What do people in Euljiro 3-ga do?

Line 2: Station — Line 3: Station #330

They put on suits and ties and go to work in the gleaming new glass and steel office towers that crowd the intersection of Eulji-ro and Samil-daero. Or they put on white hard hats and reflective vests and go to work building more towers. If they need a break, they relax in Berlin Square (베를린광장), where they sit on benches of the same design, rest their feet on pavement of the same pattern and read by the light of a streetlamp of the same make as those in the German capital. They gaze at a Buddy Bear with images of Namdaemun and the Brandenburg Gate on its sides, and they gaze at a section of the Berlin Wall.

Since 1948 they’ve gone to Andongjang (안동장) for lunch, where chefs make all the usual Korean-Chinese fusion dishes, but are most famous for their oyster jjamppong noodle soup.

On the street in front of the Cheonggyecheon Stream they sell tools. They sell pneumatic drills, weed-whackers, chainsaws and circular saws. They sell packing tape, duct tape and caution tape. They sell floodlights, magnets and the concrete slabs embossed with yellow, Lego-like bumps on one side that serve as sidewalk guides for the blind. On Eulji-ro they sell bath accessories, with rows of toilets and urinals viewable in showrooms. On sidewalks they set up displays of faucet handles, lined up like taps at a bar. Further east, they sell fluorescent bulbs, iridescent bulbs and LED bulbs at light fixture shops.

To the south, they buy Leicas, Polaroids, film and tripods at Chungmuro’s camera stores. If they’re really serious they buy two-foot-long lenses and professional lighting equipment. If their camera is broken, they get it repaired. If they want to mount their work, they get it matted and framed.

In the alleys between Eulji-ro and Toegye-ro workers wear white tank tops and toil in printing shops where enormous machines spit out advertisements for golf courses, labels for food containers and magazine pages. They work amid the head-lightening smell of glue and the crisp, clean smell of fresh paper.

In Seun Daerim Arcade (세운대림상가) workers sell walkie-talkies, bullhorns and stereo equipment. They disassemble TVs for parts and they try to offload old tape decks. They store the discarded chassis of old Korean and Japanese arcade games, and next to these they store crane games and video poker and slot machines. And somewhere, someone – a potential customer? A bored employee? – repeatedly mutters “Ah, ah, ah” into a microphone, filling the cramped, enclosed space with a disembodied mantra as all around the work of Euljiro 3-ga carries on.

More info

Berlin Square 베를린광장

Exit 1

Straight on Eulji-ro 을지로,

right on Samil-daero 삼일대로

Andongjang 안동장

Exit 10

Straight on Eulji-ro 을지로

02-2266-3814

Hours | 11:30 AM-9 PM, Closed Seollal and Chuseok

Chungmuro’s camera stores

Exit 9

Straight on Chungmu-ro 충무로,

right on Mareunnae-ro 2-gil 마른내로2길

Seun Daerim Arcade 세운대림상가

Exit 6

Straight on Eulji-ro 을지로

Written by Charles Usher

Bundang Line — Station #K211

Park life

In past centuries, the forested northeastern banks of the junction where the Jungnang Stream empties into the Hangang River served as royal falconry grounds, a horse pasture, a source of timber, a site for military parades and a racetrack. Today they form Seoul Forest (서울숲), sprawling over a million square meters. One of Seoul’s best green spaces, it’s divided into five distinct zones, encompassing nearly everything you could want in a park: expansive grassy lawns, performance spaces, athletic facilities, playgrounds and a sculpture garden. Among the forest’s highlights are the Butterfly Garden, where you can wander through an enclosure filled with hundreds of flitting butterflies, and a man-made lake filled with carp that congregate under a footbridge to wait for dropped bits of food.

Seoul Forest’s best-known feature, though, is its resident spotted deer that reside in the Eco Forest. Ordinarily, visitors are allowed to get up close and hand-feed the caramel-colored animals, but this privilege is presently suspended due to fears of foot-and-mouth disease.

