design I wanted for the handle on the paper, then drew my finished design directly on the side of the stamp. The pencil marks are quite visible on the stamp if you go over them a few times, so it was enough to just use a pencil for the initial design!
Then, I went over the design with the knife again. It was the same process as the first design and didn't require much strength at all. After the design is complete, it's time to add color! The design looks pretty enough on its own, but with color, it'll pop out even more!
There are 10 colors to choose from; you can choose the colors that you'd like for your design and squeeze them out on a palette, then use a toothpick to fill the design with colors. The colors stick better if you lay the toothpick at a slight angle. Once the paint dries, you can use a cotton swab to gently wipe away any excess paint that may have seeped out on the sides.
Once the paint dried, my design looked like this! Now, the main design and handle design are both finished!
They also provided a little pouch to store the stamp in. The pouches had a very traditional Korean design, and there were 5 colors to choose from! You can choose the one you like best and store your stamp in there!
That was the entire process of making a personal Korean stamp (Package B)! It took about an hour for the entire process, which isn't too long considering the results! It felt really fulfilling to customize my own personal stamp with my Korean name on it. If you participate in this experience, I'm sure it'll be really special and unforgettable!
You can also make seals for your loved ones. Make multiple seals for your lover, friends, and family with the instructor's step-by-step teaching. You will learn about the safety measures before starting the engraving, so you can have a thorough experience with comfort and confidence.
If you already made a plan to visit Insadong, consider adding this unique opportunity of making your one-and-only seal. You can take this unique traditional souvenir with you and always have a special way to remember your visit to Korea!
There are also instructions available in English for foreigners, so you won't have to worry about missing any instructions. Stop by YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Center for a special time and leave with your very own unique souvenir!
How To Get There
Come out Line 3 Anguk Station Exit 6.
Go straight until you see the Information Center.
Once you come across the Information Center, make a left into the alleyway.
Keep going straight until you reach the big road.
Go into the big road in Insadong and go straight.
Go straight for about 400m.
YHLAYUEN is on the second floor. Go inside and make your way up to the second floor. You've arrived!
Other Route:
YHLAYUEN Seal Engraving Lab
We hope you can enjoy a trip around Seoul at these various locations! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com! You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!