Travel/Culture List

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun and Bukchang-dong are widely known among international visitors as hot spots for shopping and food. Myeong-dong is a popular destination for shopping, culture, arts and fashion. Major shopping malls such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeong-dong Migliore and Samik Fashion Town are located here. Shoppers can find a variety of products here from high-end items to relatively inexpensive clothes. There’s also no shortage of street food, traditional restaurants, coffee shops and fancy cafes. Namdaemun Market is the biggest traditional market in Korea. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and local produce at an affordable price in the shopping complex crowded with stores and street stalls. The market sells a variety of clothes, kitchenware, toys, accessories, food, flowers and imported goods. Bukchang-dong and Sogong-dong have high-end accommodations including Lotte Hotel Seoul and Westin Chosun Seoul, duty-free shops, and restaurants serving traditional dishes. [Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong Special Tourist Zone] Areas included: Myeong-dong, Hoehyeon, Sogong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Mugyo-dong and Da-dong, Seoul Area size: 872,809㎡ Tourist attractions: Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong, Department Stores (Lotte Department and Shinsegae Department Store, etc.), Traditional Market, Duty-free Shop, Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, etc.

The Seoul National Science Museum first opened its doors to the public in 1945. It was destroyed during the Korean War (1950-1953) and was later rebuilt at its current location in 1972. The museum features a range of exhibition halls and hands-on programs offering visitors an opportunity to experience the principles of science. In addition, the programs focus on nurturing the creativity of children and helping children better understand science.

About 2,000 old Korean kitchen utensils and tteok (rice cake) related items are displayed here and arranged by various themes. The displayed utensils are handmade household necessities that are ingenuous, yet reveal the lifestyle of the working class. The elderly may relive fond childhood memories and the younger generation can experience the wisdom of ancestors through the rare kitchen utensils.

The Namwon National Gugak Center envelops visitors in the enchanting world of Korean folk music, a genre known for its explicit beauty. Recruiting only the nation’s top performers in each discipline, the center offers a variety of regular folk performances such as musical plays, Pansori (epic stories told through song), folk songs, Gaya harp concerts, Samulnori, and more, representing all types of Korean traditional music.The center is located in Namwon, the birthplace of “Dongpyeonjae Pansori,” and offers a regular “Pansori Performance” through which visitors can hear the authentic melodies of Dongpyeonjae Pansori, handed down from generation to generation.In addition to performances, the center is home to a folk music reference room and a traditional Korean instrument gallery displaying approximately 60 different kinds of instruments along with pictures of famous performers. Among the instruments on display, of particular note are Gangneung Province’s “Sogu” (small drum) and the traditional Jeju folk instrument the “Muak.”Nearby attractions include Gwanghallu, a garden from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and Ojakgyo, the bridge from the epic love story of Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo. Namwon is also famous as the setting of the ancient novel “Chunhyangjeon,” which is celebrated with Chunhyang, a folk festival that takes place each year on May 5th.

Mapo Art Center is an innovative cultural art space near college campuses including Hongik and Seogang universities. Art Hall Mac, operated by Mapo Art Center is a fascinating performance hall for a wide range of cultural events. The art hall boasts a stunning exterior as well as finely-appointed facilities that allow the audience to enjoy a diverse genre of performances. The art hall consists of two sections of Play Mac (for smaller performances like puppet shows, solo concerts and children’s performances) and Gallery Mac (where visitors engage in interactive programs). The center also has diverse leisure facilities such as a swimming pool, gym, fitness center, golf club as well as a training center. Other amenities available include a powder room, multi-purpose hall, training room, playpen, and Sky Park.

Busan Asiad Main Stadium, consisting of 1 underground floor and 4 above-ground floors, with an area of 330,000㎡, has been furnished with 53,000 seats including 252 seats for guests with physically disabilities, and has a maximum holding capacity of 80,000 spectators in stadium. Since beginning construction in November of 1993, the city of Busan invested a total of 22,694,800 won, a work force of 488,000 laborers, and 7 years and 9 months to complete the stadium. An auxiliary stadium of 24,785㎡ stands next to the main stadium. Asiad Main Stadium is a multi-purpose sports complex for holding various performances and residential events. The architectural structure is designed to flow with the image of the international marine city, Busan, focusing on curved, delicate lines throughout rather than straight lines in order to reflect the ocean's rolling waves. The circumference of the stadium is equipped with a deck, similar in appearance to the belt of Saturn. With forty-eight pillars and seventy-two gateways, the wall-less deck embodies an openness with the world and the flow of cosmic energy. Busan Asiad Main Stadium was the first sports arena in Korea to be recognized as a first-class international stadium by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Even in the case of heavy rain, with rainfall of as much as 10~15mm/hr, players can continue their competitions after 12~24 hours because of the unique lawn planting method. A lighting system of 2000 lx and the greatest electric scoreboard also provide spectators with high-resolution TV relay broadcasting for a better watching experience.

Established in 1986, the Busan Sports Complex features the main stadium, Sajik indoor swimming pool, an indoor gymnasium, Sajik Baseball Ground, and an athletes' training center. The main stadium was the venue for the 2002 Asian Games and several matches during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The Sajik Baseball Ground is home of the Lotte Giants, and seats up to 28,500 people. The Busan Sports Complex regularly hosts international sporting and cultural events, while providing excellent facilities for personal as well as group training.

Jangchung Gymnasium is Korea’s first domed gymnasium and opened Februrary 1st, 1963. The gym holds diverse athletic events such as basketball, volleyball and handball competitions as well as boxing, wrestling, weight-lifting and ssireum (Korean traditional wrestling). The gym also presents other cultural performances and events including international competitions, concerts and madangnori. The Jangchung Fitness Club, is also located within the facility and offers monthly memberships.

Cheongkwanjang Spa G is a spa facility recently launched by Cheongkwanjang, a high quality hongsam (red ginseng) brand of the Korea Ginseng Corporation. The specialized spa programs at Cheongkwanjang Spa G use six-year-old ginseng roots that have gone through rigorous testing and quality management. Spa G consists of five individual hongsam therapy rooms. Guests can receive water massage to stimulate blood circulation at the Hongsam Spa Room, detoxify and provide nourishment to the body through heat and steam treatments and application of red ginseng concentrate at Hunjeungyok, get stress relieving foot massages at Foot Spa Zone, and restore scalp health using red ginseng products at Head Spa Zone. All spa programs require reservations, and spa programs vary from 1 to 6 hours depending on the choice of treatments. The spa is open from 9 am to 11 pm.

Located in Sangam-dong, Digital Media City is a cutting-edge digital media entertainment cluster covering an area of about 570,000㎡.Attractions and facilities at the DMC include the DMC Promotion Room, DMS (Digital Media Street), DMC Artpia, Digital Pavilion, and the Korea Cultural Contents Center (Korean Movie Museum).