COEX Mall

Seoul

　　One of Seoul's premier malls and the world's largest underground mall, the shiny COEX is a vast maze of department stores loaded with shops selling fashion, lifestyle, accessories and electronics, as well as the Starfield Library, SMTown coexartium shrine to K-Pop and a multiplex cinema. It's also a launching point...

Oil Tank Culture Park

Seoul

　　Originally built after Korea’s first oil crisis in 1973 and reopened in 2017, this cultural centre is made up of five abandoned oil tanks. Planted in a remote corner of the city, there is an other-worldly feeling as you navigate the performance hall, exhibition hall, information exchange centre, cafe and...

Seoullo 7017

Seoul

　　This overpass-turned-park is a green space in the heart of the city. About 24,000 plants are grown here, including various types of flowers and trees, all labelled. Seoullo 7017 provides an interesting, airy (though sun-exposed) view of the city centre, its highways and architecture. Cross-country locomotives snake across a web...

Gyeongui Line Forest Park

Seoul

　　This 6.3km park, named for the former Gyeongui Line (on which it was built), is a narrow, long green space that runs along the discarded railroad tracks above Gajwa Station to Hyochang Park station. Within are nooks for reading, grassy picnic areas, exercise equipment and more. 　　The Gyeongui Line was...

Ihwa Mural Village

Seoul

　　High on the slopes of Naksan is one of the city's old daldongnae (literally ‘moon villages’) where refugees lived in shacks after the Korean War. Sixty years later it has morphed into a tourism hot spot thanks to a collection of quirky sculptures and imaginative murals on walls along the...

Seoul Museum of Art

Seoul

　　Hosting world-class exhibitions that are always worth a visit, SEMA has ultramodern, bright galleries inside the handsome brick-and-stone facade of the 1928 Supreme Court building. For some special exhibitions, an entrance fee is charged. 　　The small gift shop has excellent designer items at accessible prices. ...

Gyeonghuigung

Seoul

　　The Palace of Shining Celebration, completed in 1623, used to consist of a warren of courtyards, buildings, walls and gates spread over a large area. But it was destroyed during the Japanese annexation and a Japanese school was established here. Only the main audience hall, Sungjeongjeon, and the smaller official...

Myeong-dong Catholic Cathedral

Seoul

　　Go inside this elegant, red- and grey-brick Gothic-style cathedral, consecrated in 1898, to admire the vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows. The cathedral provided a sanctuary for student and trade-union protestors during military rule, becoming a national symbol of democracy and human rights. Its sleek modern plaza entrance adds an intriguing...

Cheong-gye-cheon Museum

Seoul

　　To fully comprehend what a mammoth and expensive effort it was to resurrect Cheong-gye-cheon, Seoul’s long buried east–west stream, pay a visit to this excellent museum. It's also a good starting point for a walk along the revitalised waterway – 2.5km west to Dongdaemun Market. Don't miss the Cheong-gye-cheon Cardboard...

Seoul Museum of History

Seoul

　　To gain an appreciation of the total transformation of Seoul down the centuries, visit this fascinating museum, which charts the city's history since the dawn of the Joseon dynasty. Outside is one of the old tram cars that used to run in the city in the 1930s, as well as...

Gilsang-sa

Seoul

　　This modern hillside temple is a pleasure to visit at any time of the year, but particularly in May when the grounds are festooned with lanterns for Buddha’s birthday. The buildings once housed the elite restaurant Daewongak, where gisaeng (female entertainers accomplished in traditional arts) performed. In 1997 the property...

Gwangjang Market

Seoul

　　This sprawling fabric market is now best known as Seoul’s busiest meokjagolmok (food alley), thanks to the 200 or so food stalls, kimchi and fresh-seafood vendors that have set up shop amid the silk, satin and linen wholesalers. It's a hive of delicious sights and smells. Foodies flock here for...

Bukchon Hanok Village

Seoul

　　Meaning ‘North Village’, Bukchon, between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, is home to around 900 hanok, Seoul’s largest concentration of these traditional Korean homes. It’s a busy tourist area, but it’s still a pleasure to get lost in the streets here admiring the patterned walls and tiled roofs contrasting with the modern...

Gwanghwamun

Seoul

　　The impressive main gate to Seoul's premier palace is flanked by stone carvings of haechi, mythical lion-like creatures traditionally set to protect the palace against fire; they never really did work and, appearances to the contrary, are superfluous today as the gate is now a painted concrete rather than wood...

