Seoul(Jongno-gu) , Insadong・Jongnon

Injeongjeon Hall is the main throne hall of Changdeokgung Palace. The hall was used for conducting major state affairs, including the coronation of a new king, assembly of officials, and reception of foreign envoys. The current building was rebuilt in 1804 (4th year of King Sunjo’s reign) and shows the architectural style of the late Joseon Dynasty.


Seoul(Gangnam-gu) , Sinsadong・Garosu-gil

Pop Green hotel is located in Seoul’s Apgujeong area, a rising center of shopping, tourism, and business. A hotel that combines natural beauty with modern design elements, Pop Green is an all-inclusive accommodation facility with a range of facilities such as a 24-hr business center, wedding hall, seminar room, bakery, café, and a bar serving a delicious rainbow of cocktails. All rooms have free internet access and direct international call services. Non-smoking guestrooms are available.


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

"The Stone Guards of the Royal Tombs" Seonjeongneung is comprised of Seolleung Royal Tomb (선릉) and Jeongneung Royal Tomb (정릉). Located in downtown Seoul, this place offers tranquil and pleasant promenades for couples and office workers. Seonjeongneung houses the burial mounds of King Seongjong (1469-1494), his wife Queen Jeonghyeon, and King Jungjong (1506-1544) of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Upon entering the grounds, you can see a red gate (the red colour denotes holiness) with a taegeuk (yin-yang) symbol. The stone paths leading to the sacrificial building are noteworthy because there are two stone paths—the elevated path is for the dead King and the lower one is for living people. In the past memorial rites were performed in the sacrificial building. Small sculptures on the eaves called Japsang were carved in the shape of animals, such as monkeys, and were believed to exorcise evil spirits. Next to the sacrificial building, there is a pavilion and a tombstone which is the tomb of the King. Sculptures of sheep and tigers surround the tomb and are guardians of the deceased king. There is also a statue of a military officer bearing a sword. In front of the tomb is an outstanding sight called 'Mangjuseok,' which is a pair of stones designed to guide the spirit of the king to his tomb. Unlike the tombs of the Kings, the queen’s tomb, Wanghureung, is simple. It doesn’t have any pavilions or sacrificial buildings, and is surrounded only by stone sculptures as guardians. Seonjeongneung has a lush forest, and benches on the promenade provide an ideal place to relax. There are numerous small hills with clusters of trees that create a border between the mystery and serenity of the royal tombs and the hustle and bustle of downtown Seoul.


Daejeon(Jung-gu)

Euneungjeongi Culture Street in Eunhaeng-dong in downtown Daejeon is the fashion epicenter of Daejeon and is comparable to the famed Myeongdong shopping district in Seoul. Packed with plenty of things to see, eat, and enjoy, the street is bursting with the lively vigor of the street’s young shoppers. In addition to landmarks like the Dongbaek branch of the Galleria Department Store, the brisk economy of the area has picked up thanks to the addition of wedding shops and other business. Easily accessible via public transportation, traffic on the street is limited to create a safer environment for visitors to enjoy the thriving street culture.


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(Gangnam-gu) , Apgujeong・Cheongdamdong

Established by Olivier Baussan, Loccitane has its roots in the French Provincial style. It is a brand focusing on overall "wellbeing": the harmony of sensual pleasure and mental bliss. It is one of the first brands in Korea to use essential oils and natural ingredients in all its product lines.


