Hide out in the South Korean Capital
Photos Courtesy of Adobe Stock
Hide out in the South Korean Capital
Photos Courtesy of Adobe Stock
GANGBUK HOMES THE MAJOR HISTORICAL LANDMARKS including four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Any hotel concierge is going to recommend you see Gyeongbokgung Palace which dates back to 1394, and Sinchon Railway Station – the oldest in the city, built in 1920. A browse through Namdaemun Market (with the locals) is another must, as is a walk through Seodaemun’s glorious Independence Park.
SEOUL HAS TO BE ONE OF THE HOMELIEST cities in Asia. Sure, the South Korean capital is quietly gentrifying, but for now its distinct charms lie in its parks and pavilions, back alleys and side streets. Don’t look for the Tokyo-esque or the Londonlike in Seoul. If you’re going to get elbowed by an excitable ajumma (woman of marriageable age), it may as well be for an authentic experience.
GANGNAM IS THE AFFLUENT part of Seoul, with so-called good schools and fancy shopping. The wide boulevards and shiny malls have inspired residents to dub the area Seoul’s Rodeo Drive. But there’s more to it than meets the eye: Tony Apgujeong is in Gangnam, location of the trendy Platoon Kunsthalle – a shipping container reconfigured as a chic cultural centre.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HAN river, Gangbuk is the more diverse, much older, generally more interesting part of the city. Anchored by the remaining three great gates (Dong-, Seo- and Namdaemun) that once fortified it, it’s known for hip Myeongdong and Dongdaemun markets, and Chungmuro, home to Korea’s annual International Film Festival. And those aforementioned classical parks and quaint back streets? Rife on this side.
TAKE A STROLL ALONG CHEONGGYECHEON, a creek that cuts through Gangbuk’s Jongno (Central) district. A multi-year urban renewal project that was long buried by asphalt, Cheonggyecheon is now a pedestrian route that hits most of Seoul’s key downtown sights. It’s a great orientation tool and a walk along it is a good way to figure out what’s worth a second visit.
EATING WILL TAKE UP A MAJOR CHUNK of your time in Seoul regardless of what else you plan to do. Koreans take food very seriously and a good hanshik (sort of a table d’hôte) can take hours. Street food ranges from dried squid snacks and ddeokbokki (rice cakes in red pepper sauce) to pastries and dumplings, and seemingly any vendor located near a busy central intersection or strip of bars provides great food – cheap.
AN EVENING’S ENTERTAINMENT is easily had in Seoul: look for the neon and listen for crowds. It’s almost impossible to spend time in the city and not wind up at an Itaewon watering hole for cocktails. The main road (outside Itaewon subway station) is dotted with every type of nightclub and bar, and you can find live music and take in the expat scene (now a little quieter with fewer US troops) on its back streets.