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

Founded in 1395 by the first king of the Joseon Dynasty, Gwanghwamun is the main gate of Gyeongbukgung Palace. Roughly meaning “may the light of enlightenment blanket the world,” the name symbolizes the resounding dedication that the people of the Joseon Dynasty had in creating a new dynasty. Constructed solely out of granite, its center is an entrance that resembles a rainbow, called Hongyemun. Above that is a gate tower. Gwanghwamun holds a painful memory in Korean history. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, in order to dampen the spirits of the Korean citizens, the Japanese governing general destroyed the gate and built his own government building. The present appearance of the gate is that of 1968 when it was rebuilt using concrete, and it’s location is about 10m behind the original spot. Though Gwanghwamun is the most beautiful of the five palace gates, it was not designated by the Korean government as a national treasure because it is made purely of concrete. The government is now in the process of removing the Japanese building and restoring the palace. Gwanghwamun has its name written on a sign on the gate, and it was personally written by then-president Park Jeong-Hui. On either side of the gate you can see the word “Haetae” facing south. Haetae is a mythical unicorn-lion that is said to protect palaces from fire. According to Pungsujirisang, there was a fire around Gwanaksan Mountain, so in order to protect the palace from fire from the mountain, these fire-eating Haetaes were put beside the gate.  


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Myeongdong

Known as a traditional snack enjoyed by royal families, the delicious ggultare consisits of 16,000 strands. Made of honey and malt, it is a widely popular snack among both Koreans and international tourists. Two ggultare shops in Myeong-dong and Insa-dong offer three different flavors: walnut, almond, and peanut ggultare. The unique way in which it is made has drawn media attention from abroad, causing the snack's popularity to skyrocket. The store in Myeong-dong also offers visitors a guide map of Myeong-dong along with their snack.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Myeongdong

Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center provides information on travelling, shopping, attractions and more in Seoul. Visitors can also try on hanbok and hangeul stamp experience as well as visit a gift shop.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art is located at the center of Insa-dong, Seoul. Insa-dong is famous as a traditional cultural street. Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art is a cultural ground for artists and is also a tourist attraction. It is divided into three gallery halls, an outdoor gallery hall, an outdoor stage where many events take place, a screen, and finally a traditional teahouse. People love this place because it is where artists can meet and exhibit their art pieces, and where tradition and modern culture intermingle. The first gallery of Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art is composed of two floors. It is the largest gallery hall in Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art. The pleasant and spacious gallery hall is quite striking; it excellently accomplishes all kinds of exhibitions. The second gallery hall can be divided into three floors, a greenhouse, and a terrace. First of all, this gallery hall is made entirely of glass. Natural sunlight warms up the room. It is a place where the artificial steel frames and the naturalness of the indoor trees create an exquisite harmony. The plane artistry and cubic artistry are exhibited to their fullest effect here. The third art gallery hall is in the form of a Korean house, which looks great together with the outside garden. It is a place that incorporates the beauty of a traditional Korean house. If you are interested in traditional Korean houses, you should visit this gallery. It is especially famous for its crafts, paintings, and Korean-style art. Apart from all these there is an art and craft shop. At the art and craft shop you can buy and view the art pieces and props of many talented artists, including wood printing and paintings. It is beloved by many due to the fact that here you can experience the lives of currently active artists. At Kyung-In Museum of Fine Art there are two places where you can enjoy refreshments. One place is the ‘teahouse.' At the teahouse you can feel the aroma of the four seasons breathing with you. The delicacies of the shop are the diverse herbal teas and the natural fruit ice cream. If you treat yourself to the natural fruit ice cream along with the aroma of the herbal tea, surely all your fatigue will melt away. If you want to try a different traditional tea place, you should visit 'Dawon.' The sublime sound of the hanging-bell at the roof’s edge and the beauty of a traditional Korean-style house will make you feel like you are in a Korean temple. At ‘Dawon’ there are 15 different kinds of traditional Korean tea. And since one can enjoy the sculptures of the garden while drinking, it is widely visited both by Koreans and foreigners alike.


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Daehangno・Seongbukdong

Nestled in a tranquil neighborhood, the Gansong Art Museum, which stretches over 4,000 pyeong (13,223 square meters), is a respite from the bustling city streets. Bahwagak, the main building, is home to a number of some of the rarest Korean antiquities. This collection of national treasures is the lifelong work of founder, Jeon Hyeong-pil.This art museum holds some of the oldest paintings in Korea. The museum only opens its doors to the public for two weeks in May and October and has done so every year since its opening in October 1971. The Gansong Art Museum’s collections are highly regarded for their high quality and artistic caliber.The Gansong Art Museum is located at 2nd Level of Design Exhibition Hall of Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The Kansong art exhibition will be on display at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).


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(Jung-gu) , Euljiro・Chungmuro・Namsan

2nd Casa is located in Myeong-dong the center of Seoul and so it is ideal for tourists who travel through downtown. Thanks to cheap price and convenient traffic, it is popular among foreign tourists visiting Seoul. As famous department stores, shopping malls and duty-free shops are located in 5 minutes distance by walking and Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insa-dong, Namdaemun market, Dongdaemun market, Namsan, Itaewon and Cheonggyecheon stream are located in 20 minutes distance by walking, it is the best place for Seoul tour. Getting out of the entrance, there are many things to see, do and eat along the street.


Seoul(Yongsan-gu) , Itaewon・Yongsan

Located across from Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton Shirts boasts exquisite customized dress shirts with over 30 years of history. Its loyal customers include professionals in the financial industry and media. Within a KRW 30,000-40,000 price range, customers get high quality dress shirts with their initials either on collars or sleeves. Reasonable prices along with exceptional quality have attracted not just Koreans but international tourists to Hamilton Shirts. Customers staying or living in Seoul may get their shirts deliverd to their doors once they visit Hamilton Shirts and choose the type of fabric and style. 


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

The Bukchon Art Museum, which opened in January 2005, provides exhibition space to communicate diverse artistic perspectives and interpretations with art collections that range from traditional antique arts to modern arts. Located in the historic cultural area of Bukchon (North Village), it offers a pleasant and comfortable place for enjoying culture.The art museum endeavors to expand the base of art culture by showcasing the works of talented domestic and international artists who were discovered and selected through theme exhibitions of antique and modern arts from Korea and China and through active cultural engagement with East Asian countries.


Seoul(Yeongdeungpo-gu) , Yeouido・Yeongdeungpo・Mapo

Times Square is a large, comprehensive lifestyle complex equipped with various leisure, entertainment, accommodation, and dining establishments. The complex houses Shinsegae Department Store, which features a number of luxury brands and high-end local products, CGV Starium, which houses 12 movie theaters, including the world's largest screen, a multi-purpose performance center, Kyobo Book Center, E-Mart Discount Supermarket, Courtyard by Marriott, which features 273 rooms, Kolon Sporex Luxury Fitness Center, Amoris Banquet and Convention Center, I Like Dalgi Children's Theme Park, various dining establishments, and many more. In addition, several large outdoor spaces, which collectively span over near 14,850 ㎡, provide perfect spots for relaxation and enjoying the nature inside the metropolitan complex.