Stylenanda Pink Hotel

Seoul

　　One of the most popular brands for affordable, young women's casual fashion, Stylenanda's flagship store is especially notable for its pink design. The 1st floor showcases its make-up brand, 3CE, with a full make-up bar. The 5th floor has a swimming-pool-themed cafe and, during the summer, there's a rooftop cafe...

Namsan Park

Seoul

　　Beloved by locals as a place for exercise, peaceful contemplation and hanging out with loved ones, Namsan was a sacred shamanistic spot when the Joseon ruler Taejo ordered the construction of a fortress wall across this and Seoul’s three other guardian mountains. The mountain is protected within a 109-hectare park...

K-Star Road

Seoul

　　Gangnam's 'Hallyuwood Walk of Fame' pays homage to K-Pop stars in the form of cutesy bear sculptures dedicated to K-Wave singers and actors. ...

Cheong-gye-cheon

Seoul

　　With its landscaped walkways, footbridges, waterfalls and a variety of public artworks, such as the enormous pink-and-blue shell entitled Spring in Cheong-gye Plaza, this revitalised stream is a hit with Seoulites. People come to escape the urban hubbub day and night, whisper sweet nothings under one of its 22 bridges...

National Folk Museum of Korea

Seoul

　　Give yourself at least an hour to do justice to this excellent museum. It has three main exhibition halls, covering the history of the Korean people, the agricultural way of life and the life of yangban (aristocrats) during the Joseon era. Among the many interesting exhibits is an amazingly colourful...

N Seoul Tower & Namsan

Seoul

　　The iconic N Seoul tower (236m), atop the city’s guardian mountain Namsan, offers panoramic views of this immense metropolis from its observation deck. Come at sunset and you can watch the city morph into a galaxy of twinkling stars. Up top is the upmarket N.Grill and a cafe. The tower...

Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park

Seoul

　　Designed by the late Zaha Hadid, this neofuturistic cultural complex was commissioned to replace the Dongdaemun Stadium, built during Japanese rule in the 1920s. Dubbed the 'largest three-dimensional atypical structure in the world', the undulating aluminium and concrete landmark comprises galleries, event spaces, design shops and lawns that rise up...

Bongeun-sa

Seoul

　　Located in the heart of ritzy Gangnam, the shrines and halls of the Buddhist temple Bongeun-sa, with its tree-filled hillside location, stand in direct juxtaposition to its corporate high-rise surrounds. Founded in AD 794, the buildings have been rebuilt many times over the centuries. Entry to the temple is through...

War Memorial of Korea

Seoul

　　This huge museum documents the history of the Korean War (1950–53) using multimedia exhibits and black-and-white documentary footage, along with artefacts like weapons, uniforms, and maps. Outside, a sombre memorial walkway is inscribed with the names of every casualty from the allied forces. There are plenty of tanks, helicopters and...

National Museum of Korea

Seoul

　　This vast and imposing concrete slab of a museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Korea's past from prehistory all the way to the Korean Empire period (1897–1910). If you're short on time, prioritise the Joseon Dynasty gallery (1392–1897). Among the must-see exhibits in the ground-floor galleries are the...

Deoksugung

Seoul

　　One of Seoul's five grand palaces built during the Joseon dynasty, Deoksugung (meaning Palace of Virtuous Longevity) is the only one you can visit in the evening and see the buildings illuminated. It first served as a palace in 1593 and is a fascinating mix of traditional Korean and western-style...

Leeum Samsung Museum of Art

Seoul

　　Amid the celebrity-owned apartments on the leafy southern slope of Namsan is Korea's premier art gallery. Beautifully designed and laid-out, it balances modern and contemporary art with traditional Korean art across its three distinct areas. The big draw is Museum 2, a rusted stainless-steel structure designed by French architect Jean...

Changdeokgung

Seoul

　　The World Heritage–listed Changdeokgung is the most beautiful of Seoul's five main palaces. You must join a one-hour guided tour to look around. English tours run at 10.15am and 1.15pm; if you don’t care about the commentary, Korean tours are at 9.30am, 11.30am and 3.30pm. To see the palace's lovely...

Gyeongbokgung

Seoul

　　Like a phoenix, Seoul’s premier palace has risen several times from the ashes of destruction. Hordes of tourists have replaced the thousands of government officials, scholars, eunuchs, concubines, soldiers and servants who once lived here. Watch the changing of the guard ceremonies at the main entrance Gwanghwamun, then set aside...