Waterworks

The neighborhood surrounding the park has long been a center of industry in Seoul. Though many factories have closed down or moved out as the area has gentrified, a walk through the backstreets, particularly those east of the station, will reveal a fascinating side of the city, populated with die casting shops and small-scale machinists. This mix of industry and development has in recent years proven a strong lure to the city’s creative class, giving the Seongsu area a burgeoning reputation as one of Seoul’s most happening districts. For a taste of what’s going on here, head down Seoul Forest-2-gil (서울숲2길), just north of the park, where you’ll find a fair trade shop, a leather bag workshop and showroom, a bakery specializing in homemade pies and a shared workspace for start-ups, among others.

Seongsu, in fact, has a long history of innovation, and visitors can learn about one of its most famous developments back in Seoul Forest’s southeastern corner. It was here, in 1908, that two Americans, C.H. Collbran and H.R. Bostwick, oversaw the construction of what was to become the Korean Waterworks Co., the country’s first water treatment plant. Today it is the site of the Waterworks Museum (수도박물관), dedicated to the former plant and to the history of water use in the capital.

More info

Seoul Forest 서울숲
Exit 3 or 4
Hours
Open 24 hours, except for Eco Forest
(Jun-Aug: 7:00-21:00, Sep-May: 7:00-20:00)

Waterworks Museum 수도박물관
Exit 3
Straight on Wangsimni-ro 왕십리로
Hours
Mar-Oct: 10:00-20:00 on weekdays, 10:00-19:00 on weekends;
Nov-Feb : 10:00-19:00 on weekdays, 10:00-18:00 weekends;
Closed Mondays, New Year’s, Seollal, Chuseok
Admission | Free
02) 3146-5936, 02) 3146-5921
arisumuseum.seoul.go.kr

Written by Charles Usher
Photographed by Chris da Canha

Men at work – Seokchon’s construction sites through the ages

There’s so much symmetry in Seokchon’s layout that it often feels as if you could fold the neighborhood over on itself just about any which way and its halves would fit snugly together with a satisfying little click. Two main roads divide the neighborhood into even parts, each with secondary and tertiary roads in more or less the same places, covering more or less the same distances, forming a web around more or less identical apartment buildings. Risking monotony, the area is enlivened by two main features, one that epitomizes that symmetry and another that interrupts it.

Mirrored waters

In the days before Gangnam was, well, Gangnam, this part of Seoul wasn’t yet Gangnam. It was just gang, or river, part of a branch of the Hangang River that ran through here. Then, in the early 1970s, the city went a little bit Dutch, initiating a land reclamation project and creating Seokchon Lake (석촌호수) in the process. The lake consists of two matching ovals joined by a thin channel, and its entire perimeter is encircled by two parallel paths – a lakeside one for jogging and strolling, and one higher up for biking and dog walking. Dotted around the lake are exercise facilities, interactive digital information kiosks and public bookshelves.

The screaming that you hear as you make your way around the lake is coming from Magic Island, the outdoor section of the Lotte World amusement park. Taking up much of the lake’s western half, the island features roller coasters, a drop tower and lots of couples in matching bunny ear headbands.

Stone village

Seokchon’s symmetrical topography is broken up by the Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs (서울 석촌동 고분군), a crooked swath of green west of the station. Seokchon means “stone village,” and the name likely stems from the prevalence of stone tombs that once existed in the environs. A 1917 map marked over 290 in the area, but the intervening century, full of war and hurried development, saw this number shrink to eight, several of which are here.

The tombs date to the Baekje period (18 BCE-660 CE) and are believed to have belonged to kings, royal family members and Baekje nobility. Their designs range from simple earthen pits to imposing squares of tiered black stones that look like aborted Mesoamerican pyramids. With so much of the neighborhood’s attention focused on the ongoing development of the soaring new Lotte Tower, the tombs provide a meditative reminder that great builders have in fact been here for millennia.

