Travel/Culture List

Sangso Forest Park is a public park covering parts of Maninsan and Sikjangsan Mountains in Daejeon. The entrance of the park is lined with sycamore trees, while the inside offers several promenades and mountain hiking trails. In addition, stone pagodas are placed throughout the park as prayer sites.

In the 1970s, an elevated road was built to connect the eastern and western sides around Seoul Station. However, the road was closed to road traffic due to safety issues. After this, rather than tearing down the existing structure, the road was transformed into Seoullo 7017, a new pedestrian walking experience. Seoullo 7017 gets its name from its years of new life, from being a traffic road in the 70s to a sky garden in 2017. The "17" also has a deeper meaning, with Seoullo 7017 being divided into 17 unique sections, and the road being located 17 meters above the ground. There are a variety of facilities along Seoullo 7017, including an information center, cafes, gardens, and stages. Seoullo 7017 itself is open all day, every day for visitors to enjoy at their leisure. If you would like a guided tour, be sure to sign up for the guided walking tour through the official Visit Seoul website.

Korean artists of various specialties such as writers, painters, actors, architects and musicians constructed the cultural town of Heyri. Within this community there are residences, workrooms, art galleries and museums. Artists make a living by opening exhibitions, trading or selling their art. Currently, there are about 40 museums, exhibitions, concert halls and bookstores, and around 30~40 more are expected to be added. Currently about 10 cafes and food courts are included in these buildings for the convenience of its visitors.Heyri Artvalley was constructed to blend in with surrounding structures. The local construction regulations require all buildings to be no more than three stories tall. Just by glancing at these buildings you will admire their artistry since architects constructed each building with its own unique characteristics.HAS III Art Gallery and the field of reeds by the central lake were filming locations for the romantic comedy, "Everybody Has Secrets (2004)" starring Lee Byung-hun & Choi Ji-woo.

Alternative Space Loop (also known as the “Loop”) is a non-profit gallery that provides exhibition space and support programs for young and promising artists. In the late 1900s, many artists could not afford to pay for exhibition space in a gallery and struggled to pursue their passion for the arts. The idea of a “free alternative exhibition space” was born and as a result, the Loop was opened in Sangsu-dong in Feb, 1999. In 2005, the Loop was moved to Seogyo-dong, its current location.On the first floor and in the basement, the works of new artists are on display. On the 2nd floor, there is a small café where visitors can take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee, have discussions, or read one of the books provided.The Loop has been holdng exhibitions and performances more than ten times a year ever since its opening. The gallery engages in diverse international exchanges such as Tirana Biennale and in 2002, was invited to the Gwangju Biennale as an alternative art space. 

Z.I.Gallery is a boutique shop by the renowend designer, Zia Kim. Her works have appeared in Seoul Collection, Paris Pretaporter, department stores, and shops abroad. Visitors can purchase items with unique designs and cutomized items. It directly runs two brach stores in Gahoe-dong and Hyoja-dong. These handmade Items go through meticulous quality management.

Located in U-dong (Haeundae-gu), Busan Museum of Art is a main cultural attraction along with Busan Cultural Center, Busan Citizens’ Hall, and Busan Museum. Opened in 1998, this spacious museum with five floors offers exhibition halls, archives, educational rooms, and an outdoor sculpture park. It displays and collects a rich array of arts from various genres; it is actively involved in international exchanges with other countries and conducting research. Nurturing artists and offering high quality exhibitions, the museum provides visitors with excellent opportunities to appreciate art. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed Every Monday and on New Years’ Day. 

Daejojeon Hall was the queen’s residence at Changdeokgung Palace. Originally built in 1405 (5th year of King Taejo’s reign during the Joseon Dynasty), the hall had been destroyed by fires multiple times since then. The current structure is the one rebuilt in 1920 with materials taken from Gyotaejeon Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace after being burnt down in 1917. Daejeojeon is differentiated from other palace buildings in that it has no ridge on the roof. The center bedroom is surrounded by small-sized rooms for court ladies to attend to the king and the queen.

The Namsan Cable car runs from the base of Namsan Mountain (located in central Seoul) up to the Namsan Tower, one of the most representative tourist attractions in Seoul, loved by tourists and residents alike. The new cable cars, which have been in operation since Dec. 6, 2008, have an increased capacity of 48 people per car (up from 38). Unlike the older cars, the new cable cars have glass on all four sides, giving riders a wider view of the mountainside. Approximately 50,000 people ride the Namsan Cable Car each month. Visitors who are looking for a more tranquil tour are advised to go in the morning. For both a daytime and nighttime view of Seoul and the tower, take the cable car up the mountain in the late afternoon and coming back down in the early evening (to beat the nighttime rush). To get to the cable cars without having to walk too much, take the Namsan Oreumi, (Namsan outdoor elevator). The Namsan Oreumi is the first inclined outdoor elevator in Korea. It runs a distance of 140m (from the entrance of Namsan 3rd Tunnel to the parking lot of the Namsan Cable Car) and takes visitors to the Namsan Cable Car station in about two minutes, as opposed to the usual 20-min. walk. Maximum capacity is 20 people and operating hours are the same as the Namsan Cable Car (09:00 to 23:30). The other way to get to the Namsan Cable Car station is by going out of exit 3 of Myeongdong Station, subway line 4 (see ‘directions’ section for details).

Seoul Museum of History captures the traditional culture of Seoul. Vestiges from the prehistoric era to modern Seoul are on display. The museum was renovated with modern updates in May 2002, 17 years after opening. The main exhibit halls are on the 3rd floor. Many of the Joseon Dynasty relics were donated during the Relic Donation Campaign. Also, the landscape of Seoul is recreated when it was the capital of the Joseon Dynasty. Another exhibit showcases the daily life of the Seoulites, while another presents items through an online cyber museum. The 1st floor has many convenient facilities such as a coat check and the Kids Corner playroom. The Special Exhibition Hall, the Exhibition Hall for Donated Relics, and Museum Shop where cultural products are produced and sold, are also on the 1st floor. If you enjoy dainty foods and tea, visit the Gyeonghuigung Café. It is a cozy spot which stays open after museum hours.

The Bay 101 is located in a culture and art complex in Haeundae area, attracting many visitors to the area thanks to the beautiful nightscape that it offers.