Located in beautiful Gwacheon, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon displays works by Korean and international modern artists, as well as works by contemporary artists currently making waves in the art world. As well as its permanent collection, the museum generally presents several special exhibitions, which run for three to four months. For English information on the special exhibitions, visitors should check the Art Exhibitions section of VisitKorea’s “What’s On This Month” calendar, the link to which can be found on the main page. Most of the exhibitions can be seen free of charge, although some of the major special exhibitions may charge an admission fee. The museum’s six exhibition galleries are spread over three floors, and include a children’s gallery. The museum is conveniently located on the outskirts of Seoul near several other attractions, such as Seoul Grand Park and SeoulLand amusement park, so the area makes for a good day-trip.

The Shinsegae Centum City Department Store is registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest shopping complex in the world. The department store has a countless number of items all under one roof. Visitors can also enjoy numerous entertainment options in the complex. Shinsegae, which opened the first department store in Korea, reflects decades of retail experience in this flagship location. Some entertainment facilities include a spa and an ice rink.Globally renowned experts such as Italian architect Claudio Silvestrin and,an American architecture and design firm Callison completed Centum City under the concept of a “golden sea”. The department store has emerged as a defining landmark in Busan.

Itaewon was the first special tourist zone designated in 1997 among the 5 special tourist zones in Seoul. It is a multicultural place where over 20,000 foreigners live and is widely recognized by international visitors. The name Itaewon started to spread worldwide in the 1980s, when Korea hosted the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, as well as international conferences. Since then, Itaewon has been a popular travel destination. Clothes and accessories with unique designs, and leather products are famous in particular. This is a go-to street for both shopping and entertainment. The street is crowded with shopping malls selling clothes and bags, as well as accommodations including hotels, restaurants, entertainment facilities and travel agencies. With about 2,200 shops and stores lining every street, visitors can experience a multicultural atmosphere. Also famous is Antique Furniture Street where more than 100 shops stretch from Hamilton Hotel to Hangangjin Station. At night, Itaewon is brilliantly illuminated by nightlife for those from abroad and home-alike. Travelers can taste cuisines and cultures from around the globe on the World Food Street where there are 40 restaurants owned by foreigners. Since the late 1990s, an increase in the number of tourists from Southeast Asia and the Middle East has transformed the streets from being US Army-oriented into streets of cultural diversity. In October, the “Itaewon Global Village Festival” takes place with a range of performances and events. Most of the staff at the stores can speak English, Japanese or Chinese. * Current State of Itaewon Special Tourist Zone 1) Districts Covered: The 1.4 km-long street stretching from Itaewon-ro to Hannam 2 (i)-dong office. 2) Area: 383,292㎡ * Tourist Attractions 40 restaurants run by foreigners, Hamilton Hotel, Art Museum, nightclubs, Antique Furniture Street, etc.

A quick walk from exit 4 of Seongsu Station, visitors in Seongsu-dong will be able to find Union Star Bowling Club. Located on the basement of a red-brick building, the venue is often visited by a number of Hallyu stars including Kim Soo-hyun (who was recently on Infinity Challenge to test his bowling skills), G-Dragon and the members of former girl-group 2NE1. Bowling pins signed by the Hallyu stars are proudly displayed throughout the venue. A unique aspect of Union Star Bowling Club is that it is divided into two floors. The first basement floor is Rock Bowling Alley featuring ten lanes. Dimly lit with pink and blue florescent lights, it functions as a bowling-pub serving a wide selection of domestic and imported beer. Club music gets the energy going while darts and video games are available for those waiting for their turn. The second basement floor is General Bowling Alley offering twelve lanes. Opening from 11am, the whole floor is brightly lit and modestly decorated. Visitors to the Union Star Bowling Club should ask about the Red Pin Game event: anyone who scores a strike when a red pin appears as the head pin will receive a free bottle of beer.  