More info

Seokchon Lake 석촌호수

GO> Exit 1 or 8

Straight on Songpa-daero 송파대로

Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs 서울 석촌동 고분군

GO> Exit 6

Straight on Baekjegobun-ro 백제고분로

Hours | 5:00 AM-12:00 AM

Written by Charles Usher

Going to Apgujeong? Pack your Triple Platinum Preferred Elite credit card

Flash and cash

More so than just about any other neighborhood in Seoul, Apgujeong drips with money. Even in well-to-do Gangnam it stands out, as it’s here that much of the city’s highest of high-end shopping is centered. This is where you’ll find the twinned Galleria Department Store (갤러리아 백화점), split into two structures that parallel the divide between old money and the nouveau riche. Galleria East (갤러리아 East) is the original half, its design what you’d expect from a typical luxury department store: elegant but hardly understated. Across the street is Galleria West (갤러리아 West), the flashier younger sibling whose signature façade – slate green fish scales in the daytime – is lit up in shimmering multicolored lights at night.
For those whose feet tire well before their credit cards, the basement of Galleria West holds Gourmet 494, a food court that makes a mockery of the term. While the words “food court” might call to mind droopy slices of pizza and greasy funnel cakes, you’ll find none of that here. Instead, there are arguably the city’s best burgers from Brooklyn: The Burger Joint, gastronomic ice cream at Fell + Cole, a branch of Itaewon’s Tartine bakery and other outlets of some of Seoul’s top eateries. And, unlike what’s upstairs, everything here is within the Average Cho’s price range.
Even more exclusive shopping can be found on Cheongdam Culture Street (청담문화거리), the stretch of Apgujeong-ro that runs east of Galleria, where storefronts read Gucci, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana … You get the picture. Mere mortals can instead check out Apgujeong Rodeo Street (압구정로데오거리), actually a warren of small streets and alleys southwest of the station where funky boutiques intermingle with international brands, nail shops and modeling agencies.

Stargazing

Adding to the neighborhood’s glam factor, Apgujeong also serves as the nexus of the country’s K-pop industry, home to the headquarters of several of its biggest entertainment companies. On Apgujeong-ro, giant banners drape the outer face of SM Entertainment (SM 엔터테인먼트), home to acts like Girls’ Generation and EXO. A few blocks away, the offices of JYP Entertainment (제와피 엔터테인먼트) (2PM, the Wondergirls) and Cube Entertainment (큐브 엔터테인먼트) (4Minute), stand on opposite corners, and the Dunkin’ Donuts in between is perpetually crammed with fangirls hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite star. Many of them likely followed the K-Star Road, a self-guided walking route created by the district to link together the various headquarters, filming locations and “hip places loved by Hallyu stars” into a single glitzy pilgrimage.

More info

Galleria Department Store
갤러리아 백화점
Galleria East (갤러리아 East)
Exit 1
Galleria West (갤러리아 West)
Exit 7

Gourmet 494
Access directly from station
Hours | 10:30-21:00

Cheongdam Culture Street
청담문화거리
Exit 2 or 3

Apgujeong Rodeo Street
압구정로데오거리
Exit 6
Left on Apgujeong-ro-50-gil 압구정로50길

K-Star Road
Exit 2

SM Entertainment SM 엔터테인먼트
Exit 2
Straight on Apgujeong-ro (압구정로)

JYP Entertainment 제와피 엔터테인먼트 and
Cube Entertainment 큐브 엔터테인먼트
Exit 2
Straight on Apgujeong-ro (압구정로),
left on Apgujeong-ro-79-gil (압구정로79길)

Written by Charles Usher

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Follow the trails of Seoul’s most fought over mountain or delve into the city’s most kid-friendly park

The views from Mt. Achasan have been renowned for centuries, making it a site of great military importance and territorial battles, particularly during the Three Kingdoms period when the Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla dynasties vied for control of the area. Today the mountain and the surrounding area are the largest Goguryeo historical site in the country, dotted with the remains of several forts, as well as the Achasan Fortress Wall (아차산성), believed to have been constructed some time prior to 286 B.C. What remains of the fortress today is thought to have been made during the post-seventh-century period of Silla control.

