Reggie Ho, Gigi Onag and Margie T Logarta suggest ten quintessential experiences to try in South Korea’s capital.
Regarded by many as one of the coolest cities in the world, Seoul attracts large numbers of visitors every year with its great shops, vibrant nightlife and tasty food. It was even designated last year’s World Design Capital, which has prompted the construction of Dongdaemun Design Plaza by Zaha Hadid in central Seoul’s Jongno-gu district, to be completed later this year.
But what is most admirable about South Korea’s capital is that, with all its new developments, it hasn’t lost its heart. Many historical buildings may have been destroyed during the Korean War but century-old traditions are very much alive and incorporated into modern living. With a little time to spare, you can experience this rich history alongside the city’s more contemporary side the next time you visit. Here are ten Seoul experiences you shouldn’t miss.
1 | Cheonggyecheon
A 6km-long stream in the middle of downtown, this urban renewal project was once part of a drainage system and, later, a slum. By 1976, it was buried under concrete to make way for a highway. In 2003, the decision was taken to restore the waterway, a US$900 million project that involved ripping out the highway. Despite public criticism, it went ahead and after opening in 2005, very few people have complained about it.
As well as bountiful flora, butterflies and fish to delight the eye, art exhibitions and street performances also take place, and various structures along the banks showcase the city’s history. Among them are Gwangtong bridge, believed to bring good luck to those who cross it, a colourful cloth wall made of fabrics from Dongdaemun’s fashion district, and an area that recreates how local women once did their laundry. Bus or walking tours can be booked through the Gwanghwamun Tourist Information Centre (tel +82 2735 8688; visitkorea.or.kr).
2 | Myeongdong
Avid shoppers who know Seoul will no doubt be familiar with this perpetually busy downtown neighbourhood, but even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s a fun place to people-watch. As well as local and international brands, you’ll find major Korean department stores such as Lotte and Shinsegae. Every year from the end of March to mid-April, and in September, sales take place and parades, music and dance performances, fashion shows and other spectacles mark the Myeongdong festival.
Restaurants and cafés are in abundance, including Halmeoni Guksu (tel +82 2778 2705, closest station Euljiro-ipgu) and Gogung (tel +82 2776 3211, closest station Myeongdong), famous for bibimbap – rice with vegetables and beef, mixed with a mild red pepper paste. Notable landmarks in the area include the Chinese embassy, UNESCO Hall, the Baroque-style Myeongdong theatre, the country’s oldest Catholic cathedral, and the Bank of Korea museum.
3 | Kimchi Academy House
No Korean meal is complete without the pickled side dish kimchi, and if you have time, it’s well worth booking yourself into a class to learn how to make it. The Kimchi Academy House is on the fifth floor of the M Plaza Building in Myeongdong (31-1 Myeongdong 2-ga, Jung-gu). It is part of the Cultural Experience Centre (tel +82 23789 7961), which also conducts lessons in traditional arts and crafts.
There are five sessions daily, each lasting about 80 minutes, but check before booking which class is being taught in English. You will be given a workstation with all the ingredients, such as Chinese cabbage, salt, dried chilli pepper, ginger and garlic, while an overhead LCD screen provides guidance. After making your kimchi, the dish will be vacuum-packed for the flight home. A lesson costs W30,000 (£17). Email [email protected] for details.
4 | Samsung D’light
Come out of exit 4 at Gangnam station (subway line 2) to reach this digital playground dedicated to everything Samsung, located in one of the downtown’s busiest entertainment and business districts, south of the Han river. A techie’s paradise, it occupies three floors of a building owned by the technology giant.
