Hadong and Gurye

  Countryside charms and nature's beauty await along the banks of the Seomjingang River   Gazing southeast, the sun rises slowly but surely over the horizon. The Seomjingang River’s pristine waters reflect the morning light…

Old Is New Again

Young entrepreneurs use old buildings to give Seoul new life   “Dull, inert cities, it is true, do contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse, intense cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration,…

Hongje Station

Trek to northwest Seoul, where the mountains hold sway In northwestern Seoul, the mountains are more a part of the urban fabric than elsewhere in the city; they flex their geographical muscles, so to speak, dictating where buildings can…

One Subway Station at a Time

Seoul Sub-Urban writer Charlie Usher explores Seoul’s ever-changing charms It’s easy for most city dwellers to get caught in their life’s daily rut: riding bus whatever to work; trudging from the bus stop to the office; walking to…

Garak Market Station

The mother of all markets If you’ve eaten in a restaurant today, odds are some of your meal came from Garak Market (가락시장), where many of Seoul’s restaurateurs come to restock their kitchens. Cheaper, fresher, and bigger than just…

SEOLLEUNG STATION

Quintessentially Gangnam, Seolleung is also home to one of Seoul’s loveliest historical sites In many ways, Seolleung is the quintessential Gangnam neighborhood, a blend of business and upper-middle class family life with a dash of luxe.…

SAMGAKJI STATION

A man returns to the place an old lover left him, his tears mixing with the rain, but finds nothing more than the memories he came with. Ain’t that just it how it goes. It’s one of the oldest stories in the books, but this particular…

Seonyudo Station

A neighborhood’s metamorphosis embodied in Seoul’s most captivating park The neighborhood around Seonyudo is mid-transformation, caught, for the moment at least, between Yeongdeungpo’s industrial past and a glossier future. Run-down,…

Hyehwa Station

History and the arts share top billing on Hyehwa’s stage Given outside forces’ persistent habit of interrupting history on the peninsula, the number of buildings and institutions in Seoul able to trace roots deep into the past is…
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Dongjak Station

South Korea’s Memorial Day falls on the 6th and the anniversary of the start of the Korean War on the 25th, making June an opportune time to pay respects to the fallen in Dongjak. Dongjak’s best real estate sits on a large hill…
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Yangcheon Hyanggyo

In an unassuming neighborhood, hidden gems by the riverside Old school At first blush, the Yangcheon neighborhood appears utterly unremarkable, but behind a rather mundane facade it holds a rich history, with a trio of sites to explore…