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The following is a preview of a walk around some of Seoul many commercial art galleries – it’s going to be part of the Seoul chapter in the new guide book – here you get to see some photos taken along the way.

Photographs highlighting climate change; dreamy modern renditions of traditional Korean landscape paintings; quirky public art sculptures; and a portrait of Hitler with 2m long moustache: a sample of what might you encounter on this stroll through Seoul’s eclectic contemporary art scene, starting in up-and-coming Tongui-dong west of Gyeongbokgung palace and progressing to Samchong-dong and Insa-dong to the east. Set aside the better part of a day to see everything, especially if you want to tour the palace and linger in one or more of the area’s multitude of restaurants and cafes. Unless otherwise mentioned the galleries are free. Don’t do this walk on Sunday or Monday when many of the galleries will be closed.

“Visitors to Seoul are often quite surprise by the diversity of art and number of galleries here,” says Monica Cha, owner of Gallery Cha (tel 730-1700; Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat noon-6pm) specialising in emerging Korean artists. Cha is my guide on the walk – she starts by recommending the nearby Daelim Contemporary Art Museum (tel 720 0667; www.daelimmuseum.org; entry varies with exhibition; 10am-6pm) in a building with a lovely garden to the rear.

Back on the main road at the next corner is Jean Art Gallery (tel 738 7570; www.jeanart.net) one of the pioneers of the Tongui-dong gallery scene. Look for the metallic butterfly sculpture between the gallery’s two red brick buildings; art inside includes a 2m tall dotted pumpkin sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Further down the street peek into the packing crate turned into a one-room gallery, one of several projects in the area by Kunstdoc (tel 722 8897; www.kunstdoc.com).

Return to the main street and perhaps pause for a bowl of buckwheat noodles at the simple eatery Memilggot Pilmuryop (메밀꽃 필 무렵;%734 0367; meal W6000; noon-8pm): “It’s very popular at lunch time,” says Cha. Turn left here to find a row of hanok; on the left down an alley is the gallery and studio Ryugaheon (류가헌) in one of the hanoks.

Return to the main road, pass the non-profit gallery Brain Factory (tel 725 9520; www.brainfactory.org; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun) then turn left again into a street lined with appealing places to eat and shop including the second-hand book shop Gagarin (tel 736 9005; h12.30-7.30pm Tue-Sun) and the mid-century modern design café mk2 (tel 730 6420; 11am-11pm).

Around the corner to the right you won’t miss Zein Xeno, a red painted building with a pair of green legs sticking out of its facade. Nearby is another appealing café-bakery Goghi (tel 734 4907; www.goghi.kr; 11am-10pm) with changing exhibitions on its walls.

Retrace your steps back to the palace entrance, passing through the grounds to the east side to locate some of Seoul’s most established gallery spaces. Gallery Hyundai (tel 287 3500; www.galleryhyundai.com; 10am-6pm) has two outlets close by each other here; their main gallery is now south of the river in Gangnam. Pause to see what’s showing at Kumho Museum of Art (tel 720 5114; www.kumhomuseum.com; W1000; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun).

Between the galleries Hakogojae (tel 720 1524; www.hakgojae.com; 10am-7pm Tue-Sat, until 6pm Sun), in a converted hanok, and Kukje (tel 735 8449; www. www.kukje.org; 10am-6pm) is an old military building that is being converted to house the new annex of the National Museum of Contemporary Art; be sure to search out Kukje’s second gallery tucked away off the main strip and look up to the roof to spot the running woman sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky, the American artist who created the giant Hammering Man statue in the Gwanghwamun area.

Follow the main road to right and then take a sharp turn right to head into the heart of Samcheong-dong packed with gift shops, boutiques and more galleries; “I think this area has become too commercial” says Monica, who does favour the funkily-decorated café Kopi Bangasgan (커피 방앗간; tel 732 7656; 8.30am-11pm).

Turn right at Coffee Factory and head down hill to the junction. Turn left at the tourist information office and follow the road over the hill and down into the main Bukchon Hanok Village area, passing tiny Void Gallery at the sharp end of block on which you’ll find a branch of the Wood n’ Brick café-bakery; its few art works are always on display through the glass windows.

Turn left at the junction and look for the sculpture “Eating a Biscuit Together” that doubles as a bench in front of the Bukchon Art Museum (tel 741 2296; h11am-6pm Mon-Sat). Monica’s pick of another couple of galleries worth seeing in the area are: Gallery Skape (tel 011 9700 8130; www.skape.co.kr) and, across the road, One and J. Gallery (tel 745 1644; www.oneandj.com; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun).

Return to the tourist information centre – across the road is Artsonje Center (tel 733 8945; www.artsonje.org/asc; adult/student/child W3000/1500/1000; 11am-7pm Tue-Sun) – there’s invariably an interesting exhibition here, as well as an appealing book café and art-house cinema. Heading south of towards Insa-dong, is one of Monica’s favourite eateries: Cheonjinpoja (천진포자; meal W5000), a simple place serving meat, seafood or vegetable stuffed dumplings.

At the of the street turn left to find Anguk station; alternatively, if you’re still in search of more art, there are scores more galleries across the road along and around Insa-dong gil, including Artside (tel 725 1020; www.artside.org; 10am-6.30pm), Insa Gallery (tel 735 2655; www.insagallery.net; 10am-6pm) and the venerable Sun Art Center (www.sungallery.co.kr; 10am-6pm).