Gangnam & Southern Seoul
As well as being home to Seoul's premier concert halls, this art centre also has three art galleries. Seoul Calligraphy Museum is devoted to hand-drawn…
Must-see attractions in South Korea
Gyeongju
The ruins of this simply vast 6th century temple are a sad and desolate spectacle: once the nation's largest Buddhist temple, its standout feature was a…
Seoul
Jeoldusan means ‘Beheading Hill’ – this is where up to 2000 Korean Catholics were executed in 1866 following a royal decree, most thrown off the high…
War & Women's Human Rights Museum
Seoul
In Korea the survivors of sexual slavery by the Japanese military during WWII (known euphemistically as 'comfort women') are respectfully called halmoni …
Gyeongsangbuk-do
The body and robes of this Buddha are carved on a boulder over 12m high – on top of which are the head and hair, carved out of two separate pieces of rock…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Give yourself at least an hour to do justice to this excellent museum. It has three main exhibition halls, covering the history of the Korean people, the…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
This Confucian seowon (서원; academy) from 1572 is set in leafy surrounds arranged with a typical sense of Confucian balance, with the main hall and…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Korean business magnate and contemporary-art collector Kam Chang-il has found the perfect home for jewels from his collection at this ivy-clad brick…
Jeollabuk-do
This park, which contains Moaksan (794m), is a popular destination for hikers on weekends. The main attraction is the temple, Geumsan-sa, which dates to…
Gangwon-do
Maengbang Beach is about 12km south of town. It’s less frantic than Samcheok Beach and has no buildings, although tented stalls spring up during beach…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
A 10-minute walk beyond Oksan Seowon up the valley road will bring you to Dongnakdang, a beautiful collection of well-preserved buildings, constructed in…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gatbawi is a medicinal Buddha shrine and national treasure, some 850m above sea level and said to date back to AD 638. This Buddha is famed for the flat…
Jeollanam-do
Views of scattered specks of land from the peaks of Heuksando show why Dadohae Haesang means ‘marine archipelago’. This island, on the way to Hongdo, is…
Seoul
This interactive museum at the World Cup Stadium & Mall is a must for football fans, despite the steep admission fee. Korean football history and its…
Gyeongju
This large pagoda was built in the mid-7th century during Queen Seondeok’s reign, making it the oldest datable pagoda in Korea. It’s a rare example of one…
Gwacheon National Science Museum
Gyeonggi-do
While aimed at kids, this interactive science museum can be enjoyed by all. Set within a gigantic futuristic building, there are plenty of entertaining,…
Jeollanam-do
This major Zen temple is thought to date back a millenia, but it remained relatively unknown until it became associated with Seosan, a warrior monk who…
Gyeonggi-do
Good luck trying to persuade the kids to exit Everland to go see an art museum, but if you manage it you'll be richly rewarded with the personal…
Southern Jeju-do
Jungmun’s top natural attraction is this legendary waterfall, a three-tier cascade, sporting unique basalt columns, tucked inside a forested gorge. Above…
Jeollanam-do
This small, craggy island, a favourite destination for locals, is covered in bamboo groves and camellia trees. Walking paths wend round the island in…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
The Great East Gate to Seoul’s City Wall has been rebuilt several times in its 700-year history and, after recent renovations, it's looking majestic. It's…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
The highlight of this park, a 350m climb above Dodong-ri, is the cable car across a steep valley to Manghyang-bong (316m). The ride up affords stunning…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
With interactive displays and historical artefacts, this modern museum offers an engaging history of the 18.6km-long barrier that has girdled Seoul since…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
This sublime and hoary Confucian academy has a tranquil setting enveloped by mountains and perched over the river. The quiet, introspective halls are…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
A good example of Deoksugung's potpourri of contrasting architectural styles, the grand neoclassical-style Seokjojeon was designed by British architect GR…
Jeonju
This palace is home to shrines, storehouses and guardrooms relating to the Confucian rituals once held here. There is also a replica portrait of Yi Seong…
Gyeongju
A few minutes’ walk south through the trees from Cheomseongdae, Banwol-seong is the site of a once-fabled fortress. Now it’s attractive parkland, where…
Gyeonggi-do & Incheon
Skip across this grassy field beside Ganghwa History Museum to marvel at Bugeun-ri Dolmen (부근리 고인돌), a trio of giant stones hefted into a megalithic tomb …
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Head down to City Hall's basement to reach Citizens Hall, a multipurpose space with an interesting mix of multimedia art exhibitions, design shops and a…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
To gain an appreciation of the total transformation of Seoul down the centuries, visit this fascinating museum, which charts the city's history since the…
Busan
The museum opened in July 2017 as the first film exhibition and experience in South Korea. Inside, visitors can pose with statues of their favourite…
Jeollanam-do
The exquisite 800-year-old examples of Goryeo-dynasty celadon on display here look startlingly contemporary. At the back are pottery workshops (Monday to…
Seoul
Something very interesting is going on in Mullae-dong, a light-industrial area of the city packed with compact metalwork factories. Artists and designers…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
To fully comprehend what a mammoth and expensive effort it was to resurrect Cheong-gye-cheon, Seoul’s long buried east–west stream, pay a visit to this…
Jeju-do
This countryside gallery is dedicated to Kim Young Gap (1957–2005), a talented, self-taught photographer who documented the landscapes of Jeju. In the…
Gyeonggi-do
A relaxing blend of art and nature, Anyang Art Park comprises dozens of quirky sculptures and installations by Korean and international artists scattered…
Jeju-si
Jeju's administrative centre under the Joseon dynasty, destroyed during Japanese rule, has been reconstructed. The cluster of historical buildings have an…
Gyeonggi-do
Contemporary architecture and original building concepts are abundant in Paju Book City, a purpose-built neighbourhood 10km south of Heyri that's home to…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
The impressive main gate to Seoul's premier palace is flanked by stone carvings of haechi, mythical lion-like creatures traditionally set to protect the…
Gyeongsangnam-do
Local street signs call it a castle, but it’s actually a well-preserved fortress that was partially destroyed during the Japanese invasion of 1592. One of…
