Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울)) - Area information - Korea travel information

Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울))

Seoul Namsan Park (남산공원(서울))

14.7Km    2024-03-18

231 Samil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namsan Mountain rises in the heart of Seoul at an altitude of 265 meters and has been a significant landmark since the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897), leaving behind several ruins. It was heavily damaged in the early 20th century, but was partially restored in 1968 with the creation of the park. Highlights include Namsan Tower and love locks left by numerous couples. Visitors can also easily reach the top by a cable car or bus.

Beauty Play (뷰티플레이)

Beauty Play (뷰티플레이)

14.7Km    2025-11-14

73 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience center operated by the Korea Cosmetics Industry Institute and supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It offers a wide variety of sample Korean beauty products for testing  as well as diverse beauty experience programs such as makeup touch-up service (choice of base, eyes, or lips), personal color test, and skin evaluation. Visitors can also ask for product recommendation based on their skin type or skincare concerns. Beauty Play also frequently hosts free one-day classes, which are announced online via its official website. It also hosts a variety of sample product giveaway events and the exhibited products get changed every two months, allowing visitors to get familiarized with lesser known quality products as well.

yyk [Tax Refund Shop] (와이와이케이)

yyk [Tax Refund Shop] (와이와이케이)

14.7Km    2024-06-27

13, Itaewon-ro 54ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

-

LE SOLEIL (르솔레이)

LE SOLEIL (르솔레이)

14.7Km    2024-03-18

28 Itaewon-ro 54-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

LE SOLEIL is a dessert café in Yeonhui-dong that is small but constantly crowded with customers. About 20 kinds of madeleines of various ingredients fill the showcase. Representative menu items include Rose & Litchi Madeleine, which has a subtle rose scent and attractive litchi flesh, and Nurung Madeleine, which combines cream cheese and scorched rice toppings. Brûlée Madeleines with a luxurious vanilla scent and Truffle Madeleines with a truffle scent are also popular because they are not commonly seen elsewhere. Popular items will likely be sold out early, so it is best to check the information through their official Instagram before visiting.

Ononsa Guesthouse (온온사)

Ononsa Guesthouse (온온사)

14.7Km    2023-07-17

58 Gwanaksan-gil, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Though Ononsa, which was a guesthouse in Gwacheon, was constructed in the 27th year of King Injo's reign in the Joseon dynasty (1649), the name, "Ononsa," was given to this area during the reign of King Jeongjo. On February 11, 1790 during his royal procession to the tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado, stayed at an inn in Gwacheon and, as he felt that it "has nice views and provides a comfortable stay," he bestowed upon the place plaques that he wrote himself - "Ononsa" to Seoheon and "Burimheon," which was the old nickname of Gwacheon, to Dongheon. This is how this place began to be called Ononsa.

It was designated as a Tangible Cultural Heritage of Gyeonggi-do on June 2, 1980, and it was restored on December 2, 1986 after being torn down.

Youngpoong Bookstore - Jongno Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (영풍문고 종로점)

14.7Km    2024-04-18

41, Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

-

Myeongdong Cathedral (서울 명동성당)

Myeongdong Cathedral (서울 명동성당)

14.8Km    2022-12-27

74, Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Myeongdong Cathedral is the Church for Archdiocese of Seoul and was also the birthplace for the Roman Catholic Church community in Korea. The church houses the remains of several individuals: Bishop Laurent Joseph Marie Imbert (1796-1839), and priests Peter Simon (1803-1839), James (Jacques Honor Chastan, 1803-1839) and Pourthie Jean Antoine Charles (1830-1866) and four martyrs.

Myeongdong Cathedral is located in downtown Seoul and tourists frequently come and visit the place. Near the cathedral are other tourism spots such as Namsangol Hanok Village preserving Korean traditional houses, N Seoul Tower overlooking Seoul and Namdaemun Market, a traditional market with a wide variety of food and goods.

Boan1942 (보안1942)

14.8Km    2023-08-17

33 , Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Prior to becoming an art space in 2007, Tongui-dong Boan served as a place for rest for travelers from 1942 to 2005. After a short suspension, the place was renovated into a cultural space in 2017 to carry on the historical legacy and provide creative inspiration under the concept of "Boanstay." 

Boan1942 is divided into a cultural space consisting of a cafe, project workshop, book shop, and exhibition area, and Boanstay on the 3rd and 4th floors that offer temporary lodging services to the cultural nomads. Located in Seochon, the center of culture, history, and convenient traffic in Seoul, Boanstay offers a splendid view of Seoul's historical and cultural assets such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheong Wa Dae, and Seochon Hanok Village.

<Credit: Boanstay>

Myeongdongjeong Royal Cuisine Restaurant (명동정)

Myeongdongjeong Royal Cuisine Restaurant (명동정)

14.8Km    2024-03-12

1F, 299, Samil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-5132

Located on Myeongdong Street, Myeongdongjeong Royal Cuisine Restaurant serves Korean traditional dishes. They offer Korean traditional dishes that were once prepared for Korean royalty and nobility, using premium ingredients such as blue crab, abalone, beef, shrimp, and pumpkin. Their Korean table d'hote menus feature youngran sang (weekday lunch special), myeongdong jeongsik (bulgogi and other traditional dishes), gwibin sang (abalone & beef rib stew with traditional various dishes), and haesin sang (high-quality seafood dishes). With various rooms and halls, the venue also has space for organizing simple parties.

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

Gwanghwamun Gate (광화문)

14.8Km    2024-12-04

161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3700-3900

Built in 1395 under the reign of King Taejo, the first king of the Joseon dynasty, Gwanghwamun Gate is the southern gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is also the main gate of the palace, therefore larger and fancier in comparison to the other gates. Gwanghwamun Gate consists of three arched gates; the center gate was used by the king, while the other two were used by the crown prince and royal officials. The tall granite walls of the gate serve as a platform for the wooden gate tower that watches over the city. The gate has a sign with its name written at the top center of the gate tower.

Gwanghwamun Gate went through several damages and restorations over the course of history. It was first severely damaged during the Imjin War (1592-1598) and was not restored until the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1864. Under the Japanese administration, the gate was demolished and relocated to the north of the palace's eastern gate, followed by series of damages during the Korean War (1950-1953). In 1968, Gwanghwamun Gate was relocated back to the south of the palace and was rebuilt using concrete; however, the gate’s position was shifted a few meters away from its original location. In 2006, a major reconstruction project took place to restore Gwanghwamun Gate to its original state and location, disassembling the structure completely and replacing concrete with granite and wood. After three years and eight months of construction, Gwanghwamun Gate was fully restored to its original form and was open to the public on August 15, 2010.