Seoul
Discover Seoul
Seoul (서울) is the capital of South Korea. With a population of over 9 million (with over 20 million in the wider metropolitan area), Seoul is by far South Korea's largest city and one of East Asia's financial and cultural centers. A fascinating blend of ancient traditions and cutting-edge digital technology, home to endless street food vendors and vast nightlife districts, an extraordinarily high-pressure educational system and serene Buddhist temples, a dynamic trend-setting youth culture and often crushing conformism, extraordinary architecture and endless monotonous rows of grey apartment buildings, Seoul is a city filled with stark contrasts, contradictions, and paradoxes. People in Seoul can enjoy various artistic activities such as plays, musicals, and concerts. Administratively, Seoul is divided into 25 districts (구 gu), each with an area and population comparable to a small city. The districts are then further subdivided into 522 sub-districts (동 dong). The Han river splits the city into two halves: Gangbuk (강북), the northern, more historical half, and Gangnam (강남), the southern, wealthier and more modern half. The sheer size of the city means that travelers to Seoul will find it difficult to locate a true "center" of Seoul; instead, Seoul is almost more like a collection of cities that happen to be bunched together, each with their own central business and commercial districts. The two largest core areas are Jongno/Jung in the north, and Gangnam in the south. For travelers with more time, there are many more, smaller centers and districts to be explored, such as the island of Yeoui-do and the college district of Hongdae/Sinchon. For the typical traveler, it would be useful to divide the city into the following areas:
What to Experience in Seoul
Taste of Seoul...
Much of Korean social life revolves around food and the city is packed with restaurants, so you would have to be determined to starve to death in Seoul. This fate may still befall you if you insist on English menus and meals consisting only of easily identifiable, familiar ingredients, so see South Korea#Eat for a quick Korean menu reader. An alternative is to just point and eat, your hosts generally will accommodate. If you look in the right places, a good meal (lunch or dinner) including side dishes can cost ₩5,000 or less (try basements of large department stores). In addition to Korean food, Japanese restaurants in Seoul tend to be excellent, featuring excellent sushi and sashimi. Chinese restaurants exist, but are typically adapted to suit local preferences. There are a few Italian restaurants; these are generally excellent, with chefs trained in Italy, although flavors tend to be more or less Koreanized, with sugar in the garlic bread and meatballs. Bakeries are found throughout, including some of the common big chains. Seoul has plenty of budget places to eat. Everything from convenience store junk food and noodles to street stall food and lots of 24 hr Korean fast food restaurants. The 24-hour restaurants are great because they've usually got a wide variety of foods, including: mandu, odeng, ddeokbokki, naengmyeon, udong and ramyeon. Prices do vary from about ₩2,000-9,000 at these restaurants.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Seoul into what it is today.
Considering all of this, one may be forgiven for forgetting that Seoul has a long history stretching far back into Korea's dynastic past. There is evidence for settlement in this area as far back as 18 BCE, but Seoul as the capital city of South Korea has a history dating back to the 14th century. Originally named Hanseong (한성; 漢城), the city was the capital of the Joseon Dynasty from 1392 to 1910. The Joseon Dynasty built most of Seoul's most recognisable landmarks, including the Five Grand Palaces and Namdaemun. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the city was renamed to its current name, Seoul. Since the establishment of the Republic of Korea in 1948, Seoul has been the capital of South Korea. Occupied twice during the Korean War by Communist forces from the North, the city was extensively rebuilt and today is one of Asia's primary metropolises. Much of Seoul's infrastructure and facilities, such as the buildings, stadiums and transport systems, are exceptionally modern and clean. Seoul is a relatively well organized city covering over 600 square kilometres (230 sq mi) with a population of around 10.5 million. It is a new modern city built on an ancient and shining history. The city is in the north-western portion of South Korea approximately 40 km (25 mi) east of the Yellow Sea (황해 "Hwanghae") and 60 kilometers south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The city is roughly bisected by the Han River (한강 Hangang), which runs east to west across the city....
