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Korean Comfort Women Protest
Every week a handful of elderly Korean comfort women, who were forced into prostitution during WWII, gather outside the Japanese embassy. Together with their supporters they wave placards and shout slogans. One of them, Hwang Geum-joo, says she will never give up: 'Our numbers are dwindling every year, but we are still full of anger and they should apologise for what they did to us!'.
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Kukkiwon
The Kukkiwon dojang (hall) hosts a regular schedule of taekwondo displays, training courses and tournaments. Expect to see graceful movements, acrobatic high kicking that defies gravity and spectacular pine-board breaking. Saturday and Wednesday mornings are when demonstration teams practice, except during university holidays. The museum (admission free; ; - Mon-Fri) has photos, cups, medals and uniforms relating to the sport.
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Lock Museum
For people who like visiting unusual, small museums, up on the 4th floor is a well-lit display of antique locks. In the same rusty-looking building are two (free) exhibition halls that usually display metalwork.
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Lotte World
A huge complex that includes an amusement park, cinema multiplex, department store, folk museum, shopping mall, ice-skating rink, hotel and countless restaurants
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Museum Of Korean Buddhist Art
The permanent exhibition is displayed in one section, and just down the street is the second section which hosts changing exhibitions. The entry price includes admission to both. The permanent exhibition is small but the paintings and carvings, many 200 years old, suggest that Korean Buddhist art is undervalued by the global art scene. The Yeonam teashop has homemade teas - hibiscus petal tea is worth trying.
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Museum Of Korean Embroidery
Only a small amount is on show, but it includes exquisite examples of a neglected craft. In the 'good' old days nearly everything was embroidered - clothes, shoes, boxes, pillow-ends, screens, pin cushions, toys and thimbles. Delicate patchwork pojagi (wrapping cloths) had many uses and some were made out of silk or ramie (cloth made from pounded bark). Items are not described but illustrated books on Korean embroidery (in English) are on sale.
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Museum Of Korean Straw Handicrafts
In this quirky museum the masks, human figures, torches, bird catchers, bags, mats, cradles, chicken nests, rope, egg holders, and human and cattle shoes are all made of straw.
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Myeong-Dong Catholic Cathedral
This elegant brick Renaissance-style cathedral was constructed between 1894 and 1898 by Chinese bricklayers. Inside, the traditional vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows contrast with the modern air-conditioning and the TV screens that help worshippers at the back see what is going on.
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N'Seoul Tower
The peak of Mt Namsan used to be crowned with fortifications, but they are long gone and have since been replaced by the Seoul Tower. The entire tower has a modern look, feel and name thanks to renovations completed in 2005 that dropped in speedy elevators, a spiffy lobby and the urbane handle, N'Seoul Tower. The tower stretches 480m (1574ft) above sea level and houses several cafes and restaurants (one of which is revolving) and an observation deck. The views are marvellous, especially at night.
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Namdaemun
The Great South Gate of Seoul fortress was originally constructed in 1398, rebuilt in 1447 and has often been renovated since then. Designated as National Treasure No 1, it's an impressive sight, especially when floodlit at night, and is a reminder of the once-mighty Joseon dynasty. The soldiers in Joseon uniforms that guard the gate ( - Wed-Mon) march around every 30 minutes, but are there for photographic rather than defence purposes. The famous day-and-night Namdaemun market that starts at the gate is also centuries old.
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Namsangol Hanok Village
Five differing yangban (aristocratic) stone, wood and tile houses from the Joseon era have been moved here from different parts of Seoul. The architecture and furniture are austere and plain, and conjure up the lost world of Confucian gentlemen scholars who wielded calligraphy brushes rather than swords.
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National Assembly
This pillared building with a green roof was completed in 1975. Free tours (Korean language only) take only 15 minutes although they can take longer if the country's 299 elected representatives are in session. Full meetings are held in February, April and June, and from September to December.
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National Folk Museum
Outside the museum are shamanist stone statues and wooden posts that used to guard the entrances to villages. Inside, the clothing, games, rituals, handicrafts, food, housing and occupations of the Joseon era are displayed to illustrate life in the days back when a person's social class was signalled by what they wore.
