Allure Korea | The Timeless Beauty of Antiques, According to Go Bok-hee, Owner of an Antique Shop

Allure Korea introduces Gobokhee, an antique furniture shop that captures the joy and delight found in the past. True to its name—a combination of the characters for “old” (古), “blessing” (福), and “double joy” (囍)—the couple showcases the antiques they have collected over many years in two distinct spaces: a large furniture-focused atelier (Janghanpyeong) and a small goods shop (Dapsimni).

Kim Seong-ho and Kim Ji-eun, a couple who began collecting antiques while preparing for their wedding, have opened the antique furniture shop “Gobokhee” in Dongdaemun-gu. The couple divided their space into an “atelier” focused on large furniture and a “curio shop” featuring charming small items, opening them to the public based on the size and type of their collection.

By choosing to set up shop in the historic antique districts of Dapsimni and Janghanpyeong—rather than so-called “hot spots” like Seongsu or Hannam—they are bringing about a positive change: an increase in young visitors to these once-stagnant commercial areas. The couple, who carefully maintain items over 100 years old to convey the beauty of the past, expressed their ambition: “We want to keep our shop in the same location for a long time and bring new life to the fading antique markets.”