Climate
Seoul lies between the subtropical and a humid continental climate zones, meaning it has both freezing winters and sweltering summers. Summer starts with a monsoon season that brings heavy rains in June and July, often leading the Han River to flood. Humidity is very high: the thermometer may read 30 °C (86 °F) during the day and 24 °C (75 °F) at night, but it can feel much hotter. Due to the proximity of Siberia, winters in Seoul can be very cold, colder than you would expect at these latitudes, with temperatures at times dropping below −10 °C (14 °F) in January and February, and wind-chill can make it feel even colder. There are an average of 28 days of snow each year. Bring proper winter clothing and dress in layers. Daylight in the summer runs from 05:15 to 19:45, and in the winter it is from 07:45 to 17:15. As elsewhere in Korea, a grasp of basic Korean will be helpful. If you plan on an extended visit, consider learning to read the Korean alphabet, hangul.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsSeoul (SEL for all airports) is served by two airports; Incheon International Airport serves most international flights, while Gimpo Airport mostly serves as Seoul's domestic airport, plus a smattering of international routes to China, Japan and Taiwan. Most visitors arrive via 37.4488126.45131 Incheon International Airport (ICN) on Yeongjong Island in the neighboring city of Incheon. The A'REX train connects the airport to Seoul Station (for further connections to KTX high-speed services) and Gimpo Airport (most domestic flights), operating from 05:20 until 00:00. Two versions exist: express services to the city (every 40 minutes) take 43 minutes and cost ₩9,000 (with WiFi available on board); while all-stops services (every 6 minutes) take 53 minutes and cost ₩4,750. The express train and the regular train leave from different platforms and have different ticket booths....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Traffic jams are all too common in Seoul, so be careful on the streets and head underground when possible. Street and subway signage is usually written in English as well as Korean. Until 2011, Seoul (and South Korea as a whole) used an address system that was similar to that of Japan, where the streets did not have names and houses were numbered according to the position in the lot. This very confusing address system made it harder for tourists to navigate Seoul, and the government has introduced a Road Name Address System, which uses street names and the method of "odd house numbers on one side, even house numbers on the other side". The confusing old address system was discontinued in 2013, and nowadays, Seoul is easy to get around without extra help. The 'Climate Card' (Gihoo Donghaeng Card) offers unlimited rides on subways and buses within Seoul for a fixed monthly fee. In Seoul, you can visit most places by using the vast subway network.
Where to Stay
Seoul has two unofficial backpacker districts, Jongno (Anguk/Sinseol-dong) to the northeast of the city and Hongdae-Sinchon out to the west. Within walking distance to Dongdaemun Market, Jongno is better located for sightseeing and can be reached directly from Incheon Airport on limousine buses or city bus 6002 to Sinseol-dong stop (₩9,000, 90 min). There are many budget accommodation places across Seoul. Hongdae, Itaewon, Myeongdong and Jongno (Hanok area) are traditional hot spots for Foreign Individual Travelers (FIT). Furthermore, Gangnam is emerging thanks to the huge success of the eponymous song. Hongdae, Sinchon area is in university area. Yonsei Univ., Ehwa woman's Univ., Hongik Univ. and Sogang Univ. are around this area. so there are many restaurants, bar, club and shopping center and easy to be reached from Incheon Airport by limousine bus and Arex (Airport express train) in 1 hour.
Money & Budget
Seoul features some of the largest malls in Asia, including COEX Mall and Lotte World Mall, both east of Gangnam. They all offer a wide range of Korean and international brands with a focus on a more upscale selection. During weekends, they tend to get very crowded. Additionally, there are several very large department stores scattered throughout the city which provide a comparatively large selection on up to 12 floors. Fashion shopping in Seoul isn't a mere industry, it's an art form. Trends often begin in University areas like Hongdae. Hongik University boasts Korea's most famous art school, thus fashion in this area is often influenced by the students' artistic sensibilities. The shops in this area feature funky, punky, boho, and vintage style.
Language & Talk
As elsewhere in Korea, a grasp of basic Korean will be helpful. If you plan on an extended visit, consider learning to read the Korean alphabet, hangul. It takes very little time to pick up the basics, and it can be immensely helpful. A quick (free) visit to the Story of King Sejong Exhibition Hall beneath the Statue of King Sejong in Gwanghwamun Square will give you an introduction to the Korean alphabet and some interactive exhibits to practice. Thirty minutes there will see you recognizing and pronouncing some Korean words. Shops in major tourists areas, including Insadong, Myeongdong, and Itaewon, will probably have staff that speak at least some English, and some may have staff that speak Mandarin, Cantonese and/or Japanese.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Seoul is a remarkably safe city despite its size, comparable in safety to Hong Kong or Tokyo. Pickpocketing is not very common and violent crime is very rare. There are very few places where CCTV cameras are absent. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas. Walking while smoking can incur a fine. If you happen to be a non-Korean man walking hand-in-hand with a Korean woman, drunk older Korean men might give you a tongue lashing or occasionally worse. This is far less of a problem than it used to be. If you do end up in a fight and the attacker gets hurt, the fact that you didn't start the fight may not give you legal protection. Do not try to use drones to take pictures in Seoul, because most of the city (especially north of Han river) is a restricted flight area. Unfortunately, crimes by American soldiers against Koreans do happen, and when they do they often receive a huge amount of national attention.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Seoul
Namsan hill is where the Seoul Tower is located. Thousands of Seoul Visitor visit here everyday to enjoy the view over one of the densest place on earth, Seoul, Korea.
lighted city skyline at night
people walking on sidewalk near high rise buildings during daytime
mickey mouse and donald duck
nights of rage
Cityscape in seoul south korea around sunset.
empty street between houses
Korean way
Soft Sky ... https://www.instagram.com/ici.dius
Cyber Corner https://www.instagram.com/ici.dius
Namsan hill is where the Seoul Tower is located. Thousands of Seoul Visitor visit here everyday to enjoy the view over one of the densest place on earth, Seoul, Korea.
lighted city skyline at night
people walking on sidewalk near high rise buildings during daytime