Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

The signature markings of the Presidential Residence of Cheong Wa Dae are its blue tiles. It is the first thing that catches one's attention upon entering the premises. The blue tiles and the smooth roof blend beautifully with Mt. Bugaksan in the backdrop. The unique buildings of Cheong Wa Dae are comprised of the Main Office, Yeongbingwan (Guest House), Chunchugwan (Spring and Autumn Pavilion), Nokjiwon (Green grass), the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) Valley, and the Seven Palaces. It is interesting to see that these buildings all have distinctive shapes. They are unique and beautifully designed, built in the Korean traditional style. The blue tiles and the smooth curve shape of the main office roofs are elegantly built. Approximately 150 thousand tiles compose the roof of the Blue House. Each were baked individually which make them strong enough to be used for hundreds of years. If you turn to the right you will see Chunchugwan. The roof of Chunchugwan was made of earthen tiles. This is where the president's press conferences are held. On the left side of the main office, there is the Yeongbingwan. It was designed to hold large conferences and official events for foreign guests. You can walk along Nokjiwon and the Mugunghwa Valley. At Nokjiwon a succession of presidents planted trees on memorial occasions. There is one famous tree which is 310 years old. The Mugunghwa Valley has colorful flowers, a fountain, and a phoenix statue, which makes it perfect for taking pictures. It is best to visit here between July and October when the Mugunghwa flowers bloom. A walk around the paths just outside the Blue House grounds is a pleasure as the surroundings are peaceful and beautiful. The paths follow Gyeongbokgung Palace to the Blue House and to Samcheong-dong Park. The walk from the East Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace to the Blue House is the most beautiful part. With the road in the middle, there is the Gyeongbokgung Palace stone wall on the left and galleries and old buildings on the right. The stone wall of Gyeongbokgung Palace is scattered with beautiful old trees that will comfort you. Across the street are Hyundai Gallery, Geumho Gallery and other famous galleries and stylish cafes. Of the many nice cafes and restaurants, there is "The Restaurant." Its interior is modern and one side of the building is a glass wall where you can enjoy viewing the scenery and the stonewall alley while dining. After you pass this area, and before you reach the Blue House, turn to the right and you will reach Samcheong-dong Park. There are also many famous restaurants and galleries in the area.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

The Hanbok Museum is located across the street from Gyeongbokgung Palace main entrance ticketing booth. For this reason, it makes sense for anyone who has just completed looking around the palace to drop by this place as well to get a look at the traditional Korean clothes, if time permits. The museum only opens on the first and the third Saturday of every month, so make sure you plan your trip accordingly. The Hankbok Museum is not just a museum highlighting traditional Korean clothing, but rather it boasts all the events and the rituals people go through from birth to death, and what proper clothing they have to wear to suit their respective occasions. All hanbok displayed at the museum are created by the hanbok designer Lee Ri-Ja herself, made with care and great attention to detail. All together there are roughly 300 varieties on display, and some are practical enough to be worn for daily living now. Besides hanbok, there are also ornaments and other small articles on display. You will fall in love with many of the beautiful ornaments you see. Once you have visited Gyeongbokgung Palace and Hanbok Museum, try visiting Gwanghwa-mun or Insa-dong. At Gwanghwa-mun, you can enjoy different kinds of modern Korean cultural activities, and at Insa-dong, you can experience traditional Korean art and culture.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Samcheongdong・The Northern Part of the Seoul

Boasting over 600 years of history, The Bukchon Cultural Center is situated inside the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village, a narrow series of roads between Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo.The Bukchon Cultural Center immerses visitors in a traditional Korean atmosphere as it is centered between two of Seoul’s main royal palaces. A traditional experience hall and hanok-style restaurant were recently built inside the complex, presenting a more enjoyable experience for all visitors.The Bukchon Cultural Center is a traditional Korean-style building called Hanok Gaok and not only provides a genuine traditional Korean atmosphere, but also offers cultural programs that educate visitors on Korea’s history and traditions. Classes are also available with lectures lead by specialists covering a host of topics, and special extended lecture programs that last anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Registration can be made over the phone after selecting the lecture of your choice. However, be aware that all classes are conducted in Korean only, so you may need to bring a guide or someone who will be able to translate for you. 


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Samcheongdong・The Northern Part of the Seoul

Get off the subway at Gyeongbokgung Station (Subway Line 3), follow the wall of the Gyeongbokgung Palace and you'll find yourself facing a street with majestic trees whose foliage changes every season. This street leads directly to Samcheong-dong. As you enter Samcheong-dong and walk towards the Samchong-dong Tunnel, you'll come across Samcheongdong Sujebi, located right next to the Prime Minister Legation.Samcheongdong Sujebi became a hit among Japanese tourists, after being featured in a popular Japanese magazine. The main dish here is, of course, sujebi (a traditional Korean soup consisting of chunks of dough and various vegetables). It comes in a pot full of sliced pumpkin, clams, and potatoes. This delicious soup is so tasty that there's almost always people lined up outside the restaurant. Other popular items include dongdongju (traditional Korean liquor) and gamjajeon (a Korean potato pancake that uses only potato starch and no other ingredients). 


