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Voykit pocket guide · South Korea
Anseong
안성
Skip as a base: one half-day for Chiljangsa and the Namsadang festival in October, or a stop between Seoul and Pyeongtaek. Otherwise stay in Seoul or Suwon.
Anseong is a quiet Gyeonggi city 80 km south of Seoul, known for brassware, Namsadang nori folk performance and the Baudeogi Festival. Sights are spread across the county and buses are infrequent, so a car or taxi is needed. Most travellers pass through on the way to Pyeongtaek or Cheonan, or come for one festival day in October.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 안성
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (monsoon rain, 30 °C+), Jan–Feb (cold, −5 °C nights)Jul–Aug (monsoon rain, 86 °F+), Jan–Feb (cold, 23 °F nights)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- KRW
- Money
- Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls; carry ₩30,000–50,000 in cash for street food, small markets and temple donations.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₩50,000–80,000 excl. bed · Mid ₩80,000–140,000 excl. bed · High ₩140,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at airport arrivals; a passport is required, and data-only plans are cheapest.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Travel helpline (24 h, English) 1330
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 60 Hz · Round two-pin European plugs fit; US and UK plugs need an adapter, and US-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and cafés: No tip; a service charge appears only in top hotels.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Hotel porter: Not expected; ₩1,000–2,000 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not expected; ₩10,000–20,000 or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Officially safe from the tap; most people drink filtered water, and restaurants serve it free. Bottles cost ₩800–1,500 at convenience stores.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in every subway station; paper goes in the toilet in new buildings, in the bin where a sign asks. Bidets are common.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ₩3,000–6,000 |
| Noodle soup or gimbap lunch | ₩7,000–12,000 |
| Hanwoo beef dinner, per person | ₩30,000–60,000 |
| Beer: draught / convenience-store can | ₩4,000–6,000 / ₩2,000–3,500 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ₩8,000–11,000 |
| City bus ride | ₩1,500–2,000 |
| Korean Cooking Museum entry | ₩3,000–8,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ICN · Incheon International
- Airport bus or AREX to Seoul, then express bus to Anseong; about 2.5–3 h total
- GMP · Gimpo International
- Reach Seoul first, then bus from Nambu Terminal; about 2 h total
Typical fares
- Seoul Nambu → Anseong, express bus
- about ₩6,500, about 1 h 20 min
- Anseong → Suwon, bus
- about ₩5,000, about 50 min
- Cheonan Asan or Pyeongtaek station → Anseong, taxi
- ₩30,000–50,000, 30–50 min
Get around
City buses run but intervals are long, especially evenings. Taxis are metered and take T-money and cards. Naver Map or KakaoMap works better than Google Maps here. A car is the practical choice for Chiljangsa, the lakes and the farmland.
See and do
Known for
- Namsadang nori and the Baudeogi Festival
- Anseong yugi brassware
- Chiljangsa Temple
- Hanwoo beef and Asian pears
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Suwon | Bus from Anseong Bus Terminal, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Pyeongtaek | City bus, about 40–60 min | About 1 h |
| Seoul | Express bus from Nambu Terminal, 20–40 min headway | About 1 h 20 min |
| Yongin | Bus or car via the Gyeongbu Expressway | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Anseong Bus Terminal area
- Bibong-ro; motels and easy bus access, best for one night with bags.
- Bogae-myeon (Namsadang-ro)
- Next to Anseong Matchum Land and the festival site; quiet, needs a taxi for food.
- Gongdo-eup
- West side near Anseong Farmland; car useful.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| To this address, please | 이 주소로 가주세요i jusoro gajuseyo |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요?eolmayeyo |
| Can I pay by card? | 카드로 될까요?kadeuro doelkkayo |
| Where is the bus stop? | 버스 정류장이 어디예요?beoseu jeongnyujangi eodiyeyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A slight bow with a 'annyeonghaseyo'; handshake with the right hand, left hand touching the right forearm; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Age and rank: Expect to be asked your age; it sets how people speak to you. Let the eldest sit and start first; avoid: Calling older people by their given name
- Handing things: Two hands for money, cards, gifts and drinks; avoid: Passing things with one hand to older people
- Subway: Quiet voices, bags off seats, queue at the marked lines; avoid: Priority and pink pregnancy seats, even when empty
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or a boxed gift; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Writing names in red ink — it is used for the dead
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees; bow at the main hall; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; loud talk; pointing at Buddha statues
- Numbers: Know that 4 is unlucky; buildings may show F instead of a fourth floor; avoid: Giving gifts in sets of four
- Sensitive topics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Comparing Korea with Japan or China casually; jokes about the North, the Japanese colonial era, or plastic surgery
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus stop announcements are in Korean only; have the destination written in Hangul.
- Attractions are 10–20 min apart by car and not walkable between.
- The railway closed in 1990; a new line is planned for the 2028–2032 window, so check before relying on trains.
- Festival dates change each year: confirm on the city site before booking.
Very low crime; the real risks are long bus gaps after dark, unlit rural roads if you cycle, and summer heat with monsoon downpours in July.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Anseong yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Namsadang nori and the Baudeogi Festival
- Anseong yugi brassware
- Chiljangsa Temple
- Hanwoo beef and Asian pears
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Anseong City official site: www.anseong.go.kr/intro.jsp
- Anseong Bus Information System: www.anseong.go.kr/depart/contents.do?mId=0303010000
- Namsadang Baudeogi Festival: www.anseong.go.kr/festival/main.do
- Wikivoyage: Anseong, revision 5186300 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5186300
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/anseong). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.