In East Asia there is a strong tradition of having a personal name stamp that is used as a signature on official documents. Nowadays hand written and electronic signatures are very common but many people still have their own stamp.

In Korea name stamps/chops/seals are called dojangs (도장). When I got to know a little bit more about them I knew I wanted one. They are the ideal souvenir: almost practical, small, will last forever and beautiful. Also, they are not tacky.

After searching the internet I knew exactly where I wanted to get mine, Myung Sin Dang. A number of bloggers have been to that shop and all the experiences were positive.

Since I was heading to Seoul for the weekend anyway I decided to drop by on Friday. I’ve been to Insadong before but I missed Myung Sin Dang the first time because It’s a little bit hidden. However, this time I knew what I was looking for and found it soon enough.

I took some photos and videos of the process.