Travel/Culture List

The Olympic Park Peace Plaza ice skating rink, located in the Songpa-gu district of Seoul, is open for every winter. Seoul Olympic Museum, Soma Museum of Art, and Mongchontoseong Fortress are also within the vicinity.

Arko Art Gallery (formerly Marronnier Art Gallery) is located inside Marronnier park in Daehakno, where many youth flock. Daehakno is a place where many couples have their dates and is beloved by the artisans who use the area as a performance center. The Arko Art Gallery is situated in the partk. The Arko Art Gallrey was founded by the Korean Culture Promotion Department to flourish and enrich the Korean arts. Founded in 1979, when there were not many exhibition spaces for artists, it was a place of hope for many of them. With low general exhibit fees and relatively important self-planned exhibit openings, it became a place that contributed significantly to the development of Korean art.The exhibits taking place in the Arko Art Gallery can be divided into two. One is the General Exhibition and the other is the Planning Exhibition. Both of these exhibitions take place in the small gallery on the 1st floor. Since the exhibits are admitted through strict screening it is recommended that you just go and visit them. There is no admission fee. However, during August, repairs usually takes place. You should try to avoid visiting the gallery during that time or you should call and inquire about the opening times. On the 2nd floor there is a family café. There are six computers to use along with refreshments, so you might want to visit it as well. There are many other places to rest and drink along Daehakno street. While walking through Marronnier Park if there is a specific place you are interested in, just visit it. Wherever you visit, the place's unique atmosphere will be evident. During the Christmas season especially, you may not even find a vacant seat in the area. It is that crowded and popular. 

The Sanwoolim Theater Company is the only drama group in Korea to have its own exclusive theater. The theater company began with the staging of Samuel Beckett’s Nobel Prize winning play “Waiting for Godot” in December 1969. The director Lim Young-woong and the cast performers who had participated in this play co-founded Sanwoolim Theater Company. Since then, it has grown into Korea’s representative drama group by staging over 60 theatrical productions and receiving more than 80 awards over the years. Following the foundation of Sanwoolim Theater Company, company director Lim Young-woong and his wife Oh Jeung-ja built a three-story building with two basement floors near Seoul’s Hongik University at their own expense. The theater building was designed and constructed for theater-use only so that it may not be used for any other purposes. Hence, the exclusive theater for Sanwoolim Theater Company opened in March 3, 1985.

K-Style Hub has the information to meet all tourists' needs, from a tourist information center to a hallyu experince, hansik exhibition and experience hall, medical tourism information and more. Expounding upon the center of just providing information, K-Style Hub also aims to provide various chances to learn about Korean culture and food, as well as easily participate in traditional experiences.

Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine is located on the small hill just five minutes away from Yongsan Eletronics Market. 10 Catholics were martyred on this hill during the Gihae Persecution in 1839 including Choi Gyeong-hwan (Francis)'s wife Lee Seong-rye (Maria). Nine of the 10 martyrs are now recognized as saints. Lee Seong-rye, the mother of Father Thomas Choi Yang-eop (Korea's second ordained priest), has not yet been canonized although she did suffer martyrdom. The reason was that the mother briefly put aside her faith because of the pressures of raising five children after she had her oldest son Thomas. However, the difficulty of combining these two interests was eventually overcome and she died a martyr. Aside from serving as a memorial site, Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine also offers a commanding view of Seoul. Nearby tourist attractions include Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs, which is a Catholic church with Korean architecture, and Yongsan Family Park.  

The best way to see Seoraksan Mountain if you only have a limited time, is by taking the Seorak Cable Car. However, it is so popular that you sometimes have to wait in line for approximately 2 to 3 hours during the peak seasons (summer vacation and fall foliage seasons) and during the weekends, but during off-seasons, the cable car can be boarded without having to wait in line. Riding up and down the cable car, visitors can view the fascinating rock formations of the Gwongeumseong region as well as the Sogongwon area, Jeohangnyeong, and Ulsanbawi Rock to the north. To the northeast, downtown Sokcho and the East Sea comes into view.After getting off the cable car, visitors can take a 20 to 30 minute hike to Gwongeumseong to get a birds-eye-view of Oe-Serok. The cable car ascends at a relatively high speed with some excitement. Safety is assured and the scenery can be enjoyed with the guided tour in the cable car. It runs even when it is raining or snowing, but operation may be suspended under windy conditions.

Insa-dong PR Center opened in 2006 with the goal of providing accessible education for both domestic and international visitors to understand Korean tradition and history. It was built as a private residence for Prince Uichin (1877-1955), one of the sons of Emperor Gojong (1852-1919).It also introduces the tradition and culture of Insa-dong, and provides tour pamphlets and tourist assistance in multiple languages (English, Japanese and Chinese). Visitors can try the traditional costumes and enjoy Wi-Fi within the facility.

Incheon Asiad Main Stadium is the main stadium for the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Construction began in June 2011 and the stadium opened on June 1, 2014. Built on a 631,975㎡ lot, the five-story stadium has a total floor area of 113,620㎡ and 61,818 spectator seats (capacity to be reduced by 32,514 seats after the 2014 Asian Games). The stadium has an oval running track enclosing a regulation-size soccer field. Outside, there's a tennis court, a subsidiary stadium, and the 1,415.13㎡ Yeonhui Cricket Ground (연희크리켓경기장).

Daehangno Street, known as the street for young people, is the former location of Seoul National University. In the 1980s, many theater groups started moving to Daehangno, and it soon developed into a cultural center. In a short period of time, movie theaters, live-cafes, regular cafes and pubs sprung up, and it grew into an entertainment district. Its popularity is still maintained by famous small theaters such as Parangsae (Blue Bird) Theater and Hakjeong Theater, and some 30 additional theaters have concentrated here to contribute in keeping Daehangno as the root of performance art in Korea. The center of Daehangno, Marronnier Park, has frequent live acts and dance performances by young people. This is why Daehangno is called the “Play Mecca” and “Young Street” as well. Another reason Daehangno became so popular with young people is the various interesting sights and food to be found here. Many restaurants, fast food joints, cafes, and bars are concentrated here, making it convenient for people to find something to do after plays and live-performances. Its unique atmosphere and space continues to be loved by many young people.

Daegu Safety Theme Park was established in the wake of the Daegu Subway Station tragedy (February 18, 2003), wherein an arsonist set fire to a train stopped at the subway station, resulting in large casualties. Its main goal is to provide citizens with education on safety measures in an emergency. Almost all visitors are required to attend a brief orientation on safety measures, and may exercise them during the simulated accidents set up at the experience stations. All of the facilities throughout the park, including the exhibition halls and the safety education theater, convey the message of safety.