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Seoul Museum of Art
This art gallery opened in 2002, and is considered one of the best in Korea. It puts on interesting and varied exhibitions that reflect every style of modern art in Seoul. The shows change regularly. Its ultra-modern and bright galleries hide behind the brick-and-stone facade of the 1927 Supreme Court Building.
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Seoul Racecourse
Every weekend, thousands head south to the horse racing. The spectators used to be mainly men, but racing authorities have had success in promoting racing as a family or couple activity. Huge screens on the track show the odds, and close-ups of the horses. Short 1km to 2km races occur every half-hour with evening racing in July and August. Foreigners can make use of a smart and comfortable suite on the 4th floor in section S.
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Seoul Tower
Take the cable car, yellow bus No 2 or walk up from Seoul subway station to reach this recently revamped Seoul icon. The observation deck is at the top of the tower along with a revolving grill-restaurant and a Korean restaurant.
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Statue Of Hammering Man
The giant, moving metallic shadow of a hammering man towers five storeys above the street. Funded by a local insurance company, the super-blacksmith has been silently hammering since 2002. It was made out of 50 tons of steel by American artist Jonathon Borofsky (www.borofsky.com), whose art is humanist but mechanical, monumental but intriguing, simple but thought-provoking. Is work just a meaningless ritual that we allow to dominate our lives?
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Tapgol Park
'Tapgol' means 'pagoda,' which refers to the 10-tier, 12m-high stone pagoda in the park that is all that remains of Wongaksa, a temple that stood here but was destroyed in 1515. Constructed in 1471, the pagoda is adorned with wonderful Buddhist carvings, but unfortunately the ugly protective glass box around it spoils its ancient beauty and charm.
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Ttukseom Riverside Park
In the park is a popular outdoor swimming pool complex (3780 1750; adult/teenager/child around ₩4000 /around ₩3000 /around ₩2000 ; - Jul & Aug), a bicycle rental stall (around ₩3000 per hour, ID required) and a pier where the Han River ferries stop .
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Ttukseom Seoul Forest
This new park, a 12-minute walk from Ttukseom station (don't confuse it with Ttukseom Resort station), is a pleasant area to walk or cycle around and enjoy a picnic or a beer in natural surroundings. It used to be a hunting ground in Joseon times, then became a horse racing track and sports fields, but is now a regenerating forest. Among the trees and lakes are fountains, a poetic photographic exhibition on the theme of trees, and a mirror pond.
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Unhyeongung
The modest and plain natural-wood design of this minor palace reflects the austere tastes of Heungseon Daewongun (1820-98), King Gojong's stern and conservative father whose policies included massacring Korean Catholics, excluding foreigners from Korea and closing Confucian schools. Rooms are furnished and mannequins display the dress styles of the time. The marriage of King Gojong to Queen Myeongseong (Queen Min) is reenacted here, on-site.
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War Memorial & Museum
This huge museum documents the history of warfare in Korea and has an especially good section on the Korean War. It takes at least three hours to look round everything so arrive well before closing. Only snacks are available. Trying to cover this museum and the National Museum of Korea in one day is too exhausting.
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World Cup Stadium & Mall
Costing US$151 million, the spectacular 64,000-seat World Cup Stadium was built to stage the opening ceremony and some of the matches of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals, which Korea cohosted with Japan. Under the stadium is CGV (1544 1122), a five-screen cinema multiplex showing films from to after midnight. Also in the mall are many small shops, a food court, Starbucks and Carrefour, a giant hypermarket with food and household goods.
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