Gyeonggi-do(Gwacheon-si) , Seoul Grand Park

The Rose Garden offers a magnificent sight created by some 30,000 roses (400 species) surrounding the Seoul Grand Park Lake. In June, when the roses are in full bloom, the garden is a popular date spot for couples.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Located in Gahoe-dong (Jongno-gu), Myeongin Museum is the only museum in Seoul that specializes in masks, including traditional Korean masks and masks from around the world. Visitors can find the "Myeongin Collection" on the first floor and a large exhibition hall on the first basement level. The museum is home to over 500 rare masks collected by its director over the course of 30 years from Korea and countries around the world. Masks at the museum reflect the unique cultures of countries from all over Africa, Oceania, Latin America, India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Japan, and East Asia. In addition to these fascinating masks, the Myeongin Collection further offers visitors a look into culture with a number of Buddhist sculptures, Buddhist paintings, Buddhist crafts, ceramics, modern art, and western paintings. 


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

The Chojun Textile & Quilt Art Museum opened on October 27, 1998 with the goals of preserving Korean traditional patchwork quilting techniques, which are gradually being forgotten, and of exhibiting other countries’ textile crafts. The Chojun Textile & Quilt Museum in Namsan-dong, central Seoul, is the only museum in Korea that displays local and foreign textile art.The museum brings together a number of beautiful quilts and other textiles from around the world that embody the love and spirit of the women who created them. These works include Korean traditional personal ornaments, ceremonial dresses, everyday objects, and traditional costumes of the Chinese Miao tribe. The displays of rare foreign quilts and Korean traditional patchwork quilts dating back as far as 100 years have been attracting a continuous flow of quilt aficionados and international tourists.As you may already know, the term ‘quilt’ refers to a coverlet made of two layers of fabric decoratively stitched together with a layer of cotton in between. A long time ago, Koreans wore quilted clothes and held quilting parties similar to the Western quilting bee. Koreans have long since used various cloth remnants to make quilts.Though the actual type of cloth, pattern, and stitching may vary from country to country and person to person, quilts the worldover represent the resourcefulness and care of the people who made them. At the museum, visitors can compare the styles of a variety of beautiful Asian and Western textile works, which is perhaps one of the main draws of the museum.The museum’s first exhibition presented the winning works of the Japan International Quilt Contest. It then hosted the first Korean Quilt Contest and presented the winning works of the contest at the museum. It has since held several shows featuring quilts and other textile works including “The Manhole Quilt Exhibition for a Beautiful Environment” and the World Traditional Textile Exhibition.In addition to exhibits and various programs, the museum has served as an educational center for textile artists by organizing a number of workshops and seminars. Fast emerging as a favorite destination for foreign tourists thanks to its unique items and exhibitions, the Chojun Textile & Quilt Art Museum plans to hold more diverse exhibitions and contests in the future while continuing to exhibit its permanent collection of Korean textile art.The programs at the museum are aimed at providing the general public with opportunities to get closer to the textile arts, which remain unfamiliar to many, and to help preserve Korea’s textile traditions and promote them worldwide. In addition, by introducing unique textile artwork from overseas, the museum seeks to offer opportunities for local textile artists to obtain new ideas and techniques and gain a wider, global perspective.


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) , Insadong・Jongnon

Byeori began to sell handmade accessories and silver crafts at the Free Market near Hongik Univeristy. As the brand became more popular, the company was able to open a store in Samcheong-dong. In addition to accessories, Byeori now offers household ceramics by a variety of artists. It is popular among customers looking for colorful items.


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

Seoul Plaza was established in 2004, and is centrally located by Seoul City Hall. The plaza is shaped like an egg and the full moon. Seoul Plaza hosts a wide array of cultural events including concerts and exhibitions for residents and visitors. The plaza transforms into an outdoor skating rink every winter, and is a popular winter attraction in the city. The facility houses one rink for beginners and one for advanced skaters, and also hosts various events during its operating hours. There are also convenience facilities like skate rental, and outdoor break room, outdoor standing area and rest area for ice skaters. Ice skaters at the rink must wear gloves, and the plaza also offers a training program to teach interested individuals how to skate in a fun and accessible way. To learn how to skate, visit the homepage to register for a training session in advance.


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

The Seoul Color Park spans over 9,000㎡ of land next to Hangang River under the Mapo Bridge. It features a large wave-shaped sculpture, as well as bar code graphics and benches painted with 10 different colors that have been designed as the Colors of Seoul. In the 'Seoul Color' scheme, dark gray represents the traditional 'giwa' roof tiles, red represents the 'dancheong' pattern used in traditional wooden buildings, green represents Namsan Mountain, and orange represents flowers. Other colors include light gray, beige, blue, yellow, brown and white.


Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

In an alley near the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Italian restaurant The Hanok Smith Likes can be found. The restaurant is famous for serving homemade Italian cuisine in traditional Korean house in Samcheong-dong.The Smith in the restaurant’s name refers to a blacksmith as well as Mr. Smith which is a common name like Cheolsu in Korea. The restaurant decided to pick the name Smith with the second meaning in mind. So, the concept is that Mr. Smith who is a virtual person cooks his favorite dishes in a hanok. One of the interesting aspects about this restaurant is that they serve hwadeok pizza (brick oven pizza) and pastas which are not the Korean dishes one might expect given the hanok exterior. They also serve salads, risotto, steak and wine at the restaurant. Particularly, the nighttime atmosphere of the restaurant offers a more serene and cozy experience thanks to the traditional hanok architecture.


Seoul(Seodaemun-gu) , Sinchon・Ewha Womans University

The area around Ewha Womans University, Korea’s famous women’s university, is commonly called Ewha Womans University Fashion Street. This district features a number of stalls lining the streets selling fashion items, such as clothing, shoes and accessories, for young women. It offers a distinctive shopping experience, with all the fun of a “shop-crawl” from stall to stall and store to store along the narrow alleyways. This street is a popular fashion destination for young women. Walking down from Ewha Womans University subway station to the main entrance of Ewha Womans University, and turning into an alley on the left, there are a number of street stalls . Furthermore, the alley on the right side of the main entrance to the university contains many designer shops as well. Recently, a few major shopping malls have taken the place of large and small stores set in alleys, offering consumers still more choice.  Another specialty of the fashion street that cannot be missed is the alterations services, where tailors have taken alterations to a new level of design expertise.  The fashion street is also famous for its concentration of hair salons, meaning people can find a whole new look from head to foot.  


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

Ramada Seoul, opened in February, 2004, is located in Samseong-dong, Gangnam, one of the main business districts in Seoul. The hotel (B3-12F) offers 246 guestrooms (65 executive rooms, 7 luxurious suites) and a range of convenient facilities including meeting rooms of various sizes, a spa & sauna, a fitness club, restaurants, and a banquet room with space for up to 500 guests. Conveniently located across from Seolleung Park, guests can easily take a morning jog or walk along the park paths.