Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문) - Area information - Korea travel information

Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문)

Sungnyemun Gate (숭례문)

980.5M    2024-11-27

40 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Sungnyemun Gate is Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, and its unofficial name is Namdaemun Gate. Sungnyemun Gate is the largest castle gate stone structure with an arched entrance in the middle. There’s a column on top of a platform, raising the roof, distinguishing the upper stories and lower stories of the building. Passageways for traffic are located at the east and west ends of the gate. Different from the other gates, Sungnyemun Gate’s tablet has its name written vertically.

On February 10, 2008, Sungnyemun was destroyed by fire. After a 5-year reconstruction work, the gate was re-opened to the public again on May 4, 2013.

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong, Da-dong and Mugyo-dong Special Tourist Zone (명동 남대문 북창동 다동무교동 관광특구)

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong, Da-dong and Mugyo-dong Special Tourist Zone (명동 남대문 북창동 다동무교동 관광특구)

981.1M    2021-12-30

40, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Myeong-dong, Namdaemun, Bukchang-dong and Da-dong are widely known among international visitors as hot spots for shopping and food.

Myeong-dong is a popular destination for shopping, culture, arts and fashion. Major shopping malls such as Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeong-dong Migliore and Samik Fashion Town are located here. Shoppers can find a variety of products here from high-end items to relatively inexpensive clothes. There’s also no shortage of street food, traditional restaurants, coffee shops and fancy cafes.

Namdaemun Market is the biggest traditional market in Korea. Visitors can purchase souvenirs and local produce at an affordable price in the shopping complex crowded with stores and street stalls. The market sells a variety of clothes, kitchenware, toys, accessories, food, flowers and imported goods.

Bukchang-dong and Sogong-dong have high-end accommodations including Lotte Hotel Seoul and Westin Chosun Seoul, duty-free shops, and restaurants serving traditional dishes.

[Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong Special Tourist Zone]
Areas included: Myeong-dong, Bukchang-dong, Mugyo-dong and Da-dong, Seoul
Area size: 872,809 ㎡
Tourist attractions: Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Bukchang-dong, Department Stores (Lotte Department and Shinsegae Department Store, etc.), Traditional Market, Duty-free Shop, Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower, etc.

Leaders Dermatology Clinic Myeongdong (리더스피부과의원 명동점)

1.0Km    2025-10-23

B1 Floor, 72 Toegye-ro (Hoehyeon-dong 1-ga, SK Leaders' View Namsan), Jung-gu, Seoul

Founded in 2001 by board-certified dermatologists from Seoul National University College of Medicine, Leaders Dermatology has grown into a trusted network of over 12 clinics across Korea and internationally, with a team of more than 20 dermatologists and 150 medical professionals.
Our doctors are actively involved in global academic circles delivering lectures at renowned conferences and seminars and are dedicated to raising the bar for dermatological care. With a systematic, patient-centered approach, our mission is to become the No.1 dermatology clinic in customer satisfaction through excellence in service and results.

Gyeonghuigung Palace (경희궁)

1.0Km    2024-07-09

45 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gyeonghuigung Palace, a designated Historic Site, was originally called the large palace by Saemun Gate, or the Western Palace, for its location within the city. It was not until the eighth year of Gwanghaegun (1616) that the palace was used as a royal residence for the king, changing the name to Gyeongdeokgung Palace. The name later changed again to the current Gyeonghuigung Palace in 1760. The palace grounds included many halls but they were mostly all burned down in a fire in 1829. After the Japanese occupation began, all remaining buildings on the site were torn down and the palace grounds were turned into Gyeongseong Middle School (now Seoul High School). The school moved to Gangnam area in 1987, afterwhich the previous location was turned into a park. The palace grounds currently hold Seoul Museum of Art and walking paths, as well as a restoration of Heunghwamun Gate, the main gate of the palace, and Sungjeongjeon Hall, the main hall, completed in November 1994.

Le Miel Plastic Surgery (르미엘성형외과의원)

1.0Km    2025-10-23

3rd Floor, 120 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Valuable Beauty, Lemiel Plastic Surgery
A premium clinic where delicate technique and artistic sensibility come together. We provide not just external changes, but customized treatments that enhance each individual’s natural charm. Specialized in fast-recovery eyebag surgery using Encore Laser, customized eye surgery for facial balance, tailored lifting based on body type, and petite procedures that refine facial curves and volume.

Jeonjujip (전주집)

Jeonjujip (전주집)

1.0Km    2024-10-15

16-15 Supyo-ro, 20-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

A store featured several times in Korean gourmet programs. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The most famous menu is kimchi cabbage wraps with pork and oysters.

Songhyeon Green Plaza (열린송현 녹지광장)

Songhyeon Green Plaza (열린송현 녹지광장)

1.0Km    2025-11-11

Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Songhyeon Green Plaza, located between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongno, is a space for culture and rest. The site was formerly used as housing for Shiksan Bank during Japanese rule. After Korea’s liberation, it served as a residence for the US Embassy and military personnel. Later in 1997, it was returned to the Korean government but remained unused for years. In 2022, the ownership was transferred to the Korean House and Land Corporation and then to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which redeveloped it into a green plaza and opened it to the public. Upon entering the plaza, visitors are greeted by a spacious lawn adorned with flowers during the blooming season. The plaza is connected to the nearby tourist attractions through shortcuts cutting through it, including Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Gwanghwamun Plaza, Insa-dong, and Bukchon Hanok Village.  

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

1.0Km    2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

Lee Ri-Ja Hanbok Museum (이리자 한복전시관)

1.1Km    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.

Myeongdong Jjukkumi (명동쭈꾸미)

Myeongdong Jjukkumi (명동쭈꾸미)

1.1Km    2025-07-23

3-28 Toegye-ro 6-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Myeondong Jjukkumi is a jjukkumi (ocellerated octopus) restaurant located in Jung-gu, Seoul. It only takes about a 1-minute walk from Hoehyeon Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 2, a convenient location for both tourists and people who work in the area. Main menu items consist of jjukkumi and samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly), pork galbi (rib meat), bossam (cabbage wraps with pork), among other set menus. All dishes are cooked in the kitchen, and are known for their spicy kick and savory taste. The restaurant can accommodate group guests as it has a spacious hall as well as outdoor tables. Customers dining at the restaurant can help themselves to more side dishes at the self-service side dish bar and enjoy a hearty meal at a reasonable price.