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Seoul%02

Why Go? Sights...... 39 An old Korean proverb goes ‘even if you have to crawl on Activities...... 58 your knees, get yourself to !’ Never has this been more Courses...... 59 sound advice. Asia’s fourth-richest city, Seoul (서울) is a dy- Tours...... 60 namic mash-up of markets and K-Pop, teahouses and tem- Festivals & Events...... 61 ples, palaces and mountains, skyscrapers and pulsing neon. This Unesco City of Design also offers several contemporary Sleeping...... 63 architectural marvels, including the Dongdaemun Design Eating...... 72 Plaza & Park and the giant glass wave of the new City Hall. Drinking...... 77 Gaze down on this sprawling metropolis of 10.5 million Entertainment...... 81 people from atop any of Seoul’s four guardian mountains Shopping...... 84 and you will innately sense the powerful pungsu-jiri (feng shui) that has long nurtured and protected the city. Public transport is brilliant and whatever you want, at any time of the day or night, Seoul can provide. The joys of eating, Best Places to drinking, shopping and general merrymaking are all in Stay abundant evidence, from Apgujeong’s chic boutiques to ’s bars and restaurants. »»La Casa (p70) »»Chi-Woon-Jung (p63) »»V Mansion (p68) When to Go »»Fraser Suites (p63) Seoul inches/mm »»Park Hyatt Seoul (p70) °C/°F Temp Rainfall 40/104 16/400

30/86 12/300 Best Places to Eat 20/68 »»Jung Sikdang (p77) 10/50 8/200 0/32 »»Tosokchon (p72) 4/100 -10/14 »»Mokmyeoksanbang (p74) -20/-4 0 »»Samwon Garden (p77) J F DNOSAJJMAM »»Gwangjang Market (p77) May Enjoy good Aug Cool off Oct Hike across weather and top at the outdoor mountains events such as swimming pools coated in brilliant the Jongmyo located along the autumn colours; Daeje and Lotus . enjoy Seoul’s fire- Lantern Festival. works festival.  Seoul SSIGHTSights 39 ------

PALACE ), ), Samcheong- (administrative (administrative gu continued on page 44 continuedpage on 인사동 9am-5pm Wed-Mon Mar-Oct, Mar-Oct, Wed-Mon 9am-5pm

h ; http://english.cha.go.kr; adult/ ; http://english.cha.go.kr; 42 ) ) and are Bukchon all packed ; ; Map p 삼청동 (traditional wooden houses). Note Seoul’s Seoul’s fascinating feudal past can be the by N crowned Tower, Seoul Namsan, South of the river, Gangnam’s suburbs 경복궁 districts). This districts). is home to Seoul, historic a area. walkable compact, relatively Gwanghwa around palaces the in glimpsed mun (the main gate to ). Nearby Insa-dong ( dong ( restaurants teahouses, shops, souvenir with and small museums, often hanok in converted that the narrow streets in these areas can get jammed on further weekends note of sights other few a are There and holidays. north around the remains of the city. the fortress encircled once that walls sand is city, old the of heart the at hill green dis shopping Myeong-dong between wiched foreigner-friendly the and north to the trict to far Not off to the south. of zone the west are the party of youthful districts (the Hongdae area around Hongik Univer . and sity), shop for good but sights major on thin are ping and entertainment. Here you’ll also find giant complexes such as COEX Mall Park. Olympic and GWANGHWAMUN & -GU 광화문, 종로구 Gyeongbokgung ( themselves split into themselves 25 child ₩3000/1500; ₩3000/1500; child - - for dining and late-night carousing. dining and late-night for Itaewon to then return Namsan, atop

Park Won-soon, Park a Won-soon, former human Sights

. In Dong . Gilsang-sa the temple to and down up Bukaksan Walls Fortress Seoul Follow Five Days the outfit from pick up a new , & Park Plaza Design the Dongdaemun daemun view day On the city. of the heart to back Cheong-gye-cheon the follow then here, market might you where , up Inwangsan History and hike Hall Prison visit Seodaemun four with a traditional the day End ancient ceremonies. shamans performing across come visit off Seoul Cap your . House at Korea meal and royal-cuisine show performing-arts and cycle in a bike hire , Fish Market Noryangjin at the fascinating with a meal . Hongdae vibe of up the buzzing nocturnal and soak along the Han River, , then , shopping in Insa-dong lunch and go Grab . Village Hanok Bukchon around Stroll tour last or join the day’s at Gyeongbokgung guard the palace the changing of attend visit the splendid two day On . Market dinner in Gwangjang Enjoy . Changdeokgung of Korea of either the National Museum on to Move Art. of Museum Samsung Leeum N to car ride the cable , Hill Spa up at Dragon Freshen . Korea Memorial of or the War Tower Seoul SEOUL IN… Days Two When When During During the 20th century Seoul suffered History You’ll You’ll spend the bulk of your time north of the meandering Han River that Seoul splits into two distinct regions, that are 1 nomic and political power. Past mayors have have mayors Past power. political and nomic president, Korea’s South become to on gone Lee who including his Myung-bak finished 2012. December in president as office of term rights lawyer and independent it candidate, 2011 October in mayor Seoul’s elected was Kore for only not moment watershed a was Under itself. city the for also but an politics had agenda of the top mayors, previous the growth that been resulted construction-led in flashy, expensive projects such as reclamation of the the Cheong-gye-cheon and Design of Dongdaemun the commissioning to promises mandate winning Park’s Plaza. shift the focus to greater welfare spending citizens. Seoul’s for first under Japanese colonial rule and then colonial Japanese under first it when was almost War the Korean during Rebuilt from destroyed. entirely the 1960s, eco cultural, of centre country’s the is Seoul When Seoul became the capital of Korea following the establishment of the Joseon in dynasty 1392 its was population around 100,000. Just over 600 years later this has if to (or million 24.5 10.5 million ballooned making area), metro wider the consider you cities. largest world’s the of one Seoul