Whanki Art Museum (환기미술관)

10.2Km 2024-03-04

63, Jahamun-ro 40-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-391-7701

Whanki Art Museum exhibits the works of Kim Whanki (1913-1974), the pioneer of Korean abstract art. Kim was inspired by traditional features such as Korean mountains and streams, the sky, moons and clouds, the white porcelain and traditional patterns, and worked to express them in abstract forms through points, lines, and surfaces. The main collection features nearly 300 works by Kim. One can also find an art shop and a café.

LoL Park (롤파크)

10.2Km 2024-10-28

33 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Lol Park is the venue where the largest-scale League of Legends competition in South Korea, LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea), is held. It serves as a space for various esports events and activities, featuring spectator seating, LCK Arena (lounge), Riot Store (merchandise shop), PC rooms, and café.

Gwanghwamun Deungsim (광화문등심)

10.2Km 2021-07-20

34, Jong-ro, 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-722-2020

A restaurant that’s popular among workers for group dinners, it sells grilled meat. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The representative menu is grilled boneless ribs.

Bugaksan Mountain (북악산)

10.2Km 2024-03-04

Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-765-0297

Bugaksan Mountain is the mountain that one can see behind the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Cheong Wa Dae to the north. Hanyangdoseong, the city wall that surrounded the historic capital of Hanyang, was built by connecting the ridges of this mountain. These walls can still be found today, having been preserved quite well. Different trails weave through the area along the Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, and one can visit these trails at night as well. Bugak Skyway is a road that connects Changuimun Gate to Jeongneung Royal Tomb, and one can get a great view of Seoul’s city center from the Palgakjeong Pavilion on Bugak Skyway.

Namsangol Hangawi Festival Samsamorak (남산골 한가위축제 삼삼오락)

10.2Km 2024-10-02

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-6358-5533

Namsangol Hangawi Festival Samsamorak is a traditional culture event that takes place every year during the Chuseok holiday period. Through the festival, visitors of all ages and nationalities can enjoy various culture programs for free at Namsangol Hanok Village in the heart of Seoul.

Changuimun Gate - Jahamun Gate (창의문(자하문))

10.2Km 2020-04-02

118, Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2148-1822

Changuimun Gate was often called Jahamun Gate. It was one of four mini-gates in the north surrounding the walled city of Hanyang (Seoul) during the Joseon dynasty. After the closure of Sukjeongmun Gate, one of the four main gates, Changuimun Gate became a favorite north gate. Hence, people also called Changuimun the North Gate. It is the only gate among four mini gates that is still in its original state. Although it is small, almost 50m² in terms of size, it looks very firm and sturdy. While Dongsomun Gate, another of the four mini gates, is decorated with a phoenix, Changuimun Gate is adorned with a wooden chicken along its rafters. The reason behind the wooden chicken was that the chicken was believed to be the nemesis of the centipede. People believed that installing the wooden chicken was important to overcome the harmful spirit of the centipede.

Jihwaja (지화자)

10.2Km 2024-03-18

125 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2269-5834

Jihwaja is a traditional Korean restaurant operated by a successor of Joseon dynasty royal dishes. Their manchan course (full course) includes menus served at royal banquets such as gungjung manchan (royal course), Jineo-byul manchan (deluxe royal degustation course), and janggeum manchan (daejanggeum degustation course) courses. The janggeum course reconstructs dishes from the drama "Dae Jang Geum." For the Jeongchan course (Set menu), they offer so galbi sura (grilled beef ribs course), jeonbok cho sura (braised abalones in soy sauce course), so galbi jjim sura (braised beef short ribs course), and haemul sinseollo sura (seafood hot pot course). Additionally, they serve milk porridge, meat and vegetable skewers, mandu, royal hot pot, and grilled marinated beef.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

10.2Km 2024-12-04

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

Built in 1395 under the reign of King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon dynasty, Gwanghwamun Gate is the southern gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is also the main gate of the palace, therefore larger and fancier in comparison to the other gates. Gwanghwamun Gate consists of three arched gates; the center gate was used by the king, while the other two were used by the crown prince and royal officials. The tall granite walls of the gate serve as a platform for the wooden gate tower that watches over the city. The gate has a sign with its name written at the top center of the gate tower.

Gwanghwamun Gate went through several damages and restorations over the course of history. It was first severely damaged during the Imjin War (1592-1598) and was not restored until the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1864. Under the Japanese administration, the gate was demolished and relocated to the north of the palace's eastern gate, followed by series of damages during the Korean War (1950-1953). In 1968, Gwanghwamun Gate was relocated back to the south of the palace and was rebuilt using concrete; however, the gate’s position was shifted a few meters away from its original location. In 2006, a major reconstruction project took place to restore Gwanghwamun Gate to its original state and location, disassembling the structure completely and replacing concrete with granite and wood. After three years and eight months of construction, Gwanghwamun Gate was fully restored to its original form and was open to the public on August 15, 2010.

Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을)

10.2Km 2024-10-25

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-2261-0500

Namsangol Hanok Village opened in 1998 on the northern side of Namsan Mountain in the center of the capital. This village has five restored hanok (traditional Korean house) premises, a pavilion, a traditional garden, a performance art stage, and a time capsule plaza, making it a perfect spot for locals and tourists to take a leisure walk. Upon entering from the front gate, visitors will get a taste of Korea's traditional life while escaping from bustling city life. The traditional garden with its pavilion and old houses creates a peaceful ambiance before the forested Namsan Mountain. A time capsule commemorating Seoul’s 600th anniversary was buried in 1994 at the highest point of the village and is scheduled to be reopened 400 years later in 2394.

The five hanok premises at Namsangol Hanok Village once belonged to aristocrats and government officials of the Joseon dynasty. Each house was originally located in a different neighborhood, but they were all moved to this area and restored to their original form. The houses were rebuilt using their original materials, except for one house, where the materials were too old and deteriorated to be reused. The premises were carefully restored and replicated according to their original form to depict the owners’ social class and personality. These buildings are now used as an exhibit to portray the living environment during the Joseon dynasty and as a venue for educational and cultural programs for children and tourists.

Some of the unique programs and activities to participate in include wearing hanbok, folding hanji (traditional Korean paper), writing in Korean, traditional tea ceremony, traditional etiquette school, and herbal medicine experience. There are also taekwondo demonstrations and other various performances held around the village. Visitors can also try traditional games such as yunnori (traditional board game), or understand more about the area through a guided tour.

Sosohan Punggyeong (소소한 풍경)

10.2Km 2024-02-20

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

Sosohan Punggyeong is the first restaurant that received the restaurant guide, Blue Ribbon Survey, in Korea. It is located in a renovated house with a courtyard. They offer a course menu featuring appetizers to desserts. One of the signature dishes is the gaji jjim (spicy eggplant soup), a dish made with eggplant and meat. It is recommended to make reservations in advance, as many guests prefer to book ahead.

Whanki Art Museum (환기미술관) - Area information - Korea travel information