At the mountain’s base is the Achasan Ecological Park (아차산생태공원), where among picnic tables and a large pond sits the Achasan Goguryeo History Museum (아차산고구려역사문화 홍보관), offering exhibits of regional history, excavated pottery and Goguryeo costumes. Across the road from the park are the Hongnyeonbong Forts (홍련봉보루), believed to have been the headquarters for the entire chain of Goguryeo defenses on Mt. Achasan. There are currently plans for one of the forts to be restored and opened to the public sometime later this year.

Kids’ kingdom

If hiking and history bore you (or, more specifically, your kids) Achasan Station provides direct access to the rear entrance of Children’s Grand Park (어린이대공원). Depending on how you feel about children, that may sound like either the most adorable place in the city or the most exasperating, but don’t be put off if it’s the latter. The park is vast enough that you can find adequate space to relax in peace and quiet.

The rear entrance provides the closest access to a ballet theater, an arts center, the Kids Farm and the Amusement Park, where there’s a (mini) rollercoaster, (mini) flume ride and various other (mini) diversions. Further in, Children’s Grand Park also hosts a modest zoo, with elephants, lions and an aviary; a botanical garden; a lily pond teeming with koi fish; and several performance stages – plenty to keep your kids (or you) entertained.

More info

Mt. Achasan 아차산

GO> Exit 2
Straight on Cheonho-daero (천호대로), left on Jayang-ro (자양로), right on Yeonghwasa-ro (영화사로)

Children’s Grand Park 어린이대공원

GO> Exit 4
FYI> 02-450-9311
www.childrenpark.or.kr
Hours | 5:00-22:00
Zoo Hours | 10:00-17:00
Admission | Free, but tickets must be purchased for amusement park rides

Written by Charles Usher
Photographed by Merissa Quek

Yeouido’s east end is not only home to Seoul’s most instantly recognizable building but is also the site of one of its best parks and an unexpected bit of Anatolia.

The word saetgang (샛강) is one of those uber-specific words, like schadenfreude, that makes you feel like your own language is missing out. The term refers to a small channel in a river that separates an island from the mainland, and the station bearing its name sits right alongside the slender waterway that defines Yeouido.

Immediately next to the station is Ankara Park (앙카라공원), a small triangle commemorating Seoul’s sister city relationship with the Turkish capital, as well as the Traditional Turkish Vineyard House (터키 전통포도원 주택), a replica of what you might find in Anatolian wine country. Decorated inside with Turkish folk articles, the exterior features a handsome whitewashed facade and bay windows beneath a red tile roof.

Just across from Ankara is Saetgang Park (샛강생태공원), one of the best in the city. The park runs along and around the narrow waterway separating Yeouido from the mainland, forming a crescent along the entire southern side of the island. For a long time a neglected piece of land, the 1990s saw it transformed into an eco-park, and, despite being manmade, when you’re alone on one of its many paths, two-meter high beds of reeds on either side of you, it can feel like one of the wildest places in the city.

Within the park are a visitors center and the gorgeous Saetgang Bridge, but it’s the walking paths that are the best place to be, wending between trees, along beds of cattails and past several ponds and the olive-gray saetgang. The park is home to a variety of wildlife, and sightings of herons and egrets are common in the warmer months.

Not far from the northeastern tip of the park is Seoul’s most iconic structure, the 63 Building (63빌딩), its signature metallic sheen the product of a thin layer of 24-karat gold. The structure’s basement levels hold numerous entertainment options; in addition to an IMAX theater and what is likely the world’s only wax museum featuring King Sejong, the building is home to 63 SeaWorld. Korea’s first aquarium, the site boasts 54 tanks that are home to over 400 species.