Ttukseom Hangang Park was a famous resort site even before its rebirth as part of the greater Hangang Park. The park consists of various amenities: music fountains, a riverside square, a rose garden, playground, and a nature learning center.Overlooking Hangang River, the Riverside Square is the venue for a diversity of cultural events and performances. Using a technology in which light is bounced off the water, the 'water screen' (installed on the main stage in the square) shows movies or cartoons from 20:00 to 22:00 during the holidays.The park boasts an exquisite cultural complex called Jabeolle (J-Bug), offering plenty of art and rest facilities as well as a magnificent view of the Hangang River. Conveniently located near Ttukseom Resort Station, Jabeolle houses a café, tea house, and gift shop, as well as exhibitions by media artists.Ttukseom Hangang Park is open all year round and has a variety of attractions that change with each season. During the summer months, visitors can enjoy the thrill of windsurfing, waterskiing, and motor boating. In the spring and fall, the park has a number of seasonal flower exhibitions. In winter, sledding and skating await.In addition, the park offers facilities for X-Games, artificial rock climbing, cruise ships, a Saturday Flea Market, a nursing mothers’ rooms, and women's lounges, making it a popular place for Seoul citizens. 

Founded in 1395 by the first king of the Joseon Dynasty, Gwanghwamun is the main gate of Gyeongbukgung Palace. Roughly meaning “may the light of enlightenment blanket the world,” the name symbolizes the resounding dedication that the people of the Joseon Dynasty had in creating a new dynasty. Constructed solely out of granite, its center is an entrance that resembles a rainbow, called Hongyemun. Above that is a gate tower. Gwanghwamun holds a painful memory in Korean history. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, in order to dampen the spirits of the Korean citizens, the Japanese governing general destroyed the gate and built his own government building. The present appearance of the gate is that of 1968 when it was rebuilt using concrete, and it’s location is about 10m behind the original spot. Though Gwanghwamun is the most beautiful of the five palace gates, it was not designated by the Korean government as a national treasure because it is made purely of concrete. The government is now in the process of removing the Japanese building and restoring the palace. Gwanghwamun has its name written on a sign on the gate, and it was personally written by then-president Park Jeong-Hui. On either side of the gate you can see the word “Haetae” facing south. Haetae is a mythical unicorn-lion that is said to protect palaces from fire. According to Pungsujirisang, there was a fire around Gwanaksan Mountain, so in order to protect the palace from fire from the mountain, these fire-eating Haetaes were put beside the gate.  

Nestled in a tranquil neighborhood, the Gansong Art Museum, which stretches over 4,000 pyeong (13,223 square meters), is a respite from the bustling city streets. Bahwagak, the main building, is home to a number of some of the rarest Korean antiquities. This collection of national treasures is the lifelong work of founder, Jeon Hyeong-pil.This art museum holds some of the oldest paintings in Korea. The museum only opens its doors to the public for two weeks in May and October and has done so every year since its opening in October 1971. The Gansong Art Museum’s collections are highly regarded for their high quality and artistic caliber.The Gansong Art Museum is located at 2nd Level of Design Exhibition Hall of Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The Kansong art exhibition will be on display at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) is a Korean modern art museum conveniently located in the Deoksugung Palace area near Jeongdong Theater (traditional performances) and Nanta Theater. SeMA is a 3-story building with 6 exhibition halls, a lecture hall for educational programs, and a library where art-related books, magazines, and visual reference materials are available to the public. In one of the exhibition halls is a permanent collection titled "The Soul of Chun Kyung Ja," an exhibition of the works of the famous Korean artist Chun Kyung Ja. An art museum popular among both locals and visitors, SeMA holds internationally renowned exhibitions twice a year and has hosted Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, Pompidou, and many other famous collections.

Located on Arirang Street in Gukje Market (Changseon-dong, Busan), Restaurant Street boasts over 60 years of history. It offers delicious Korean food such as gimbap (steamed white rice and various ingredients rolled in dried seaweed), sundae (steamed cow intestines stuffed with various ingredients), and noodles. The open seating and street dining are representative characteristics of the traditional marketplace. The area specialty is Chungmu Gimbap (rolls made of dried seaweed stuffed with rice and served with spicy radish and boiled squid) and is wildly popular among Koreans and international tourists.

The Bukchon Art Museum, which opened in January 2005, provides exhibition space to communicate diverse artistic perspectives and interpretations with art collections that range from traditional antique arts to modern arts. Located in the historic cultural area of Bukchon (North Village), it offers a pleasant and comfortable place for enjoying culture.The art museum endeavors to expand the base of art culture by showcasing the works of talented domestic and international artists who were discovered and selected through theme exhibitions of antique and modern arts from Korea and China and through active cultural engagement with East Asian countries.