Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울)) - Area information - Korea travel information

Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울))

Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울))

3.0Km    2024-03-18

231 Samil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsan Mountain rises in the heart of Seoul at an altitude of 265 meters and has been a significant landmark since the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897), leaving behind several ruins. It was heavily damaged in the early 20th century, but was partially restored in 1968 with the creation of the park. Highlights include Namsan Tower and love locks left by numerous couples. Visitors can also easily reach the top by a cable car or bus.

Gilsangsa Temple (Seoul) (길상사(서울))

Gilsangsa Temple (Seoul) (길상사(서울))

3.1Km    2025-06-17

68 Seonjam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3672-5945

Gilsangsa Temple is a prominent temple located in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul. The name Gilsangsa means "a favorable and auspicious temple." Visitors can experience temple, participate in Buddhist practices, and even enjoy Templestay programs on weekends. In fall, visitors can admire red spider lilies and wildflowers, immersing themselves in the beauty of nature and finding inner peace.

Ewha Womans University (이화여자대학교)

3.1Km    2023-07-04

52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3277-2114

Ewha Womans University is Korea's first women's university founded in 1886 by American Methodist missionary Mary Scranton. Ewha Womans University is also the most famous women's university in Korea and its name originates from Ehwa Hakdang, a name given by Empress Myeongseong in 1887. Ewha Womans University created a four-year university course in 1910, and in 1943, the name of Ewha was taken away during the Japanese colonial period and downgraded to a one-year school. In October 1945, the year of Korea's independence from Japan, it regained the name of Ewha and was promoted to a university with eight departments. Currently, it consists of 15 graduate schools, 11 colleges, and 67 departments, and there are 8 affiliated research institutes.

The street in front of Ewha Womans University is famous for shopping. This place is full of clothing stores and neat food that boast a popping sensation to suit the tastes of female college students. The shopping street in front of Ewha Womans University is a straight road that lies ahead of Exits 2 and 3 of Seoul Subway Line 2. Alleyways stretch out like branches around this street and are filled with various accessory shops, clothing stores, shoe stores, restaurants, cafes, and beauty salons.

Choi Sunu House (최순우 옛집)

Choi Sunu House (최순우 옛집)

3.1Km    2021-12-21

9, Seongbuk-ro 15-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3675-3401

The Choi Sunu House is the old residence of Hyegok Choi Sunu (1916-1984), who lived in this house from 1976 until the day he passed away. The house is designated as Korea’s Registered Cultural Property. Choi Sunu was a leading art historian who served as the director of the National Museum of Korea. He devoted his life to rediscovering the beauty of Korean art and made many academic accomplishments in the areas of Korean ceramics, traditional woodcraft, and the history of painting.
The house has been open to the public as the Hyegok Choi Sunu Memorial Hall since 2004. The memorial hall displays Choi Sunu’s relics as a permanent exhibition and holds special exhibitions in the fall as well as cultural programs every spring and fall.

Banhadang (반하당)

Banhadang (반하당)

3.1Km    2024-02-15

36 Seongbuk-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Banhadang is a café located 20 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage site Changdeokgung Palace. Renovated from a hanok, it preserves the charm of hanok with open spaces, leaving only the pillars of the original structure. The signature menu includes a Strawberry latte made with homemade strawberry syrup and milk. During the summer season, the jeontong pat bingsu (traditional shaved ice with red beans), made with domestically sourced jujube and red bean, is also popular.

Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)

Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)