Really, though, you need to go up if you want to take in the former tallest building in Korea’s main attraction: the 60th floor, which is home to an art gallery and observation deck. Take a look at the paintings and photography if you want, but the most stare-worthy sight is undoubtedly the one out the windows. The 63 offers clear views in every direction from its perch on the banks of the Han, letting you take in the city’s buildings, mountains and waters, all in one glimpse.

Ankara Park (앙카라공원)

Hours | Weekdays 10:00-17:00
T. 02-2670-4089, 010-8903-8621
Exit 3, Saetgang Station (Line 9)
Traditional Turkish Vineyard House (터키 전통포도원 주택)

Saetgang Park (샛강생태공원)

Exit 3, Saetgang Station (Line 9). U-turn, Cross Yeouidong-ro (여의동로), descend stairs

63 Building (63빌딩)

T. 02-789-5663, www.63.co.krExit 3
10:00-22:00 (Hours for specific attractions available on the website)
Walk Straight on Yeouidaebang-ro (여의대방로), turn right on Gukjegeumyoong-ro (국제금융로) and left on 63-ro (63로)

Written by Charles Usher
Photographed by Merissa Quek

Whether it’s digging up Seoul’s ancient past or digging into its modern pleasures, do it all in Cheonho

Cheonho’s most significant attraction is also, rather deceptively, its most unassuming. Just west of the station is a long, grassy, J-shaped mound that at first blush looks to be a covered landfill or a barren public park. In actuality, however, this anonymous bump is one of the oldest pieces of architecture in the country, believed to date to the third century. Pungnaptoseong (풍납토성), as the mound is known, was an earthen fortification that formed part of Wiryeseong, capital of the Baekje Dynasty, one of the Korean peninsula’s earliest kingdoms. Discovered accidentally during the construction of nearby apartments, excavations and research have been ongoing in recent years. To get a glimpse at what’s been done, head to the nearby Pungnaptoseong Gyeongdang Jigu (풍납토성 경당지구), a former excavation site that’s been turned into a small public park. Past excavation pits are marked with plaques displaying photos of the digs.

In contrast with its inconspicuous history, modern Cheonho is abuzz with things to do. A short walk northwest is the Han River Park (한강공원), possibly the best place in Seoul for bike enthusiasts thanks to the presence of the Gwangnaru Bicycle Park (광나루자전거공원). In addition to the standard bike paths, there’s also a rail bike course, a dirt bike track where kids on BMXs pedal over ramps and around banked U-turns, and the Novelty Bike Experience Zone, where you can try out tandem bikes that move sideways and bikes with square wheels.

In the opposite direction is Cheonho’s Rodeo Drive (로데오거리). Unlike most other so-called Rodeo Drives in Seoul, this one is less focused on shopping and clothing outlets than it is on dining and nightlife. In addition to a mall and a number of clothing boutiques, there are numerous restaurants, bars, ramen joints and upper-story noraebangs. For the area’s signature dining experience, though, pop directly across Cheonho-daero to the haphazardly named Seongnae-dong Webfoot Octopus Street (성내동 쭈꾸미골목), an alley filled with restaurants serving jjukkumi, tiny octopi stir-fried in a sauce that ranges from spicy to burning. Most places have lines out the door.

The name Gangfull (강풀) probably doesn’t mean much to most non-Koreans, but ask a local and they’ll likely have warm feelings for this famous cartoonist. Not far from the station is the Seongan Village Gangfull Cartoon Street (성안마을 강풀만화거리), which is actually several linked streets decorated with murals of characters from Gangfull’s webtoons: kids sneaking up on each other and neighbors waving from upstairs windows. With their honest, open faces Gangfull’s characters seem genuinely happy that you’re there.

