The landmarks and experiences travelers rate highest — with photos, ratings, and where to find them.
Namsan Seoul Tower, aka the YTN Seoul Tower, Namsan Tower, Seoul Tower or N Seoul Tower, is a communication and observation tower located on the summit of Namsan in central Seoul, South Korea. The 236-metre-tall (774 ft) structure was the nation’s first tower servicing multiple TV and radio broadcasters, and is considered a landmark and symbol of the city.
Everland (Korean: 에버랜드) is South Korea's largest theme park. It is located at the Everland Resort in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. In 2018, it received 5.85 million visitors and was ranked 19th in the world for amusement park attendance. As of 2010, Everland is measured to be approximately 1,200,000 square yards. Along with its main attractions, Everland includes a zoo and water park known as Caribbean Bay. Everland is operated by Samsung C&T Corporation, a subsidiary of the Samsung Group.
Gyeongbokgung is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1395, it was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country.
The National Museum of Korea (Korean: 국립중앙박물관) is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea. Since its establishment in 1945, the museum has been committed to various studies and research activities in the fields of archaeology, history, and art, continuously developing a variety of exhibitions and education programs. It was relocated to Yongsan District, Seoul in 2005. On June 24, 2021, the National Museum of Korea opened a new branch inside Incheon International Airport. Located in the boarding area of the airport in front of Gate No.22, the branch was opened in celebration of the museum's 20th anniversary.
Lotte World Tower is a 123-story, 555 metres (1,821 ft) supertall skyscraper, located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea. It is the sixth-tallest building in the world, the tallest in OECD countries and in South Korea, and also the first in South Korea to be over 100 stories tall. It was the fifth-tallest in the world when completed. The tower opened to the public on April 3, 2017.
Haedong Yonggung Temple (Korean: 해동 용궁사) is a Buddhist temple in Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea. The temple claims it was first built in 1376, although this claim has been disputed. The temple complex is a large one and one of few in Korea to be set on the seaside. As such, combined with its proximity to Haeundae Beach and the east side of Busan, the temple is popular with sightseers, particularly during Buddha's Birthday celebrations when the complex is decorated with paper lanterns. It honors Haesu Gwaneum Daebul (海水觀音大佛), the Sea Goddess Buddha of Mercy, who is an aspect of Gwaneum (Guanyin).
Gamcheon Culture Village (Korean: 감천문화마을) is a town within Gamcheon-dong, Saha District, Busan, South Korea. The area is known for its layered streets, twisted labyrinth-like alleys, and brightly painted houses, which have been restored and enhanced in recent years to attract tourism. Built on a steep mountain-side slope, the village has been nicknamed "Korea's Santorini" and the "Machu Picchu of Busan".
Deoksugung (Korean: 덕수궁; Hanja: 德壽宮), also called Deoksu Palace or Deoksugung Palace, is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. It was the main palace during the Korean Empire (1897–1910) and is now a major tourist attraction. It has a mix of traditional Korean and Western architecture that reflects its history. Inside the palace are the Daehan Empire History Museum and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung branch. The palace was first used as a temporary palace by King Seonjo during the 1592–1598 Imjin War, when the other palaces had been destroyed. In 1611, it was made an official palace named Gyeongungung (it was renamed "Deoksugung" in 1907). The palace then went largely unused until the late 19th century. In 1897, Gojong declared the creation of the Korean Empire and made Gyeongungung the empire's main palace. He attempted to make the palace a symbol of Korea's efforts to modernize. He rapidly expanded it by acquiring land from nearby properties and constructing new buildings in both Korean and Western styles. Under his tenure, the palace's major buildings Junghwajeon and Seokjojeon were constructed. Despite his efforts to keep Korea independent, he was forced to abdicate in 1907 and Korea was colonized by Japan in 1910. He lived in the palace until his death in 1919. After Gojong's death, the colonial government moved quickly to sell off and dismantle the palace's property. By 1930, 18 of the original buildings were left. In 1933, the palace was made a public park. In 1938, a West Wing was constructed for Seokjojeon, and together the two buildings became the Yi Royal Family Art Museum. After these efforts to open the palace to the public, just 8 of the original buildings remained. Even for decades after the 1945 liberation of Korea, the palace continued to function as a public park, with some public works projects further altering or decreasing the size of the palace. One scholar estimated the palace's current size to be 1/3rd of its peak size. Efforts to restore its pre-colonial appearance began in the 1980s. In 2004, a comprehensive plan to restore aspects of the palace was enacted. As part of this plan, a number of buildings and structures have been recreated or moved back to their original pre-colonial spots based on historical research.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza is a major urban development landmark in Seoul, South Korea, designed by Zaha Hadid and Samoo, with a distinctively neofuturistic design characterized by the "powerful, curving forms of elongated structures." The landmark is the centerpiece of South Korea's fashion hub and popular tourist destination, Dongdaemun, featuring a walkable park on its roofs, large global exhibition spaces, futuristic retail stores, and restored parts of the Seoul fortress.
