Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁)

1.6Km 2025-06-25

99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul

Registered as a Historic Site, Deoksugung Palace was initially not a royal palace, but the residential home of Grand Prince Wolsan (1454-1488), the older brother of King Seongjong (1469-1494) of the Joseon dynasty. It wasn't until 1593 that the palace was used as a temporary palace of the royal family after their home was burned down during the Imjin War. King Seonjo also stayed at Deoksugung Palace after returning to the city. It became a proper palace when Gwanghaegun (1575-1641) ascended to the throne and gave this royal residence the name Gyeongungung Palace in 1611. Over the following decades, the palace alternated between being an official palace and a temporary residence. The name did not change officially to Deoksugung Palace, meaning the “palace of virtuous longevity,” until 1907. While the palace once encompassed a vast area with many buildings, the current palace grounds are just a small shadow of the prior splendor, with very few structures remaining.

ILMIRI Gold Jjimdak Myeongdong (일미리금계찜닭 명동)

1.6Km 2024-03-11

40, Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-0220

Located in front of Exit 5 of euljiro 1(il)-ga station, ILMIRI Gold Jjimdak is a restaurant specializing in jjimdak (braised chicken). Their signature dish is the cheese jjimdak (braised chicken and cheese) set menu, which is topped with plenty of mozzarella cheese. The set comes with egg rice (or scorched rice) and glass noodles. The steamed chicken, which has a sweet and not spicy flavor, comes in two varieties, boneless or bone-in, and is served with side dishes such as clear radish water kimchi and kimchi cabbage.

Deoksugung Stone Wall Path (덕수궁 돌담길)

1.6Km 2025-01-10

24 Sejong-daero 19-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

The Deoksugung Stone Wall Path runs along the wall of Deoksugung Palace. It is beautifully lit and landscaped, giving it a romantic atmosphere even at night. There are street performances and flea markets, and the area boasts many famous cafes and restaurants along Jeongdong street. In autumn, the ginkgo trees and walls form a stunning scene. Close to major cultural facilities such as the Seoul Museum of Art and Seoul Museum of History, it attracts numerous visitors come for a stroll.

Heukdonga Myeongdong (흑돈가 명동)

1.6Km 2024-03-07

21, Myeongdong, 7-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3789-0080

Situated in Myeongdong, Heukdonga focuses on Jeju-style grilled black pork. Once black pork cut into thick chunks are grilled over charcoal, it is ready to be served with salted anchovies or pickled perilla leaves. The meat is grilled on a wire mesh over charcoal, which renders the fat and gives it a nice charcoal flavor. After finishing the meat, patrons have the option to soybean paste jjigae with rice or cold buckwheat noodles, which are also a must-try in Korean barbecue restaurants.