Pungnaptoseong (풍납토성)

Exit 10

Pungnaptoseong Gyeongdang Jigu (풍납토성 경당지구)

Exit 9

Straight on Olympic-ro (올림픽로), right on Olympic-ro-59-gil (올림픽로59길), left on Pungseong-ro-25-gil (풍성로25길), immediate right on Pungseong-ro-25-na-gil (풍성로25나길)

Han River Park (한강공원) and Bicycle Park (광나루자전거공원)

Exit 1 or 10

Straight on Cheonho-daero (천호대로)

Rodeo Drive (로데오거리)

Exit 5

Left on Cheonho-daero-157-gil (천호대로157길)

Seongnae-dong Webfoot Octopus Street (성내동 쭈꾸미골목)

Exit 6

Right on Cheonho-daero-158-gil (천호대로158길)

Seongan Village Gangfull Cartoon Street (성안마을 강풀만화거리)

Exit 6

Straight on Cheonho-daero (천호대로)

Written by Charles Usher

Photographed by Melissa Quek

Tomorrow’s generals and yesterday’s royalty

Warrior Youth

At first glance, the neighborhood around Hwarangdae Station strikes one as a bland slice of middle-class suburbia. But walk northeast along Hwarang-ro, away from the apartment towers, schools, churches, and one–square block parks, and you’ll find yourself among some of the country’s past and future elite.

Black and yellow wheeled barricades and cadets in dress grays on the sidewalk are the first indications that one is near the Korean Military Academy (육군사관학교), also known as Hwarangdae,  named after an elite Silla-era youth corps. The academy is where officers for the nation’s armed forces are trained, and its sprawling campus features lots of open space for athletics and drills. Rising up in the middle is a sentry tower, its lookout room hugging a tall stone column like a doughnut. When the traffic dies down, you can sometimes hear the barked commands of a drill sergeant from all the way out on the sidewalk.

Royal Tombs

Not far beyond Hwarangdae is Taereung (태릉), one of the Joseon royal tombs that together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Additionally, this is the site of the Royal Tombs Museum of the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕릉전시관), a lovely building of ivories and grays with displays on Joseon state funerals and tomb structure and life-size replicas of the stone statues of civilian and military officials that watch over the grave sites.

Behind the museum and at the end of a short path through a thin pine forest is Taereung, the tomb of Queen Munjeong (1501-1565), the third consort of King Jungjong. Jungjong is buried in Jeongneung in Gangnam’s Samneung Park, and originally Munjeong intended to be buried there as well, but the spot was prone to flooding and so she resigned herself to Taereung. Ironically, she may have gotten the better deal in the end. Taereung is not only more peaceful, but it’s also grander; the stone figures around the burial site are 1.5 to 2 times larger than those at any other Joseon tomb.

Munjeong became queen when she was 16 and went on to wield significant influence, introducing a state-administered exam for Buddhist monks and ruling on behalf of her son, King Myeongjong, for the first eight years after he ascended to the throne at the age of 12. Myeongjong, who died when he was 34, is buried a kilometer further down the road at Gangneung (강릉). This serene site actually holds two burial mounds: one for Myeongjong and one for his wife, Queen Insun—twin grassy curves poking up above a plateaued hill like bubbles on a pond’s surface.

Korean Military Training Academy 육군사관학교 / Exit 4

GO> Straight on Hwarang-ro 화랑로

Taereung (태릉), Royal Tombs Museum of the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕릉전시관), and Gangneung (강릉) / Exit 4

GO> Straight on Hwarang-ro (화랑로), veer left; alternatively, go out Exit 1 and take a bus to Taereung-Gangneung (태릉, 강릉) for Taereung or to Sahmyook University (삼육대앞) for Gangneung.

FYI> T. 02-972-0370

Hours | February–May, September–October: 9:00–18:00; June–August: 9:00–18:30; November–January: 9:00–17:30; Closed Mondays

Admission | Adults: KRW 1,000; Kids age 7–18: KRW 500 (good for both sites)

Written by Charles Usher 

Photographed by Melissa Quek

Seoul’s centuries-long center of gravity

Seats of Power

In spite of myriad traumas and forced relocations over the past 600 years, the Korean Peninsula’s center of power (the southern half’s, at least) has always gravitated to the same few square kilometers north of Gwanghwamun Gate.

