The Best of South Korea

Haeundae Beach, Busan

Haeundae Beach is an urban beach in Busan, and is one of South Korea's most popular beaches
It is open around the year, and hosts a variety of events, including the Haeundae Sand Festival and Busan International Film Festival
Haeundae Beach is known for its golden sand, clear waters, and coastal views, often framed by modern skyscrapers
Along the beach, there are numerous restaurants, convenience stores, and entertainment facilities

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

Bukchon Hanok Village is a historic neighborhood located in the Jongno District of Seoul
It is renowned for its well-preserved traditional Korean houses, known as hanok
The village dates back nearly 600 years to the Joseon Dynasty, where it served as a residential area for the nobility

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

Changdeokgung, also known as Changdeok Palace, is one of the five grand palaces located in Seoul
It was constructed in 1405 during the reign of King Taejong as a secondary palace to the primary palace, Gyeongbokgung
The palace is renowned for its harmonious integration with nature and its adherence to Confucian principles in its architectural layout
The palace complex covers includes the famous Huwon Secret Garden, which is designed to flow naturally with the landscape and was historically used by the royal family for leisure

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, built in 1395, and located in Seoul
It continued to serve as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty until the premises were destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592–1598) and abandoned for two centuries
In the 19th century, all of the palace's 7,700 rooms were restored under the leadership of Prince Regent Heungseon during the reign of King Gojong
In the early 20th century, much of the palace was systematically destroyed by Imperial Japan during its occupation of Korea
Since the 1990s, the walled palace complex is gradually being restored to its original form
It also houses the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum within the premises of the complex

#23 in Best Attractions in the World

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

Insa-dong is a neighborhood in Jongno District, Seoul
Its main street is Insadong-gil, which is connected to a number of alleys that lead deeper into the district, with modern galleries and tea shops
Historically, the neighborhood was the largest market for antiques and artwork in Korea

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

Myeong-dong is a neighborhood in Jung District, Seoul
Myeongdong is known for being one of Seoul's main shopping, parade route, and tourism districts
In 2023, it was listed as the ninth most expensive shopping street in the world
The area is known for its two historically significant sites, namely the Myeongdong Cathedral and the Myeongdong Theater

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

The N Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower located on the summit of Namsan Mountain in Seoul
The 236-metre-tall (774 ft) structure marks the second highest point in Seoul and is considered a local landmark
Built in 1969, N Seoul Tower is South Korea's first general radio wave tower, providing TV and radio broadcasting in Seoul
Many visitors ride the Namsan cable car up Namsan Mountain to walk to the tower to see its cityscape views
The N Seoul Tower is illuminated in blue from sunset to 11 pm (10 pm in winter) on days that the air quality is good

Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov

The War Memorial of Korea is a museum located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea
It was built for the purpose of preventing war through lessons from the Korean War and for the hoped for peaceful reunification of North and South Korea
The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying war memorabilia and military equipment from China, South Korea and the United States