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

Special Noodles from Japan! Inaniwa Yosuke Inaniwa Yosuke, located near Seoul City Hall, is Korea's branch of a restaurant named Sato Yosuke in Japan that has been specializing in udon for the past 350 years. As one of the top three must-eat udon in Japan, inaniwa udon featured at these restaurants is characterized by thin, flat noodles that have a chewy texture. Their signature menus are seiro udon and wagyu udon. Seiro udon is served cold with two different types of sauce to dip your noodles in: the tsuyu sauce and the sesame miso sauce. Each sauce has its own unique flavor that will stimulate your tastebuds. On the other hand, wagyu udon is served in a hot soup. The chewy noodles topped with meat served in a bowl of hot soup are enough for a hearty meal.  The recommended side menu to go along with the noodles is shrimp cream croquette. The smooth cream and shrimp filling covered with a crispy crust is as popular as the restaurant's prized udon. The restaurant also sells inaniwa udon noodles and their special sauces separately for inaniwa udon at home or as an excellent gift. ☞ Address: 6, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul ☞ Operating hours: 11:00-23:00 (Closed on Sundays) ☞ Menu and price: Seiro Soy Sauce and Sesame Miso Tsuyu Udon 9,000 won / Wagyu Udon 15,000 won / Shrimp Cream Croquette 8,000 won (Prices based on lunch. Prices may vary for dinner) ☞ Website: www.food-biz.or.kr/inaniwa (Korean only)        


Seoul(Jung-gu) , Myeongdong

Opened in 1981, this diminutive restaurant has been attracting customers with its mouthwatering ramyeon noodles for more than 20 years. The restaurant’s unique ramyeon recipe includes an ultra-spicy broth with lots of red pepper seasoning, chewy noodles, egg, and bean sprouts. Even Koreans, who are used to eating spicy kimchi, sometimes shed tears while eating this fare. Besides the food, the ambience is fun, with interesting messages written by customers attached to the ceiling and the walls. The restaurant has created its own jargon that is recognized only by regular customers: ramyeon is called ppal-gye-tteok (spicy red soup with egg and rice cake), and yellow pickled radish is called pineapple, to name a few of the coined terms. The menu board lists the price of ramyeon as W30,000 confusing first-time visitors. But don’t panic: an extra zero (0) was just added for fun! TIP: (1) Take some souvenir pictures using the walls and the ceiling as a background (2) Try putting some cold rice in your ramyeon for an interesting, less spicy taste.


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

Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is the third Sheraton Hotel to be opened in Korea. The new Sheraton Hotel (operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc.) is a top-tier accommodation in southwestern Seoul offering high-quality services and a prime location. This five-star hotel has 269 guestrooms, 12 meeting rooms, a Grand Ballroom, restaurants, a bar, a café, a fitness center, and a swimming pool. The hotel is located at the top of the D Cube building and is directly linked to the D Cube Department Store, D Cube Art Center and D Cube Park, enabling a new lifestyle of shopping and culture and leisure activities all under one roof.Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel has a variety of innovative features, but the most unique trait is that the lobby, restaurant, and bar are located on the very top of the building on the 41st floor! The 269 guestrooms are also located in the upper levels of the D Cube structure, allowing for a bird’s-eye view of the city.To reach the hotel (located in D Cube City), take the subway and get off at Sindorim Station (Exit 1). Those taking Airport Limousine Bus No. 6180 will be dropped off directly in front of the hotel entrance.


Daegu(Dong-gu)

Bangjja Brassware Museum is the first original museum of its kind in Korea. Unknown to many, Bangjja Brassware possesses a host of beneficial attributes and is used both for storing food and for growing plants. One of its primary functions is that of cultivating nutritive elements.The Bangjja Brassware Museum in Daegu has numerous brassware products on hand that were generously donated by Lee Bong-Ju. His collection was subsequently appointed intangible cultural asset number seventy-seven by the Korean government.The museum’s layout is rather intricate. Both the basement floor and second ground floor consist of three exhibit halls, a data research hall, a cultural experience hall, a video education hall, an outdoor stage, and several planning exhibit halls. In the Brassware Cultural Hall, a display boasting Korea’s history regarding various kinds of brassware, together with other relevant information is on hand for visitors. In the nearby Donation Hall, an important intangible cultural asset, Lee Bong Ju’s luxury brassware collection, is on display. In the Reappearance Hall there are makeshift displays illustrating where brassware was first produced and where it was traded.