Note that you cannot buy products – instead, it is a showroom that gives a sense of what a fully connected lifestyle looks like. You can explore a living room set up with internet TV, a kitchen with a digitally connected fridge and microwave, and an area with all the latest mobile gadgets, from MP3s to Galaxy Tabs. Or type a note into one of the laptops in the Text Zone and wait for it to appear on the “message floor”. Open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. Samsung Electronics Building, Seocho-dong 1320-10; samsungdlight.com
5 | NANTA
Seoul is brimming with entertainment options, and catching one of the city’s top shows is a way to get to know local culture. Nanta, one of the first non-verbal performances to hit the big time, is still going strong more than 13 years on. It combines traditional drumming with Western-style comedy, following a day in a life of three chefs preparing for a wedding banquet. The troupe has two theatres in Seoul – in Myeongdong and Jung-gu, north of Han river – and there are many shows daily. Box offices open one hour before, or call +82 2739 8288 to book. Tickets cost W40,000-W60,000
(£23-£34). Visit nanta.co.kr
6 | Wellness Korean-style
Korean ginseng is usually taken as a tonic or used in traditional cuisine for its supposed ability to facilitate circulation, strengthen the heart, boost the immune system and improve overall health. It has found its way into a series of treatments at the spa in the Grand Hyatt Seoul (open 10am-10pm; seoul.grand.hyatt.com), located in Yongsan district. Opt for a full-body massage with ginseng oil (60 minutes/W165,000/£93), or a facial (90 minutes/W230,000/£129) that pays attention to your meridien points.
Chaum, a bio anti-ageing complex located in Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam, offers a wellness programme called Theraspa, which combines Eastern and Western science to customise therapies. There are more than 70 programmes divided into three categories – lifestyle, for detoxification and boosting immunity; spa wellness, for relaxation and boosting energy; and medical. The centre has steam rooms, saunas, indoor and outdoor pools, an open-air meditation garden, a gym and yoga and pilates sessions. Open 10am-8pm; chaumlife.com
7 | Itaewon
This well-known expat area is located in Yongsan-gu district, in the centre of the city along the north bank of the river and served by subway line 6. Itaewon is home to many US military officials because of the nearby Yongsan garrison, and the dining scene is truly international, with popular haunts including Thai Orchid (736-9 Hannam-dong Yongsan, tel +82 2795 3338) and Macaroni Market (2/F Hannam Building, 737-50 Hannam 1-dong, tel +82 2749 9181).
The neighbourhood also boasts underground malls filled with tailors eager to make you a suit, and great shops for bargain clothing and leather goods. But many visitors come here for the nightlife. Follow the fashionably dressed groups of youngsters and you might be led to a cosy drinking den, such as Three Alley Pub (3alleypub.com), nestled behind the Hamilton hotel. Many of the city’s gay bars are also located here.
8 | Yeouido
Called by some the “Manhattan of Seoul”, this island is the city’s finance hub and home to sleek skyscrapers housing the HQs of local banks. It has a dedicated train station on lines 5 and 9. At lunchtime, office workers hang out at Yeouido Park, which was built in the late 1990s and is divided into four themed areas – Traditional Korean Forest, Grass Square, Culture Square and Nature’s Eco-system Forest. At night, stalls offering late suppers and soju (best described as Korean grain vodka) begin to buzz once people have finished their overtime.
9 | Dora Mountain Station
For many visitors, a tour to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the strip of land 4km wide and 248km long that serves as the buffer between the two Koreas, is a must-see. Most people will have seen pictures of the little blue buildings in Panmunjom, where negotiations between the two sides still take place, and the incursion tunnels that the North Koreans allegedly dug to infiltrate the south are also now open to visitors. A half-day tour with lunch is offered for W77,000 (£43) by the International Cultural Service Centre (visit tourdmz.com).
A less talked about experience is the Dora Mountain train station, which was built for the cross-border Seoul-Sinuiju line, which never operated. It looks like a station all ready to go, except there are no trains or staff. At the immigration desk, you can try out the mock North Korean stamp (though you may not want it in your passport). A souvenir shop offers North Korean whisky.
10 | Samcheonggak
One of the most visited green spots in Seoul is the beautiful forest of Mount Bugaksan, north of the Blue House, the president’s residence. This is also home to Samcheonggak, a complex composed of six traditional-style Korean houses. It has become a place where local arts and culture are preserved and practised. You can learn how to conduct a tea ceremony, tie knots, wear hanbok (Korean costumes) and listen to classical music.
Samcheonggak also houses a refined Korean restaurant, which serves royal cuisine as the emperor liked it. It’s a popular entertainment venue for companies based in Seoul, and lunchtime performances take place several days a week.
To get to Mount Bugaksan, go to Gyeongbokgung station on subway line 3, leave from exit 3 and take bus 1,012 to Changuimun. You can also catch a shuttle bus at Seoul Plaza hotel’s main entrance (subway line 1, Seoul City Hall station, exit 6). Visit samcheonggak.or.kr
