Beauty Play (뷰티플레이)

5.9Km 2025-11-14

73 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience center operated by the Korea Cosmetics Industry Institute and supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It offers a wide variety of sample Korean beauty products for testing as well as diverse beauty experience programs such as makeup touch-up service (choice of base, eyes, or lips), personal color test, and skin evaluation. Visitors can also ask for product recommendation based on their skin type or skincare concerns. Beauty Play also frequently hosts free one-day classes, which are announced online via its official website. It also hosts a variety of sample product giveaway events and the exhibited products get changed every two months, allowing visitors to get familiarized with lesser known quality products as well.

Namsan Arts Center (남산예술센터)

6.0Km 2021-08-26

138, Sopa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsan Arts Center, reopened as a creative space in Seoul in September 2009. It redefined the colors and characteristics of the theater, aiming for a modern theater production center centered on creative premieres, a contemporary performance venue where visitors can feel the pulse of the times, and a theater capable of various experiments.
Namsan Arts Center Drama Center is the first modern folk theater in Korea and the oldest performance hall in which the original architectural form has been preserved. Under the concept of "Contemporary & New Wave," the center continues to produce domestic original plays, and through active exchanges with excellent overseas theaters, build a repertoire of high-quality works that can read domestic and overseas trends, and present contemporary cultural diversity.

Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (수문장 교대의식)

6.0Km 2025-07-11

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3210-1645

In the Joseon dynasty, the royal guards of the palace were gatekeepers who were responsible for guarding the the main gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace as well as the main gates of the city such as Heunginjimun Gate and Sungnyemun Gate. The royal guards worked in shift duties and were in charge of opening and closing Gwanghwamun Gate. Before the royal guard system was enforced in 1469, the palace gates were protected by soldiers of the central army. The Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony held at Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Gwanghwamun area reenacts the guard-changing procedure that took place during the Joseon dynasty, along with the reproduction of costumes and weapons, based on historical records.

Jogyesa Temple (조계사(서울))

6.0Km 2024-10-25

55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

As the main temple as well as the district head temple of the Jogye order in Seoul, Jogyesa Temple is the center of Korean Buddhism. The temple was built in the late 14th century during the Goryeo period but was completely destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt under the name of Gakwangsa Temple in 1910 with the effort of many respectful monks, namely Han Yong-un and Lee Hee-gwang. The temple was given a role as the head temple of Korea’s Buddhism and renamed to Tegosa Temple in 1936. In 1954, a purification drive took place to eliminate Japanese influence and revive traditional Buddhism, which established the present day Jogyesa Temple as a result.

Jogyesa Temple plays an important role in Korean Buddhism as the head temple of the Jogye order. Jogyesa Temple’s Dharma Hall serves as the main venue for several Buddhist events, holding rituals, lectures, ceremonies, and other events all year long. The annual lantern festival in celebration of Buddha's birthday also takes place at this temple.

The Street in front of Cheongwadae (The Blue House) (청와대 앞길)

6.0Km 2025-08-20

Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The street in front of Cheongwadae (the Blue House) is open to the public and includes both Hyoja Samgeori (Hyoja three-way intersection) in Hyoja-dong and Palpan Samgeori (Palpan three-way inetersection) in Palpan-dong. When walking along Hyoja-ro Road from Gyeongbokgung Station, sights include a fountain, Mugunghwa Garden, Yeonmugwan Hall, and Daegogak & Yeongbingwan Hall.

Cheongwadae Sarangchae consists of one basement level and two above-ground levels, including Korean Culture Exhibition Hall, Planned Exhibition Hall, a gift shop, and rest area (Korean Food Promotion Hall, Café) on the first floor and Cheongwadae Hall and Haengboknuri Hall on the second floor. Daegogak Hall houses a book donated to former president, Kim Young-sam for expressing the past spirit of Sinmungo (Petitioner's drum from Korean History). Yeonmugwan Hall is a martial art and fitness center for guards. Mugunghwa Dongsan, formed after the ansa (Safe House) was demolished in 1993, includes a well, mock fortress, and rest area. Located behind Mugunghwa Dongsan is Apostolic Nunciature in Korea and Chilgung (Seven Palaces).

At the beginning of the street in front of Cheongwadae, dense trees and beautiful flower gardens decorating both sides of the road make it a nice place for taking a walk. The area from the north gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Chunchumun, to the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Geonchunmun, is Samcheongdong-gil Road. This road is home to many art galleries, including Kukje Gallery, Growrich Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and Jin Art gallery, in the area of Hyoja-ro.

Myeongdong Cathedral (서울 명동성당)

6.0Km 2022-12-27

74, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Myeongdong Cathedral is the Church for Archdiocese of Seoul and was also the birthplace for the Roman Catholic Church community in Korea. The church houses the remains of several individuals: Bishop Laurent Joseph Marie Imbert (1796-1839), and priests Peter Simon (1803-1839), James (Jacques Honor Chastan, 1803-1839) and Pourthie Jean Antoine Charles (1830-1866) and four martyrs.

Myeongdong Cathedral is located in downtown Seoul and tourists frequently come and visit the place. Near the cathedral are other tourism spots such as Namsangol Hanok Village preserving Korean traditional houses, N Seoul Tower overlooking Seoul and Namdaemun Market, a traditional market with a wide variety of food and goods.

National Hangeul Museum (국립한글박물관)

6.0Km 2022-12-15

139, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

The National Hangeul Museum was established to preserve, spread, and develop the Korean alphabet, Hangeul. The museum showcases the history and value of Korean orthography, Korean’s most-valued cultural asset, through exhibitions, activities, and education. Occupying over 11,322 ㎡, the museum has one basement level and three ground levels, along with an outdoor grass field and rest area perfect for cultural events, exhibits, and education.

The museum is comprised of the Hangeul library on the first floor, a permanent exhibition hall, ㅎ Café, and cultural product shop on the second floor, and a planned exhibition hall and Hangeul playground for children and foreigners on the third floor.

Cheongun Literature Library (청운문학도서관)

6.0Km 2023-08-16

40 , Jahamun-ro 36-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Cheongun Literature Library is located at the foot of Inwangsan Mountain and can be reached by following the mountain's walking trail starting from Changuimun Gate along the fortress wall. This public hanok library is designed in consideration of the sloped topography and the natural scenery of Inwangsan Mountain. The library consists of two floors: an underground floor and a ground floor. While the ground floor is designed as a traditional hanok, the underground floor is made of concrete to support the hanok building and the spacious outdoor yard. By implementing the natural slope in the library's design, the underground southern entrance is exposed, allowing sunlight to enter. The underground floor features a wide collection of books while the ground floor serves as a place for reading. The natural environment surrounding the library adds to the hanok building's traditional and peaceful charms.

Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum (이리자 한복전시관)

6.0Km 2022-08-08

20, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum displays the traditional clothing worn in Korea from birth to death. All hanbok displayed at the museum are created by the hanbok designer Lee Ri-Ja herself, who has over 40 years of experience.

Africa Museum of Art (아프리카미술관)

6.1Km 2022-10-26

24-1, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Africa Museum of Art was established with the purpose of hosting various art festivals and providing the grounds for researching various art themes. A major principle of the gallery is to promote works of art that actively attempt to explore the human mind.

Beauty Play (뷰티플레이) - Area information - Korea travel information