Exploring Korea

This article is one in a series of articles reviewing travel locations around Asia. Comment your suggestions below as well! Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a city filled with various of attractions that can fit everyone’s taste, whether that be retail, history, nightlife, or nature, Seoul has it all. If you’re stopping by there anytime soon these are some of the places that should definitely be on your bucket list. One of the most prominent attractions that Seoul has are its’ Palaces. Seoul has a total of five places, named the “Five Grand Palaces” in which the royalty of South Korea used to live in. If you’re a really big history buff, going to all five palaces is probably the most ideal thing for you, but if you just want to get a good sense of Korean culture and its history than the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Changdeokgung are the two palaces you should visit. The Gyeongbokgung Palace is the first royal palace built during the Joseon Dynasty, and it is the biggest palace out of all five. Once inside you can explore the entire palace, including its Imperial Throne Hall, its pavilions, and its famous gates. Beside the Palace is the National Folk Museum of Korea and just behind the Palace is the presidential residence called the “Blue House”. The Changdeokgung was the second built palace by the Joseon dynasty and served more as a summerhouse for the emperor. The Palace’s biggest attraction is the Secret Garden that is hidden in the farthest corner of the palace grounds. The garden itself is larger than the palace grounds and can only be accessed through special tours. If you want to shop till you drop and enjoy the nightlife then the Myeongdong and Hongdae areas are where you should go. Myeongdong is one of Korea’s main shopping districts and a must-see place for tourists. Like East Nanjing in Shanghai, Myeongdong is a mixture of local shops and retail stores in which everything from high fashion to small trinkets are sold. Located near Hongik University, Hongdae is known for its youthful nightlife. The area is a mixture of youth, culture, art, and music that is filled with many shops, cafes, bars, clubs, street performers, and street art. The area is always bustling with life and it’s the “it” place for nightlife. Like Shanghai, Seoul also has its own tower, the Namsan Tower, which is located up in the mountains and gives a beautiful view of the city, especially at night. The tower is both famous for its scenic views as well for its locks. Couples often go up to the tower and leave a lock on the gates of the tower with their names inscribed on it as a representation of their everlasting love. If you happen to go up to the tower with a special someone, you can also leave your lock on the tower. Of course one cannot go to Korea without trying some of the traditional Korean food such as Bibimbap, Spicy Rice cakes, Bulgogi (Marinated Beef BBQ), and of course Kimchi. Gwangjang Market, one of Korea’s most famous markets, is a great place to get delicious and cheap Korean cuisine. The market itself is home to many shops that off quality silk goods, bedding, fabric, hanbok and clothing, however once these shops close at night, the food market comes to life. The market is filled with various types of delicious food – from restaurants, to street food carts, to various types of Korean alcohol – this place has everything to fulfill your cravings.

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This article was written by Leidy Tatiana Tapasco. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Abel Hegyes