It is in this neighborhood that you’ll find Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), the original residence of the Joseon kings and now one of the country’s principal tourist attractions. Its two highlights are Geunjeongjeon (근정전), the main throne hall where royalty attended to state affairs and held celebrations, and Gyeonghoeru (경회루), a pleasure pavilion perched on a human-made pond, but be sure to continue all the way to the compound’s rear; the crowds are thinner here and you can view some of the palace’s most interesting sites in relative peace, Geoncheonggung (건청궁), a hanok-style palace within a palace, and Taewonjeon (태원전), a complex for funeral ceremonies, among them. On the palace grounds you’ll also find the National Palace Museum of Korea (국립고궁박물관) and the National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관).

Once the Joseon era and Japanese colonialism were behind it, the newly minted Republic of Korea didn’t shift its nexus of power very far; directly north of Gyeongbokgung is Cheongwadae (청와대), the residence of the Korean president. Immediately recognizable for its distinctive blue-green roof tiles, a tour of Cheongwadae can be arranged via reservation. Alternatively, you can opt to just walk by and look at the security guys on the rooftops as they gawk back at you.

Go West

West of Gyeongbokgung are two other Joseon sites of note, namely, Sajikdan (사직단) and Hwanghakjeong (황학정). The former is an altar where rituals were performed for the gods of land and grain, creating a spiritual counterbalance to Jongmyo Shrine on the opposite side of the palace. The latter is Hwanghakjeong, an archery range where, after its construction at the end of the 19th century, Joseon nobility could test their shooting skills. Today, it is still used by citizens to practice Korean traditional archery.

Sitting between the palace and these sites is the neighborhood of Seochon (서촌), “Western Village,” an area of Seoul that’s been occupied for centuries. Like the better-known Bukchon neighborhood, Seochon still contains a significant number of traditional hanok homes. Though it’s seen some gentrification in recent years, much of its throwback charm still remains and, compared to the more tourist-heavy Bukchon, its tiny alleyways are relatively unexplored. Throw away the map and spend an afternoon wandering through its nooks and crannies, grabbing a lunchbox at Tongin Market (통인시장) and keeping your eyes peeled for the dozens of historical sites that dot the neighborhood, King Sejong’s birthplace among them.

Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) Exit 5

T. 02-3700-3900

www.royalpalace.go.kr

Hours | March—May, September—October from 9:00—18:00; June—August from 9:00—18:30, November—February from 9:00—17:00; Closed Tuesdays

Admission | Adults KRW 3,000; Kids 7—8 KRW 1,000; Under 7 and 65+ free; Combo ticket for Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugun and Jongmyo KRW 10,000/KRW 5,000 for adults, kids (valid for 1 month)

National Palace Museum of Korea (국립고궁박물관) Exit 5

T. 02-3701-7500

www.gogung.go.kr

Hours | Tuesday—Friday from 9:00—18:00, Weekends and Holidays from 9:00—19:00, Closed Mondays, unless Monday is a national holiday

Admission | Free

National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관) Exit 5

T. 02-725-4503, T. 02-3704-3114

www.nfm.go.kr

Hours | March—May, September—October from 9:00—18:00; June —August 9:00—18:30; November—February 9:00—17:00; Closed Tuesdays

Admission | Free

Cheongwadae (청와대) Exit 4

U-turn out of exit, Left on Hyoja-ro (효자로), Right on Cheongwadae-ro (청와대로)

www.president.go.kr

Sajikdan (사직단) Exit 1

Straight on Sajik-ro (사직로)

Hwanghakjeong (황학정) Exit 1

Straight on Sajik-ro (사직로), Right on Inwangsan-ro
(인왕산로)

Seochon (서촌) Exit 1 or 2

Tongin Market (통인시장) Exit 2

Straight on Jahamun-ro (자하문로)

Written by Charles Usher

Photographed by Melissa Quek