Seoul

Why Seoul works

Seoul layers over six centuries of Joseon Dynasty history beneath one of Asia's most technologically advanced and fastest-moving contemporary cities. Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of the city's five grand palaces, hosts a formal changing-of-the-guard ceremony in period costume several times daily, and renting a hanbok (traditional Korean dress) for free palace entry has become a popular ritual for both visitors and young Koreans. Bukchon Hanok Village, a preserved neighbourhood of traditional wooden hanok houses on a hillside between two palaces, offers narrow lanes and photogenic rooftop views over the city, though resident-requested quiet hours ask visitors to keep noise down in this still-lived-in district. Myeongdong's pedestrian shopping streets remain the epicentre of Korea's global skincare and cosmetics industry, packed with flagship stores and street-food carts selling tteokbokki and hotteok late into the evening. Gangnam, immortalised globally by Psy's 2012 hit, represents Seoul's upscale, futuristic face — luxury malls, plastic surgery clinics, and the COEX complex housing an enormous underground library. Hongdae, near Hongik University, is the centre of the city's indie music, street art, and youth fashion scene, while the N Seoul Tower on Namsan mountain offers panoramic night views and a fence covered in thousands of padlocks left by couples. Seoul's late-night food culture, from Gwangjang Market's bindaetteok stalls to 24-hour barbecue joints, remains one of the city's most consistently rewarding experiences.

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