The War Memorial of Korea (Korean: 전쟁기념관) is a museum located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea. It was built for the purpose of preventing war through lessons from the Korean War and for the hoped for peaceful reunification of North and South Korea. The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying war memorabilia and military equipment from China, South Korea and the United States.
Bulguksa (Korean: 불국사) is a Buddhist temple on Tohamsan, in Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and contains six National Treasures, including the Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas, Cheongun-gyo (Blue Cloud Bridge), and two gilt-bronze statues of Buddha. The temple is classified as a Historic Site by the South Korean government. In 1995, Bulguksa and the nearby Seokguram Grotto were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temple is considered as a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art in the Silla kingdom. It is currently the head temple of the 11th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Among the earliest woodblock prints in the world, a version of the Dharani sutra dated between 704 and 751 was found there in 1966. Its Buddhist text was printed on a 8 cm × 630 cm (3.1 in × 248.0 in) mulberry paper scroll.
Gwangjang Market (Korean: 광장시장), previously Dongdaemun Market (동대문시장), is a traditional street market in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. The market is one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in South Korea, with more than 5000 shops and 20,000 employees in an area of 42,000 m2 (450,000 ft2). Approximately 65,000 people visit the market each day.
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are a Silla-era former palace and artificial pond in Gyeongju, South Korea. They were part of the palace complex of ancient Silla. It was constructed by order of King Munmu in 674 CE. The pond was formerly known as Anapji (안압지) and is situated at the northeast edge of the Wolseong Palace, in central Gyeongju. The pond is an oval shape; 200m from east to west and 180m from north to south. It contains three small islands.
Bukchon Hanok Village (Korean: 북촌한옥마을) is a residential neighborhood in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It has many restored traditional Korean houses, called hanok. This has made it a popular tourist destination.
Namdaemun Market is a large traditional market in Seoul, South Korea. It is located next to Namdaemun, the main southern gate to the old city. The market is among the oldest extant markets in Korea, having opened during the Joseon period in 1414.
Seoul Forest (Korean: 서울숲) is a large park in Seongdong District, Seoul, South Korea. It is open year-round, and admission is free. Seoul Forest opened in June 2005. The city government spent 235.2 billion won in development. It is the third largest park in Seoul. Seoul Forest is a massive park dotted with over 420,000 trees and 100 different animals. This nature park is located in Seongsu-dong and covers an area of 1,200 ha.
Hongdae (Korean: 홍대) is a neighborhood in Mapo District, Seoul, South Korea, near Hongik University, after which it is named. The neighborhood is known for its urban arts and indie music culture, local shops, clubs, cafés and entertainment. The area is located in Mapo District in the western end of Seoul, stretching from Seogyo-dong, Hapjeong-dong & Seogang-dong.
The Gwangalli Beach (Korean: 광안리 해수욕장) or Gwangan Beach is a beach in Gwangan 2(i)-dong, Suyeong District, Busan, South Korea. It is west of Haeundae Beach. It sits inside a cove spanned by the Gwangan Bridge and covers 82,000 square meters over a length of 1.4 km and a width of 25 to 110 metres, in a curved in a half-moon shape with fine sand. Adjacent are alleys with restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs. Because of its popularity, city officials are pushing for improving water quality around the beaches. The beach is near the Busan Yachting Center used for the sailing events of the 1988 Summer Olympics. For the 2018 film Black Panther, a car chase scene which required over 150 cars and 700 people was filmed in the Gwangalli Beach area.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licenses. Individual credits shown on each photo where available.