Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Museum Kimchikan is a unique museum dedicated to kimchi and kimjang, the process of making kimchi which was designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The museum was also selected by CNN in March 2015 as one of the world’s top 11 food museums. Visitors can learn the history of kimchi as well as learn and get a taste of the different types of kimchi. Audio guides in English, Japanese, and Chinese are available for international visitors and a guided tour of the museum by a docent is also available at designated times. Online reservation is available through the museum’s official website.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Euljiro・Chungmuro・Namsan

Bangsan Market is a wholesale market that sells packaging and promotional materials. Popular with patissiers, the market became famous after it was featured on the TV show, “My name is Kim Sam-sun (내 이름은 김삼순).” There are a number of bakery cafes along the Cheonggyecheon Stream.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Euljiro・Chungmuro・Namsan

Located in Mugyo-dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, Chamsutgol (참숯골) is an upscale restaurant serving hanu beef dishes. The restaurant uses only top quality hanu beef from young cattle (two years old or younger) raised on farms in Jeolla-do Province. For freshness and tenderness, the restaurant serves only fresh meat (not frozen) of A+ grade or higher. To bring out its juiciness and tenderness, the meat is grilled on a charcoal fire.The elegant ambience and décor and the variety of rooms in different sizes make the restaurant a favorite choice for special events. It is also regularly visited by international tourists. Popular dishes are the sirloin steak and marinated ribs, doengjang soup, and yeongyang dolsotbap (rice served in a hot stone bowl).


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

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(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

The Choi Gi Soon Dackjongyi Doll Institute makes and displays Dackjongyi dolls (traditional Korean dolls). The dolls are made of special paper created from mulberry trees. Naturally, they ooze a unique scent that comforts visitors. This cozy gallery displays traditional Korean dolls from the past to the present. Visitors can watch and attend a craft class. The dolls can be leased for exhibition, purchased, or customized upon request. 


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Saladian is a restaurant that specializes in salad dishes, serves vegetarian food, and is recommended by the Seoul Government. The name is a newly-coined word that means a person who loves salad. The portion size of their salads makes for a filling meal, and you can add more toppings and other condiments as well. The restaurant chooses the freshest and healthiest ingredients, and they use pasta made of 100% semolina. Their pasta with olive oil is the most popular item besides the salads.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Gangnam・Samseongdong(COEX)

Located on Taehaeranno Boulevard in the middle of Korea's financial district, Hotel Green Grass offers easy access to the Korea World Trade Center, a wide range of global company offices, as well as Seolleung Park. It has 73 rooms, a casual Italian bistro that serves food and beverages at the open terrace between Spring and Fall, a fitness center, a spa and a club. Visitors may also take advantage of the convenience of public transportation that this five-star hotel provides in order to explore Seoul.


Seoul(Songpa-gu) , Jamsil(Lotte World)

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.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

The Jeongdok Library opened in January 1977 on the former site of the Gyeonggi High School in Bukchon, Jongno-gu (Seoul). As a public city library, it boasts over half a million books and 16,300 reference materials. The Seoul Education Museum in the library houses a collection of 12,000 reference materials.   In addition to basic library functions (lending books and offering archives and reading rooms to the public), the library runs various cultural programs such as monthly lectures by invited authors, photo exhibitions, reading seminars, and music/dance performances. The library also hosts educational events on economy, science, and society and shows three movies in the Audio-Visual Room on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday of every week.   Through its vast collection of materials and its program of cultural events, the library hopes to enrich the lives of Seoul citizens by providing them with the latest information and a diversity of learning opportunities.