Skip obvious tea houses on main insadong street, but also venture beyond the well-known hidden gems. Walk into smaller alleys past the first tier of 'secret' places, look for hanok buildings with minimal signage. Family-run places serve proper traditional korean teas in ceramic sets.

Try nokcha or omija tea with small traditional sweets. Quieter atmosphere than even famous hidden spots, often just 3-4 tables. 8-12k won but completely different experience from both tourist spots and the more famous 'hidden' places. Some run by same family for generations without any guidebook mentions.