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National Museum Of Contemporary Art
This large and impressive art gallery is spread over three floors and also has sculptures in the garden. The outstanding exhibit is 'The More the Better' - a 1988 installation of 1000 flickering TV screens piled up into a pagoda shape by leading Korean artist, Paik Nam-june. The gallery of figurative art includes Kim Tschang-yeol's famous drops of water while the circular international gallery has a sequinned Buddha. Make of that what you will.
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National Museum Of Korea
This grand, marble-lined, modernist building cleverly channels plenty of natural light to show off Korea's ancient treasures. The museum took eight years to construct, finally opening in October 2005. Walking past the reflecting pond by the entrance, the west wing of this spacious museum has a hands-on, fun-filled, young children's section and houses the 800-seat Yong (Dragon) theatre which has hosted concerts, musicals and even a circus.
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National Palace Museum
This spacious museum is in the front courtyard of Gyeongbokgung, but is run separately. English descriptions are brief but an audio guide is around ₩1000 . The museum provides the usual uncritical look at certain aspects of the lives and significance of the 27 Joseon kings, including scientific inventions and Jongmyo ritual metalware.
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Olympic Park
This very large park with lakes and pheasants is best visited by bicycle but the park itself has none for hire. The park contains the sports stadiums built for the 1988 Seoul Olympics - the indoor swimming pool (sometimes open to the public), tennis courts, three gymnasiums and the open-air velodrome where in summer months thousands gamble on the short cycle races.
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Rodin Gallery
This unusual glass pyramid building has two large sculptures by French sculptor Rodin on permanent display plus changing contemporary art exhibitions in another two galleries.
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Sejong Gallery
It's worth popping into this gallery, which is divided into three sections: on two floors in the building south of the main theatre and in the subway station behind. It exhibits changing modern art shows.
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Sejong University Museum
The best of the university folk museums, Sejong has a superb collection, especially the well-displayed hanbok that takes up an entire floor and includes outstanding royal clothing. Rarely visited, the museum should be much more popular - the furniture chests, palanquins, shamanist items, and the wooden, leather and silk shoes for the different social classes all present vivid images of the feudal past.
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Seodaemun Prison
This prison is a stark reminder of the sufferings of Korean independence fighters who challenged Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). It contains an entrance gate, two watchtowers, a wooden execution house, interrogation cells and eight of the original 18 red-brick prison buildings. Built to house 500 prisoners, up to 3000 were packed inside during the height of the anti-Japanese protests in 1919.
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Seolleung Park Royal Tombs
The spirit tablets of the Joseon kings and queens are in Jongmyo, but their tombs are scattered all over Seoul. The tombs are elaborate but mostly underground, and were the scene of rituals to remember the dead who were officially mourned for three years according to Confucian rules. The tombs of King Seongjong (ruled 1469-94), his third wife, Queen Jeonghyeonwanghu, and his second son, King Jeongjong (ruled 1506-44), are in this wooded park.
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Seoul Arts Centre
This sprawling arts complex has a circular opera house, with a roof shaped like a Korean nobleman's hat, which also houses the 700-seat Towol Theatre and the smaller Jayu Theatre. The national ballet and opera companies are based here. Music House consists of a large concert hall and a smaller recital hall and is home to the national choir, the Korea and Seoul symphony orchestras and the Seoul performing arts company.
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Seoul Grand Park
The excellent and extensive zoo (Seoul's best) is set amongst forested hillsides. A river runs through the park and families picnic along its shady banks. You can hike along a number of marked trails that stretch for 2km (1.2mi) to 6km (3.7mi). The zoo is home to a long list of exotic creatures, including the popular African ones.
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Seoul Land Amusement Park
Keep the children happy all day at Seoul's biggest and best amusement park with five themed areas, special events (the Sky Pirates show with stuntmen leaping from high-up into a small pool is heart-stopping and spectacular) and adrenalin rides - the Sky-X bungy swing, the shot drop and the two rollercoasters are wicked.