3.1Km    2024-05-16

Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2290-7111

Cheonggye Plaza was built on Sejong-ro Street, where Cheonggyecheon Stream begins. It was built between Dong-A Ilbo, the starting point of the Cheonggyecheon Stream restoration, and Sindap Railroad Bridge, with a length of 160 meters, a x_width of 50 meters, and a total area of 6,962 meters squared. The plaza is decorated with fountains, waterfalls, and walking paths. It was created as a place for meetings, harmony, peace, and unification, to celebrate the significance of the restoration of Cheonggyecheon Stream. A miniaturized version of Cheonggyecheon Stream is displayed here, providing an overview of the restored stream. There are also interpretive panels about the 22 bridges that cross Cheonggyecheon stream. Fountains of various shapes create beautiful scenery. Cheonggyecheon Stream is accessible from the square through stairs on the left and Cheonggye Trail on the right. There is also an 18-meter tunnel on the Cheonggye Trail, providing a unique experience for citizens entering Cheonggyecheon Stream from the plaza. After constructing Cheonggyecheon Plaza, the Seoul Metropolitan Government made it a car-free street on public holidays so that the plaza, waterside area, and streets could be used as cultural spaces for citizens to relax. A spectacular sight is created by three-color lights illuminating the fountains and a two-tiered waterfall coming down from a x_height of four meters. Palseokdam, made of eight stones from eight provinces in Korea, was laid along the waterfall's sides.

Starbucks Edae R (스타벅스 이대R)

Starbucks Edae R (스타벅스 이대R)

3.1Km    2024-12-27

34 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Starbucks Edae R store is the first Starbucks store opened in 1999 and Korea's first Reserve only store

Starbucks Edae R store is the first Starbucks store opened in Korea. It is located 150 meters from the front gate of Ewha Womans University. The store has been loved by customers for over two decades since 1999. In celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2019, the store re-opened as Korea's first Reserve-only store. It specializes in offering specialty coffee and memorable experiences to many customers visiting Korea's first Starbucks store. As the leading store presenting the history and future of Starbucks, it offers high-quality coffee in a beautifully decorated setting, along with unique beverages and exclusive merchandise available only at this particular store.

Olive Young - Ewha Womans Univ. Jungang Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (올리브영 이대중앙)

3.1Km    2024-04-18

43, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

-

Korea Furniture Museum (한국가구박물관)

3.1Km    2025-10-24

121 Daesagwan-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

The Korea Furniture Museum, located on a hill in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, is a special museum that displays items related to Korea's traditional living culture. The museum exhibits wooden furniture made in the late Joseon dynasty by material (persimmon tree, maple tree, paulownia tree, zelkova tree, pine tree, papers, etc.), by the type of space (men’s quarters, women’s quarters, kitchen, etc.), and by regional characteristics. It also exhibits interior decorations, flower walls, chimneys, and yards, as well as ten traditional Korean houses.
This museum operates through a guided tour (maximum of 20 people per group) only, suitable for showing Korea's housing culture that harmonizes furniture and nature. The old household items, “furniture,” are displayed in rooms outside glass storage boxes, allowing visitors to experience a beautiful traditional culture.
Since it was selected as the official luncheon venue for the spouses of leaders of 20 countries at the 2010 G20 Seoul Summit, there has been a steady stream of state guests and worldwide celebrities, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, the German President, the Prime Minister of Hungary, the Prime Minister of Singapore, the King and Queen of Belgium, the King of Sweden, the head of the IMF, and movie stars Brad Pitt, and Victoria Beckham.

In addition, it was selected as the "most beautiful museum in Seoul” by CNN in 2011. The museum also served as an interview location for BTS members, who are receiving global attention. As such, it is attracting attention as a representative tourist destination in Seoul and a cultural space preferred by government ministries and companies. Tours require reservations, which can be made through the website.

Naksan Park (낙산공원)

Naksan Park (낙산공원)

3.1Km    2025-10-23

41 Naksan-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-743-7985

Naksan Mountain (alt. 125 meters) is one of the four inner mountains of Seoul, and can be accessed by following the road leading to the mountain entrance from Daehangno and Dongdaemun. It was also called Naktasan Mountain, which can be translated to Camel Mountain, because the terrain resembled a camel's back. It also had another name, Taraksan Mountain, “tarak” meaning fermented milk, because there was a royal ranch in the area that supplied milk to the palace. After the 1960s, the original appearance of Naksan Mountain disappeared due to apartments and dense housing, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government established a restoration plan. As part of this plan, a park project was carried out, and it opened Naksan Park in July 2002. Currently, Naksan Park has established itself as a resting place for citizens to feel the beautiful atmosphere of Hanyangdoseong, or the Seoul City Wall, and green forests. It has gained much popularity as a place for seeing the most beautiful night view in Seoul.