Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone (종로 청계 관광특구) - Area information - Korea travel information

Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone (종로 청계 관광특구)

Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone (종로 청계 관광특구)

6.6Km    2021-12-30

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Jongno Cheonggye Special Tourist Zone stretches from Seorin-dong to Changsin-dong between Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jong-ro. It includes Youth Street, Gwangjang Market, Sewoon Electronics Department Store, lighting stores, pharmacy & medical device stores, badge stores, Stamp Street, Stationery · Toy Market, Aquarium Street, Shoes Market, and other markets totalling to approximately 14,000 shops. Nearby attractions include modern high-story buildings as well as Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Unhyeongung Palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Insa-dong, merging traditions, modernism, culture, and markets alike.

Thought to be at the heart of Seoul, Cheonggyecheon Stream is located in the dense cultural area of Seoul where various press networks, organizations, bookstores and other major corporations are situated. Walking along Cheonggyecheon Stream is a famous activity for tourists. Also, the area is the venue for the Seoul Lantern Festival every winter. Keeping its traditional scene including narrow alleys, old-fashioned hanok buildings and various stores still fully intact, the tourist zone has enough fun places for sightseeing as well as tasty restaurants in every corner for a more enjoyable visit.

Heojun Museum (허준박물관)

Heojun Museum (허준박물관)

6.7Km    2021-08-13

87, Heojun-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

The Heojun Museum opened in honor of the academic accomplishments and charitable deeds of the renowned medical scientist, Heojun of the Joseon dynasty. Located next to Heojun Neighborhood Park, the museum collects and displays Heojun related materials.

National Theater of Korea (국립극장)

6.7Km    2024-03-06

59, Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

The National Theater of Korea opened in 1950 as the first national theater in Asia. It is the only production theater that takes traditional arts to recreate them as contemporary art. It offers various types of theaters, such as Haeoreum Grand Theater, Daloreum Theater (middle-size), Immersive Studio ByeolByeol (small-size), and Haneul Round Theater with a circular stage structure. In addition, the Museum of Performing Arts, Cultural Plaza, and other convenience stores and coffe shops offer pleasure and relax to its visitors. 

Yongsan Family Park (용산가족공원)

6.7Km    2022-12-15

185, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Visitors to Yongsan Family Park can enjoy a relaxing time at a big grassy field beside a refreshing pond and well-organized walking paths. Yongsan Family Park spans an area of roughly 89,256.20 ㎡ in what was a section of the former golf course of the Eighth US Army Division. The park is comprised of various facilities such as a 2km-walking path, a natural education site, and Taegeukgi Park. Visitors can watch and feed pigeons and wild pheasants living at the park.

Itaewon Antiques Street (이태원 앤틱 가구 거리)

Itaewon Antiques Street (이태원 앤틱 가구 거리)

6.7Km    2025-04-11

109-1 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Itaewon Antiques Street was formed around the late 1960s, when a group of antique dealerships from Asia, Europe, and North America settled in the district. This 1km-long street is home to antique dealers offering antique sofa, chairs, and tables. Some shops also offer antique decorations, accessories, and clothing. It is a famous shopping district with its own unique ambience from that of Seoul. During spring and autumn, Itaewon Antique Festival takes place, allowing visitors to shop and enjoy cultural performances.

Kervan Turkish Restaurant (케르반레스토랑)

6.8Km    2025-03-15

192 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Kervan is a Turkish restaurant located in Itaewon, offering authentic kebab, pidé, and Turkish desserts. It faithfully recreates the Turkish culture and food through its interior, decorated with traditional tiles, and dishes prepared by a chef from Türkiye. Main menus include Chicken steak, Rich pidé, and Chicken shish kebab.

Itaewon Special Tourist Zone (이태원 관광특구)

6.8Km    2024-11-27

196 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Itaewon was the first special tourist zone in Seoul, designated in 1997. It is a multicultural place where over 20,000 foreigners live and is widely recognized by international visitors.

The name Itaewon started to spread worldwide in the 1980s when Korea hosted the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, as well as many international conferences. Since then, Itaewon has become a popular travel destination. Clothes and accessories with unique designs, and leather products in particular are famous. This is a go-to place for both shopping and entertainment. The street is crowded with shops selling clothes and bags, as well as hotels, restaurants, entertainment facilities and travel agencies. With about 2,000 shops and stores lining every street, visitors can experience a multicultural atmosphere. Also famous in the district is Antique Furniture Street where more than 100 shops selling furniture and antiques stretch from Hamilton Hotel toward Bogwang-ro.

Travelers can taste authentic cuisine and experience culture from around the globe on World Food Street where there are 40 restaurants operated by foreigners. Since the late 1990s, an increase in the number of tourists from Southeast Asia and the Middle East has transformed the streets from being US Army-oriented into culturally diverse. Various performances and events are held in the area. In particular, Itaewon Global Village Festival, held every October, is a famous festival. Tourists can pay in US dollars, Japanese yen, or another currency freely. In addition, visitors can use various languages like English, Japanese, and Chinese with the sellers.

Cheongansa Temple (천간사)

Cheongansa Temple (천간사)

6.8Km    2021-10-12

20-8, Bulgwang-ro 10-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul

Cheongansa Temple was first built in 1960, and was re-built in 2009. It has many pagodas and monuments: a pagoda filled with sari relics of Buddha; Budotap Pagoda, which is a shrine to the monk who found the temple and his sacred relics; and a monument honoring the late first lady Yuk yeong-su. The re-built temple was awarded the Hanok Prize in the Hanok Competition 2011. Located along the Bukhansan Mt. Dulaegil Trail, the temple provide visitors with the chance to enjoy fresh air and a rest from hiking along the trail.

The Hyoosik Nouvelle Seoul Itaewon (더휴식 누베르 서울 이태원점)

The Hyoosik Nouvelle Seoul Itaewon (더휴식 누베르 서울 이태원점)

6.8Km    2025-04-08

11 Usadan-ro 14-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

The Hyoosik Nouvelle Seoul Itaewon aims to rediscover Seoul through creativity and inspiration. The overall design of the hotel is inspired by French avant-garde, using a variety of objects and props to create an artistic and stylish atmosphere. The hotel has Collection T room type, a twin bedroom; Collection D room type, a double bedroom; and Collection S room type, a single bedroom. On the first floor of the hotel is a guest lobby and a pasta restaurant. The hotel's parking lot is limited in space, and therefore guests are advised to use a nearby public parking lot.

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art (삼성미술관 리움)

6.9Km    2022-12-15

60-16, Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, exhibits traditional and modern art works by Korean and international artists. The museum itself is just as fascinating as the art works on display, since the museum's three buildings were designed by internationally renowned architects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas.

MUSEUM 1 houses traditional Korean art, such as calligraphy, paintings, ceramic arts, and metal craftwork, while MUSEUM 2 displays modern and contemporary art by both Korean and international artists.