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

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.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Seoul City Hall・Gwanghwamun

The Daelim Museum, founded by the Daelim Group, was first established in Daejeon in 1996 and later moved to Jongno, Seoul in 2002. The art gallery studies, analyzes, and presents modern art through the lens of photography and holds exhibitions centered around photo media.The museum is located in the residential area of Tongui-dong, near the time-honored Gyeongbokgung Palace. The museum, which was designed by French architect, Vincent Cornu, and built by the Daelim Corporation, opened its door to the public in late May, 2002.On the first floor, there is a garden, parking lot, reception desk, storage area, and conference room. On the second and third floor are offices and a 180-pyeong (approx. 595m²) exhibition hall consisting of small and large rooms, a long gallery, and a special high-ceilinged exhibition space. On the fourth floor, there is a seminar room that can seat up to 120 guests and a balcony with a beautiful view. From the balcony of the seminar room, you may enjoy a wide open view of Inwangsan Mt. and Bukhansan Mt. The stained glass panels (designed to reflect the beauty of Korean traditional cloth) and the scenic lounges on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building add to the overall charm.Above all else, the museum was designed with consideration of the photos, which are very sensitive to humidity, light, and temperature.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Myeongdong

The K-POP RESIDENCE Myeongdong 1 is located in Jung-gu, the center of Korea’s landmark Myeong-dong area. The residence aims to provide the best services and facilities at reasonable prices for domestic and foreign tourists. As Myeong-dong is surrounded by large department stores, duty free shops and various shopping streets, it is known as a ‘paradise of shopping’. The surrounding tourist attractions include Namsan Mountain, Namdaemun Market, Gyeongbokgung Palace and so on. In addition, guests are recommended to sample a few of the delicious Korean dishes served in the nearby restaurants.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Art Sonje Center is an art complex which was built in 1998. It has a short history but is famous for exhibiting high-quality artwork. As an art complex, in addition to regular art exhibitions, movies, dance & music performances and plays are also shown here. On the B1 floor there is an art hall with a capacity for 250 people. Exquisite lightning and audiovisual system equipment are used for showing movies, performances and symposiums. At the art hall, many reviews on movies of the dramatic lives of artists are shown. Other events range from international concerts to project exhibitions of German filmmakers. If you want to relax, head to the traditional Korean house hall, Hanokgwan on the 1st floor. It boasts the unique architecture of modernized traditional Korean style. It is surrounded by bamboo, making it just the place for visitors to rest. It is also used as an exhibition space from time to time. Near Art Sonje Center are Gyeongbokgung Palace and Insa-dong. 


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Samcheongdong・The Northern Part of the Seoul

The Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance displays items that have been collected from Bukchon, a historical village that was once home to the nation’s nobility. For hundreds of years, treasured items in each household were passed down from generation to generation, but since Korea’s rapid development in the second half of the 20th century many of these became obsolete. Opened in 2003, the Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance seeks to preserve artifacts and present them in a cozy, homey environment where visitors can get a sense of how each object was used in daily life. The museum is full of household articles that were absolutely essential parts of life in the past, such as ‘maetdol’ (millstones used for grinding beans or mung beans), ‘jangdok’ (crocks for soy sauce or red pepper paste), and ‘yogang’ (Korean chamber pots that were kept in rooms and used as urinals at night). Visitors are even allowed to touch items on display to better be able to imagine life in Korea before industrialization.From Samcheong-dong (near Gyeongbokgung Palace) to Wonseo-dong (near Biwon, a royal garden in Changdeokgung Palace), Bukchon is an area well-known for its hanok houses (traditional Korean houses). Thanks to the complex structure of hanok, collectors were able to unearth a wide range of articles hidden in storage rooms, under floorboards, and in attics.Visitors to the museum with 10-15 people in their party may participate in programs that allow them to make old-fashioned toys or take part in making ssukgaetteok (rice cake made using mugwort).Near the Bukchon Museum Old Fragrance there are many colorful attractions worth visiting: the Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheong Park, The Owl Museum, ToyKino Museum, the World Jewelry Museum, and the National Palace Museum of Korea, as well as royal palaces such as Gyeongbokgung Palace. 


Seoul(Jung-gu)

New Kukje Hotel has 142 guestrooms and several subsidiary facilities including a banquet hall, a men's sauna and a restaurant. Moreover, its location, in central Seoul, provides guests with easy access to heritage sites such as Deoksugung Palace and Gyeongbokgung Palace, cultural attractions such as Gwanghwamun Plaza, Insadong and Cheonggyecheon Stream, as well as shopping districts such as Dongdaemun Market, Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong.