Seoul, South Korea – 100 Things To Do Guide + Photos 2026

Seoul is a cool combination of the old and the new; where historic neighbourhoods and traditional tea-rooms blend seamlessly with decadent dive bars and a melee of modern restaurants and attractions.

From the usual touristy areas like Myeongdong or Dongdaemun to the less explored activities like container malls or battleship park, we’ve done some ‘Seoul’ searching to bring you the ultimate guide to things to do in Seoul (including Seoul by night).

Featuring colourful cafes to historic hanoks, cute character stores and selfie booths to scary monster statues, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets (and lots of K-Pop or Korean photo booths).

Seoul has so many distinctive neighbourhoods to visit – from the hipster hangouts and secret bars of Seongsu-dong and Euljiro to the 24/ 7 entertainment of Gangnam, Itaewon and Hongdae, there are so many top things to do in Seoul, South Korea.

Plus it doesn’t need to be expensive as many of these are free Seoul activities including parks, museums and observation decks.

Here is our guide to the top things to do in Seoul, South Korea in 2026.

This article was originally published on cktravels.com on 27 August 2023.

Accommodation in Seoul

We’d recommend these hotels in Seoul:

Budget

Hotel 8 Hours
Budget hotel is located a 5 minute walk from Myeongdong subway City Hall station exit. Rooms are compact but modern and hotel facilities include TV, refrigerator, shower booth, hairdryer and free toiletries. Check out prices and availability on booking.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and trip.com

InterContinental GRAND SEOUL PARNAS, an IHG Hotel
Located inside the World Trade Centre, this luxurious 5-star hotel includes four restaurants and bars (including an Italian restaurant with a skyline view), casino, golf practice room, outdoor spa pool and indoor pool. Check out prices and availability on booking.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and trip.com

Check out our guide to the best hotels in Myeongdong >

South Korea checklist

We love using agoda.com, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.

For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, Trazy or Klook.

For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >

Find safe storage spaces across South Korea with Bounce (and get 5% discount).

Check out our South Korea travel booking resources >

All set for South Korea? Do one final check with our Seoul first timers guide and our South Korea packing list

The baseball season in South Korea runs approximately from April to September every year, and Seoul is fortunate enough to have two home baseball teams – the Doosan Bears and the LG Twins.

There will often be several baseball games a week played at Jamsil stadium (it is a huge stadium, holding 25,000 spectators).

Foreigners can buy Seoul baseball tickets at Jamsil stadium for as little as 9,000 Won (around £4.80 / $6.50 USD).

We went to see the Doosan Bears take on the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Stadium and had an amazing time watching the baseball (and eating, singing, dancing…)

Click here to read our guide on how to buy Seoul baseball tickets >

Built around 100 years ago in the 1920s, Ikseondong has awesome street-food, cafes and coffee shops plus some of the best restaurants in the area.

Keep an eye out for Cheongsudang, a Hanok style cute café with a charming garden and traditional Korean decor.

Read more in our guide to Ikseondong Hanok Village >

You can book a half day DMZ tour from Seoul that starts with a visit to Imjingak Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park (where you can see the famed Bridge to Freedom and buy North Korean money as souvenirs).

Given the history and complex relationship of North and South Korea, this is an interesting way to learn about this important piece of history and is an easy day trip from Seoul (many tours are available).

At  Imjingak Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park you get to look across into North Korea from the Dorasan Observatory. Using telescopes and state of the art electronic cameras, you can see guards on patrol in North Korea plus farmers and local residents go about their daily work.

Finally, take a long, dark walk down into the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, built by North Korea as a means of invasion (although they still deny this, even though four such infiltration tunnels exist).

Book your DMZ Tour here or read our guide to DMZ tours.

Since its trendy transformation, it is well loved by locals, a happening hybrid of street-art, pop up shops with weird and wonderful warehouse spaces.

A cradle of counterculture and the place to be seen in Seoul, Seongsu-Dong is a chock full of cool spots from shipping container malls to cute coffee shops and clothing stores to craft beer brewery bars.

Still mainly under the radar to most visitors to Seoul, there are also gorgeous green spaces and some village vibes to enjoy in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.

You might like – top things to do in Seongsu-dong, Seoul >

With a huge indoor amusement centre and outdoor Magic Island, Lotte World is fun for all ages and also includes various entertainment like daily parades and live music shows.

If your trip to Seoul and Lotte World coincides with Winter, Lotte World in November / December and much of the park is themed with Christmas activities (read more about Seoul Christmas lights and Christmas events).

Note that Lotte World gets incredibly busy after school with students visiting in large groups making some of the ride queue times hours long – so try and arrive at Lotte World early to tackle the bigger rides.

Tip – if you have a Discover Seoul Pass, Lotte World is the best value / biggest discount attraction featured on the pass.

Skip the queues – book your discounted Lotte World tickets in advance >

Incidentally, if you are also planning a trip to Busan in South Korea, check out our detailed guide to visiting Busan Lotte Adventure World here >

And yes, we and several other bystanders during our visit felt it only appropriate to recreate Psy’s iconic dance in front of the giant pair of hands.

Unveiled in 2015, the Statue of Gangnam style is the ultimate tribute to Psy and his global ‘Gangnam Style’ hit (part of Psy’s Gangnam Style video was filmed here).

Fact fans – Psy’s legendary dance moves were partly filmed outside exit 5 of Gangnam Station.

Check out our things to do in Gangnam guide >

Just a few minutes walk from Myeongdong, Euljiro is one of hippest neighbourhoods in Seoul, packed full of dive bars, speakeasy style sipping joints and incredible foodie adventures. recently, ‘Visit Korea’ called it Seoul’s ‘trendiest’ alleyway – and we tend to agree.

Euljiro is a little rough around the edges but this once industrial area now has small alley-ways and side-streets hidden with ‘secret’ bars’ and new restaurants popping up all the time.

There are also several craft breweries here including the neon wonderland that is Euljiro Brewing and the nostalgic vibes of Ggeek brewing. We’ve even discovered a rather zany Pink Floyd themed bar…read on – check out our things to do in Euljiro guide >

Gwangjang Market has bags of character, from the numerous (and competitive) stallholders who beckon you over (“Sit. SIT”!) to the huge array of awesome and authentic street food available.

Boiling hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the Winter, Gwangjang Market is a foodie’s dream and a must visit when in Seoul.

Check out our full guide to Gwangjang Market in Seoul >

The busiest area in Hongdae (and possibly what you’d call tourist central), there are sights and food to enjoy 24/7 here.

In the summer, both streets are home to pop-up markets and scores of street performers and singers. The K Pop stars of tomorrow all have to start somewhere and Hongdae is a breeding ground for up and coming street performers.

On all of our daytime visits to Hongdae (particularly at the weekends in summer), we saw dozens of street performers from girl groups to accordionists, street-rappers to beatboxers.

Check out our things to do in Hongdae guide >

From traditional tea-houses hidden down back alleys and ancient pagodas to modern shopping centres and even retro vinyl LP bars, Insadong has got it going on.

Read our full guide to the top things to do in Insadong, Seoul >

Cheonggyecheon is an example of urban regeneration whereby this formerly neglected and run down riverside area was transformed in the early 2000s into a wonderful walk along a river, complete with benches, stepping stone bridges and a long concrete walkway (also ideal for jogging).

During festivals and Christmas in Seoul, the Cheonggyecheon stream sometimes has special lights and pop-up events, plus the Seoul Outdoor Library pops up here in the summer months.

12. Historic Seoul Royal Palaces

We won’t dwell on all of the five Royal Palaces in Seoul as these are easily the most popular tourist attractions in Seoul and so well known:

• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Changdeokgung Palace
• Changgyeonggung Palace
• Deoksugung Palace
• Gyeonghuigung Palace

If you only have time for one Royal Palace, we’d recommend the grand Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in the 1390s and the largest and most majestic Royal Residence in Seoul.

Try to time your visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace with the changing of the Palace Royal Guard at 10am and 2pm (very theatrical but the costumes and instruments are stunning).

If you intend to visit all of the Palaces, make sure you buy a combined admission ticket as it works out a lot cheaper than individual tickets for each Royal Palace in Seoul.

Unlike most other historic attractions in Seoul, please note that Gyeonbokgung is closed on Tuesdays – this means it can be visited on Mondays when most of the other Seoul city historic attractions are closed.

South Korea Hallyu Tip – For a free aerial view of Deoksugung Palace, head on up to the Jeongdong Observatory on the 13th floor of the Seoul City Hall Seosomun building.

A UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in Seoul, it was originally constructed as a smaller second palace to the much bigger Gyeongbokgung but is a much more pretty palace to explore. It is also the best preserved of all the Seoul Royal Palaces.

Most locals and tourists visit the Huwon Secret Garden, a sprawling sublime green sanctuary with pavilions and ponds – this can be visited as part of a guided tour and is in addition to the Palace entry cost.

14. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

By daytime, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul is an aesthetically awesome design centre containing a design museum (certain exhibitions are free), the design lab and a conference center, plus a handful of shops, restaurants and cafes. From afar, it looks like a huge silver UFO has landed in the centre of Seoul.

New for 2026, you can now see Seoul from a different perspective with a Dongdaemun Design Plaza rooftop tour

There are DDP rooftop guided tours in English and all participants are given safety equipment, a radio so you can hear the tour guide, plus a special pouch to keep your phone in. Locker facilities are included too.

Along the way, there are several photo spots plus you learn more about the local area and the history of the DDP. The views from the top are stunning and you can see everything from Namsan Tower to Heunginjimun Gate and Seoul Fortress Wall in the distance.

The DDP in Dongdaemun also lights up in the winter months (especially around Christmas time in Seoul) with a free, festive winter light show.

The DDP Seoul Light show features illuminations and projections on the side of the curved and ultra sleek building.

Since its first edition in 2019, the DDP light show has attracted over 1 million visitors and is one of the most popular free, evening activities in Seoul.

We have a love / hate relationship with Bukchon Hanok Village – it is so pretty but it is teeming with tourists between 10am and 4pm so try to get there early or late and explore the traditional settlement.

The views are stunning and many people also hire traditional hanbok costume from the clothing rental stores at the main entrance or from nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Please remember that Bukchon Hanok Village is a residential area so please be mindful of people’s property and privacy – there are even local volunteers who monitor noise-levels and ‘shhhhush’ you if you are over exuberant.

Read more in our guide to Bukchon Hanok Village >

16. National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관)  is huge and well worth a visit (and free admission too).

As well as thousands of historic relics including the amazing Ten-story Pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa Temple Site, they often have pop up events for kids.

The museum gift-shop has some of the most exquisite souvenirs in Seoul, from scarves to cup sets, phone cases to tote bags – plus cute kids gifts. The ceramics section is charming but costly; cheaper gifts include sticker sets and stationery.

The quickest way to the museum is by the Subway, Ichon Station (line 4) – Gyeongui-Jungang Line

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It has a huge complex of memorials, places to worship plus it even has its own home stay in a temple scheme.

Bongeunsa temple is free to visit (donations are appreciated) and we were blown away by how big this place of worship is.

One of the many highlights was the serene hillside location where a huge 100ft stone statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha looks out over Gangnam-su.

There are thousands of market stalls and shops in Namdaemun Market, spread across several blocks so navigating it can seem quite tricky when you first arrive.

Handily, Namdaemun Market is handily broken down into several sections where the same types of shops and products are grouped together – for instance, Hardware Street or Children’s Wear Street.

Inside, you find an alley with two parallel lines of small food and drink stores, each with several chairs around them – think Gwangjang Market but in a much more compact space.

Kalguksu Alley is an alleyway hot-bed (emphasis on the ‘hot’) of inexpensive noodle stalls. It has around 20 to 25 different stalls, generally all run by elderly ladies (ajummas) who take great pride in their food and service.

The food stalls at Kalguksu Alley all looked incredible with noodles and bibimbap, the most popular Korean street food dishes to try – you can eat really well here for around 8,000 Korean Won a dish.

Read more in our guide to Kalguksu Alley >

This world renowned comedy cooking show has been packing in audiences worldwide since 1997. Possibly the best known Korean theatre show, NANTA Theatre has been performed over 50,000 times in over 60 countries and is a fun mix of slapstick and physical comedy.

There are very few spoken words used throughout so not understanding Korean (or English) won’t be an issue.

Myeongdong NANTA Theatre has at least two NANTA performances every day, with evening shows held at 5pm and 8pm Monday to Saturday (on Sundays, it is 2pm and 5pm).

BOOK IT: Myeongdong Nanta Theater Show Ticket >

21. Enjoy ‘Seoul’ Food

Mashisoyo” as they say in South Korea – this is the word for ‘delicious’ that you’ll continually be using when you try Seoul street food straight from the source.

South Korean street-food is some of the world’s best street food, which will keep you coming back for more (and more, and MORE…).

Most street food is inexpensive and readily available in multiple markets like Gwangjang Market, Kalguksu Alley or Myeongdong night market – or for something a little more authentic, try Mangwon Market.

From Buchimgae to bibimbap, hotteoks to tteok-bokki, read our guide to the best South Korean street foods >

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A nice mix of fashion, culture, food and entertainment, Starfield COEX Mall is located over several levels and could easily be a day trip in itself if you take your shopping seriously. Flagship stores at Seoul’s Starfield Coex Mall include Zara, H&M and ABC Mart.

Starfield Mall has over 200 stores plus just under 100 eating establishments and dining options to choose from.

What we really liked about Starfield COEX Mall is that they had clearly marked ‘food alleys’ on the map meaning you could easily find something to eat.

Read about the best shopping malls and shopping centres in Seoul >

23. Starfield Library

As well as stellar shopping at Starfield COEX Mall, you’ll also see Starfield Library, one of the most memorable and aesthetically pleasing spaces we’ve ever encountered in a Seoul shopping mall.

Surely this has to be the best looking and most accessible library in the world? So much so that it can be hard to get a book from the shelves with all the posing and photography going on (for real).

Unlike other libraries, you don’t need to be a registered user to read the books, and several cafes and coffee shops are ‘hidden’ amongst the gigantic bookshelves.

Although Myeongdong Cathedral usually closes around 7pm (8pm on Sundays), they sometimes stay open late for special services (although photography is forbidden).

Below the cathedral, you’ll discover a rather nice underground shopping centre with cafes, bookshops, restaurants, a Subway plus one of the biggest 7-Elevens in Seoul – praise be!

If you visit Seoul at Christmas or in the winter months, the Myeongdong Cathedral gardens are normally awash with classic white LED lights plus Christmas phrases in many languages from all over the world appear in neon above the Church shop.

The selfie kiosks are usually brightly painted small shops where you can borrow clothes and all sorts of fun props (like big sunglasses, animal heads etc) and then pose for selfies or take photos in booths for a small fee.

Often these Korean selfie photo booths allow you to print out stickers as a lasting reminder – popular selfie booth locations include Gangnam, Hongdae, Itaewon, Ikseon-Dong and Seongsu-Dong.

Read more in our guide to Korean photo booths >

We were fortunate enough to get the prime spot in front of Cho Yonsoon herself.

We could watch her legendary knife-cut noodle skills up-close (like watching Netflix but IRL!), before tasting steaming bowls of sublime Gohyang Kalguksu dishes.

Here is our guide to visiting Cho Yoonsun’s Gohyang Kalguksu knife-cut noodle stall in Gwangjang Market, Seoul >

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Almost 800 metres high, the N Seoul Tower is open until 10pm on weekdays and until 11pm on weekends – so you can even enjoy the Seoul sunset or Seoul at night.

Namsan Park is open until 10pm most days so you can even enjoy sunset or night time views. Love locks adorn all the fences too in and around the immediate area – quite the romantic place – although many of the locks are now quite rusty and orange!

Namsan Park peak is walkable but the paths are quite steep so you may want to make use of the Namsan Cable Car.

Namsan Park also hosts free cultural shows several times a day where you can enjoy traditional musicians and martial arts – there is lots of audience participation too!

Book your N Seoul Tower ticket here with Klook >

N Seoul Tower is also one of the included attractions in the Discover Seoul Pass.

Join our Facebook South Korea Travel Planning and Tips Group!
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Or if you just want to see more of our South Korea photos, follow our South Korea Facebook page >

28. BTS Restaurant – Yoojung Sikdang

The beloved BTS restaurant in Gangnam where the K-Pop band used to dine before they were superstars, Yoojung Sikdang has now become the ultimate K-Pop pilgrimage in Seoul (and tasty too).

Yoojung Sikdang a cosy cafe located in Gangnam’s sidestreets which is literally covered in posters and BTS merchandise – like there isn’t a single surface spared.

We visited Yoojung Sikdang one weekday lunch-time, and even managed to sit in BTS’s favourite table!

Busy with locals and international tourists of all ages, the food here was good and still very reasonably priced (the bibimbap was particularly good).

The BTS boys have been back here several times since to film videos or segments – so who knows when BTS might pop up?

These ‘GangnamDols’ (brightly coloured teddy bear style dolls – they’re not furry though!) line a 1 km stretch of road with around 20 big bears representing the cream of K-pop talent and famous K-pop dolls.

As you’d expect, the ‘star’ of K Star Road is a huge Psy bear / GangnamDol (near Apgujeong Rodeo Station exit 2), but other bears include Girl’s Generation, Miss A and 4Minute – and yes, the BTS Gangnam-su bear is incredibly popular.

30. Drink at a Seoul craft beer bar

Seoul is renowned for its craft beer bars and one of the best things to do in Seoul (especially in Seoul at night) is to grab a pint of beer direct from a brewery or taproom.

This could also be a nice way to reward yourself after a day of sightseeing or shopping.

Itaewon is known as Seoul’s craft beer valley with a bevy of breweries and craft beer bars including Chill Hops and Magpie Brewing.

From the bright neon lights and self pour pint machines of Artmonster Samsung Station near Gangnam to the ‘sickest’ brewery in Euljiro, here is our guide to the best craft beer bars in Seoul >

Designated a special tourist zone and pretty much pedestrianised other than the occasional taxi trying to do a hotel drop off, Myeongdong Walking Street is a top tourist thing to do in Seoul.

It is also worth a visit both in the day and at night, as in the evening, all the streets are lit with an array of neon signs and bright lights – very cool to see.

With around 4 million visitors a year, Myeongdong Walking Street can get very busy (especially at night when the street food vendors start) so it may be worth planning several visits here whilst in Seoul so you can see it all.

Check out our guide to the best things to do in Myeongdong >

There are a ‘Lotte’ shopping malls in Seoul to choose from. Given how big some of the shopping malls are plus all their awesome attractions inside like aquariums or adventure parks, cinemas or rooftop gardens, you could easily spend the whole day shopping in one mall in Seoul (if your credit card will allow it!).

From the sublime stylings of Seoul Times Square to the high-end Hyundai Seoul (Seoul’s newest and most beautiful shopping centre), read our guide to the best shopping malls in Seoul >

The best known of these are the Line Friends Flagship Stores where you can create your own merchandise as well as pose with your favourite furry friends.

You can also visit Kakao Friends Stores, another famous chain of stores in Seoul that feature ever so cute and fluffy adorable animals across a variety of merchandise.

Popular locations in Seoul for cartoon shops include Gangnam and Hongdae.

In terms of tea-tasting and historic tea-houses, you are spoiled for choice in Insadong.

Down one particular alley (8 and 9 Insadong – gil), you’ll find both Shin Old Teahouse (Sinyet chatjip) and Namusae Tea house – both are hidden away and ooze history.

We visited Shin Old Teahouse one rainy afternoon and were amazed by its interior – the teahouse is wooden timbered with a variety of old furniture, warm snugs and indoor gardens.

Upon entry at Shin Old Teahouse, you are given a menu and you then find a seat before going back to the counter to place and order and pay. It was 7,000 Won for most teas.

Other top traditional tea houses in Insadong include Moon Bird and Dawon Traditional Tea House.

There are several flagship shops to check out in the neighbourhood and popular places include Olive Young, Nature Republic, Holika Holika, Skin Food, Laneige, Innisfree and StyleNanda 3CE.

Recently, Olive Young opened their first Olive Young Global store, specifically aimed at overseas tourists with all their best-selling lines in massive volumes, signs in English, plus multilingual staff and lots of duty-free shopping kiosks.

The best place in Myeongdong for K-beauty products, Olive Young Global has two floors of its cosmetics, cleansers and creams and is open daily from 10am to 10.30pm.

Plus K-Beauty just got bigger with the brand new 5-floor “Olive Young” in Seongsu-dong which opened in 2025. This might be South Korea’s biggest Olive Young store!

Read our guide to the best K-beauty treatments and salons bookable online >

If you are visiting Seoul soon and want to buy K-Pop music or merchandise, the highest concentration of Seoul K Pop stores is in Myeongdong.

And the Seoul K-Pop stores in South Korea don’t just sell K-Pop music or books – you’ll find all manner of K-Pop merchandise from BTS Lego through to chocolate bars with your favourite K Pop bands etched on them (too good to eat?)

From Seoul K-Pop stores in malls to market stalls and shops, here is our guide to the 15 best K-Pop stores in Myeongdong and our best K-Pop activities in Seoul.

Also be sure to check for any K-Pop concerts whilst you are in Seoul – we went to a K-Pop Concert in Busan featuring bands like ZeroBaseOne, NCT127 and Oh My Girl and it was amazing!

South Korea K League game tickets are easy and cheap to purchase plus the World Cup Stadium in Seoul has good transport links with its very own subway station.

From purchasing KL League tickets for FC Seoul through to what types of food, drink and entertainment you can expect at the stadium, check out our guide to all things K League South Korea and the Seoul World Cup Stadium >

Known locally as ‘Dakgangjeong’, Korean Fried Chicken usually consists of chicken wings or boneless chicken covered in a spicy and sweet sauce glaze with additional seasonings like cut up peanuts or sesame seed.

It can be bought from street food stalls but we’d recommend trying Dakgangjeong / Korean fried chicken with a nice pint of cold Korean beer (like Cass) in a craft beer bar. Fried chicken and beer combined is known as ‘Chimaek’ in Korean – so cheers to Chimaek at night!

One of the best places to have Korean fried chicken in Seoul at night is beer and chicken street in Myeongdong or in Hongdae or Gangnam. There is also a dedicated fried chicken street in Suwon.

You might like – Authentic Seoul chicken and beer experience >

Founded in the 1960s, Myeongdong Kyoja has a simple but succulent menu comprising just a handful of dishes.

With just a handful of branches in Seoul, Kyoja is one of the most popular cheap eats in the city and queues of diners dying for delicious dumpling and knife-cut noodles is not uncommon.

From marvellous freshly steamed mandu to banging bibimguksu, read our guide to all things Myeongdong Kyoja Restaurant in Seoul >

40. Itaewon

Popular with expats who have moved to South Korea and want to set up in Seoul, Itaewon is one of Seoul’s trendiest dining and shopping districts with many international flavors.

Still a little gritty around the edges, Itaewon is renowned for its coffee culture, Seoul craft beer scene and late night venues including many LGBTQ+ pubs and clubs.

Whilst in Itaewon, check out Yongsan Haebangchon Village, an awesome avenue of cafes, bars and restaurants with views of Namsan Park and N Seoul Tower. Passion 5 is also highly recommended; a palace of puddings and delightful desserts.

It should be mentioned that since the awful Halloween tragedy that occurred in Itaewon in October 2022, the area is a lot quieter than it used to be as many locals are too upset to return.

Check out our things to do in Itaewon guide >

Planning a trip to Japan?

We also run a Japan travel website – planmyjapan.com, and a Japan Travel Facebook group – click here to join >

As featured in the Seoul episode of Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil, Noryangjin Fish Market is an interesting place to visit although not for the squeamish. Many of the fish and sea creatures here like octopuses (octopi?) are still alive – they seem very keen to escape!

Noryangjin Fish Market often has early morning fish auctions at around 3am. Note that whilst the site is open 24 hours, most of the stalls and restaurants close for large chunks of the day so check in advance before visiting.

You might like: An evening food tour at Noryangjin Fish Market >

42. Jeongdong Observatory (Free)

For us, easily one of the best free things to do in Seoul, head on upto the 13th floor of Seoul City Hall Seosomun building, just a short walk from the City Hall Metro stop.

Whilst the Jeongdong Observatory inside is nothing special, the view looking out is spectacular – here you’ll see an incredible Seoul cityscape unfurl in front of you plus you’ll have a perfect panoramic view of the Royal Deoksugung Palace below.

Inside the Jeongdong Observatory there is a popular cafe and tea-room (the prices are really cheap given the view) which is very popular with students and gets very busy at the weekend.

So for a brew with a view, this is an amazing free Seoul observatory and viewing deck. Just be aware that when you first arrive, the reception feels quite corporate as its is a City Hall office – just head to the first set of lifts you see when you first go in.

Popular with locals, particularly the afterwork crowd, Euljiro Nogari Alley is an L-shaped street packed full of local restaurants and hole-in-wall establishments that is open for business every night.

The antithesis of Gwangjang Market and Myeongdong Night Market, this is an awesome and authentic thing to do in Seoul.

Euljiro Nogari Alley is such a special Seoul street food place, where you can eat with the locals and enjoy garlic crusted fried chicken with an ice-cold beer (or seven).

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44. Seoul Battleship Park

We genuinely think this is one of Seoul’s under the radar gems. Seoul’s Battleship Park is home of the decommissioned ROKS Seoul (FF-952), used for 30 years by the Republic of Korea Navy and then decommissioned in 2015.

You can freely explore the whole vessel including the main decks and staff quarters plus you can even sit in the captain’’s chair complete with sunglasses and hat props – kids will love it and we were surprised how quiet it was on a weekday afternoon. There is a submarine and patrol boat to explore too.

Seoul Battleship Park 서울함공원 is located on the Hangang River in Mangwon – we walked to it from Mangwon Market and it is only 3,000 Won admission for adults or 2,000 Won for kids – so cheap! It is also included as part of the Discover Seoul Pass.

45. National Folk Museum of Korea

This free to visit massive museum is handily located near to Bukchon Hanok Village and in the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

A fantastic family place to learn about Korean history and how people lived over the centuries, this looks at everyday life across the ages – onsite, there is also a free Children’s Folk Museum complete with performances, hands-on activities and special programmes.

Our favourite part of the National Folk Museum of Korea is the 70’s and 80’s themed Street of Memories – so nostalgic and vintage, it almost feels like an 80s K-Drama set.

Here you can wander around a recreated Seoul neighborhood, with a dozen or so 70’s and 80’s buildings like a stationery store, comic book shop, tea-room, barbers, bathhouse, school room and more.

It reminded us of walking around the Suncheon K-Drama set.

With the first part of the wall built in the 1390s to deter invaders, (to coincide with the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace), Seoul City Wall is just under 20 km in length (although not all of it is fully walkable).

It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the ensuing centuries. The highlights at Seoul Fortress Wall are the eight gate towers, especially the East Main Gate – Heunginjimun Gate.

A free thing to do in Seoul, one of the best and most sections of the Fortress Wall to explore is in Naksan Park. We’d also recommend combining a Seoul City Wall with a visit to nearby Ihwa Mural Village.

47. Dongdaemun Toy & Stationery Street

Located a stone’s throw from Dongdaemun Metro, this is the best place to get toys and stationery goods in Seoul cheap but there is a catch. Many of these stores are wholesalers so you might need to buy more than one item to secure a discount.

There are 100 stores in close proximity piled high but the biggest and most famous toy shop in Dongdaemun is Seungjin Toy (승진완구). This tower of toys has a plethora of playthings so make sure you save room in your suitcase if you are in Seoul with kids.

48. Sokcho (day trip from Seoul)

South Korea’s Sokcho is a beautiful beachside city, known for its sublime seafood, cute coastal cafes and the historical Abai Village.

Just over 2 hours by bus from Seoul, escape the city and spend some time on the east coast – it can also easily be combined with Seoraksan National Park, which is around 10km from downtown Sokcho.

Try some dak gangjeong chicken or squid sundae at Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, a walk and coffee shop crawl around Cheongcho Lake or get up high on the Sokcho Eye – there are lots of fun Sokcho seaside activities and it is a perfect getaway from Seoul for all ages.

Check out our things to do in Sokcho guide >

49. Starbucks Korea Mugs

Starbucks Korea is a popular place for travellers and locals to enjoy a cup of coffee or sweet treat  – with around 1900 coffee shops in Korea, Starbucks South Korea is ranked fourth in the world in terms of number of cafes, after the USA, China and Japan.

From exclusive South Korea Starbucks mugs to cute collectibles and plushies, there is lots to enjoy when visiting – and did you also know the highest coffee shop in the world is the Busan Starbucks located at the top of Busan X The Sky on the 99th floor?

From unusual and beautiful Korea Starbucks to the best collectibles and Starbucks mugs, here is our guide to visiting Starbucks in South Korea.

It is a superb way to get a sense of what life used to be like in Seoul, prior to the tower block boom. Kids will love walking around the historic site and running around the courtyard.

Close to Euljiro and Chungmuro station, Namsangol Hanok Village is open daily (except Mondays), the Namsangol Hanok Village was officially opened in the late 1990s and has several restored hanok houses, a tranquil traditional garden, performance stages and an ornate pavilion.

Built out of tonnes of brightly painted shipping container units, this creative and cultural container park is the first of its type in South Korea, having opened in 2015.

Based over three levels, Common Ground Seoul shopping mall comprises a Street Market section, a Market Hall and a Terrace Market. We also really liked how it made great use of the space with stores and restaurants both inside and out, across multiple levels.

Flagship tenants and shops at Common Ground include a multi-level Nike store, an Under Armour store, Adidas Originals plus a series of ever changing pop-up shops and events.

You might like our 20+ best shopping malls in Seoul guide >

The observation deck area is called ‘Seoul Sky’ which is spread across several floors (levels 117 to 123). At the tip, you’ll find a glass floor walkway (not for the faint hearted plus a posh lounge,  a couple of cafes and a sky terrace.

Lotte World Tower is open daily from 10.30am until 10pm (last admission to Seoul Sky is at 9pm).

Discounted Lotte World Tower tickets can be bought in advance from Klook >

This is a short Seoul river cruise on the Han River with an audio commentary. There are several cruises per day, starting from early afternoon with a sunset cruise at 6pm in the summer. There are sometimes later cruises that include dinner and live music.

We joined a packed river cruise (they’re very popular with tour groups) and enjoyed a trip down the river. As we joined the cruise on a warm sunny evening, the parks along the River Han were packed with picnickers and street food stalls so it was a really nice sight; we were so close you could smell the BBQs!

Book a River Han sunset cruise with Klook >

Feeling flush? Take a private catamaran yacht tour on the River Han that includes sunset >

The cruise is also included ‘free’ as part of the Discover Seoul Pass.

54. Eunpyeong Hanok Village

One of Seoul’s most sublime suburbs, Eunpyeong Hanok Village feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city – and yet it is only a short bus ride away.

Whilst most tourists visit Ikseon-dong hanok village or Bukchon Hanok Village, Eunpyeong Hanok Village is a much quieter but equally epic Seoul neighborhood that has cute cafes, museums plus beautiful views of Bukhansan Mountain.

A relatively new hanok village established in 2014 to help promote Korean culture, several K-dramas have been filmed at Eunpyeong Hanok Village including ‘Somebody’ (Netflix), ‘The Third Marriage’ and ‘Moving’.

Read our guide to Eunpyeong Hanok Village including how to get there >

55. HiKR Ground

Overlooking Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul, time to ‘K-Pop’ along to HiKR Ground, a free cultural center dedicated to all aspects of Korean life.

Opened in 2022 and a modern visitor attraction brought to life by cutting edge technology, there are five floors of activities, pop-up exhibitions and a cafe – it is perhaps best known as the place in Seoul to shoot your own K-Pop style videos at no cost!

Many of the exhibitions are temporary so you never know what to expect at HiKR Ground – but most people head straight to floor two where there are permanent music K-Pop video stages where you take photos in a Korean laundry set, Seoul Subway recreation, a space-shuttle or on the epic and immersive ‘My Stage’.

Read our HiKR Ground Seoul guide >

56. Seoul Outdoor Library

The annual Seoul Outdoor Library is definitely something you’ll want to ‘bookmark’ for your next South Korea trip!

Every year from April to October, the Seoul Outdoor Library pops up in several picturesque locations across the city.

Seoul is known for its Instagrammable libraries like Starfield Library at COEX near Gangnam and this is a welcome addition to Seoul’s roster of annual cultural events.

From locations to opening hours, here is our guide to Seoul Outdoor Library >

57. Hannam-dong

Seoul’s Hannam-dong district is a hipster hang-out packed with cool cafes, bohemian boutiques and an array of artistic attractions.

Easily combined with neighboring Itaewon, Hannam-dong is one of the best Seoul neighborhoods for a day of culture, coffee and retail therapy.

From decadent desserts at Passion5 to epic exhibitions at Leeum Museum of Art, there is much to hanker for at Hannon-dong in Seoul.

Full of bustling side-streets, trendy stores and some amazing food joints, here is our ultimate guide to Hannam-Dong >

Most of the Seoul Palaces have costume rental stores near them such as the 15th century Changdeokgung Palace as well as Bukchon Hanok Village.

Hanbok style clothing has been around for over 1,500 years and a popular family activity in Seoul is to dress up as a family and take pictures in the historical palaces – some families even hire professional photographers (fancy!)

Book your hanbok costume via Klook here or check out our guide to using a professional photographer for a hanbok photoshoot.

By day, Myeongdong is a bustling neighbourhood chock full of shops and restaurants, but by night, it really comes into its own with its night market of over 150 stalls of incredible street-food, fashion items and souvenirs.

From K-Pop to pork belly, Busan fish cakes to beauty products, there is plenty to suit all tastes (and budgets) at Myeongdong Night Market.

Open 7 days a week until late, read our full guide to Myeongdong Night Market >

The third largest park in the city, not only does it have 3,000 acres of green space and ponds to peruse but also several free to visit wildlife areas like a deer park and butterfly house.

Opened in 2005, Seoul Forest Park is popular with locals and widely enjoyed for picnics, recreation and summer festivals.

Best of all, there is much woodland and wildlife to enjoy. For us, the highlight of Seoul Forest Park was the deer corral where you could see dozens of deer. There is an insect house too plus a honey-bee garden and rose garden.

61. SEA LIFE COEX

Located within the COEX Mall, this awesome aquatic adventure is a welcome respite from the shops and boutique stores that surround it.

With 16 themed zones and a huge number of sea species (including sharks), SEA LIFE COEX is the largest aquarium in Seoul. Highlights include a ‘real-life’ mermaid, a parade of penguins plus jelly-fish galore.

Prices start from 35,000 Won per adult as of August 2026 or from 26,500 Won when booked in advance online. SEA LIFE COEX is now also part of the Discover Seoul Pass.

Book COEX Aquarium on Klook >

The Dharma Hall of Jogyesa Temple hosts several Buddhist events and celebrations throughout the year  – for the Buddha’s birthday, the Jogyesa Temple holds a lantern festival.

We were lucky enough to revisit Jogyesa Temple in Insa-dong recently during the Seoul lantern festival (held every year usually in May). The temple is bedecked with thousands of lanterns hanging from the roof plus there are huge lantern statues in the grounds.

The temple also gives out thousands of colourful lanterns to worshippers and well wishers to raise aloft during the grand lantern festival parade, which goes past the temple.

Jogyesa Temple is free to visit – donations are appreciated.

It is also signposted by a ‘I <heart> Rodeo’ golden statue man. As well as independent and artisan stores, you’ll find the famous Galleria Department Store and iconic luxury brands like Prada, Gucci and Armani.

We were surprised too by the sheer number of luxury sports cars and cabriolet cars driving along Apgujeong Rodeo Street when we visited – very bling!

With dozens of private karaoke booths in huge high-rise karaoke ‘towers’, sing to your heart’s content in Hongdae without fear of anyone hearing you (unless you want to be heard).

A lot of the karaoke rooms here have huge glass windows meaning you can watch people sing (and dance!) from the streets.

Private karaoke booths in Seoul at night are charged on an hourly rate (prices vary depending on the time of day) and they sometimes do special tourist discounts if you show your overseas ID or passport. Also daytime karaoke rates are generally cheaper than at night in Seoul.

There is an extensive food and drink menu (note there is a minimum spend on food and drink on top of the karaoke booth hire). English, Japanese and Korean songs are usually available as part of the karaoke song selection.

You might like – Seoul Sunset Karaoke Tour >

The whole area lights up at night and is packed with beer bars and restaurants serving everything from local South Korean dishes like pork BBQ (Samgyeopsal-gui), Galbi jjim (ribs) or onnuriye donkatsu (spicy pork cutlets).

By day, Kondae Taste Street is still worth a visit (it is a quiet neighbourhood to roam around with painted streets and street food) but by night, it really comes alive.

Like, shed loads of socks! Literally every other stall in Myeongdong (ish) – including Myeong-dong Underground Mall – sells funky, quirky pop socks or cartoon character socks.

Mainly made in South Korea, the socks are cheap too with cutesy colourful ankle socks starting from 1,500 Korean Won (less than a £1) a pop.

From Hello Kitty and Doraemon to slightly non legit branded socks like Starbucks or 7-Eleven, sock shopping in Seoul is a silly and fun shopping trip (although from our experience, most of the socks don’t last longer than a couple of months – lots of walking innit).

Everland is the biggest theme park in South Korea with five themed zones including Magic Land, American Adventure and European Adventure. Note that Everland is in Yongin, around 40 kilometres from the capital Seoul.

At Everland, families can see Chinese giant pandas Le Bao and Fu Bao eating bamboo leaves and playing in the Panda World of Everland Resort. The resort also includes a separate water park, Caribbean Bay, which opens to families in the summer months.

Buy your discounted family pass for Everland in Seoul here via Klook >

Everland admission is included as part of the Discover Seoul Pass.

One of the best cinemas in Seoul is the CGV Starium movie theatre located in Times Square Mall, CGV Starium is home to the largest cinema screen in the world, as listed in the Guinness World Record Book.

With almost 3,000 seats and 12 screens spread over 5 floors, you’ll be spoilt for cinematic choice here. You can even hire a private cinema or go Gold Class!

The Megabox Cinema COEX at Starfield COEX Mall in Gangnam is also recommended.

Seoul Animation Center is a huge cultural complex launched in 1999 by the local Government to help promote the South Korean animation industry.

It has a cartoon library, cinema and hosts temporary exhibitions as well as housing a permanent Ani Land / Town cartoon park for children, and is located across from Myeongdong Station.

Seoul has countless Christmas events from shopping mall Christmas light displays to huge Christmas trees plus skating rinks, snow-covered winter villages and special Christmas markets

Whilst the winter nights in Seoul may be cold, these South Korean Christmas lights and events warm the heart and see in both Christmas and celebrate the end of the year – easily one of the best times for families to visit Seoul.

Seoul has plenty of Christmas events for kids, markets and lights so here is our updated guide to Seoul’s best Christmas lights, displays and events >

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As well as daytime tour buses, you can now take a Seoul City Tour Bus and Seoul at night – buses depart year round every evening and you’ll see the Han River and N Seoul at night.

The night time tour bus departure time varies depending on the time of year but it is usually 7.30 pm or 8pm in the warmer / lighter summer months and 7pm in the darker / winter months.

Book a Seoul City Tour Bus Night View pass here >

By day, the Banpo Rainbow Bridge Fountain springs into life with a water show that is meant to be reminiscent of willow trees swaying in the wind.

However if you can, visit this attraction in Seoul at night as it becomes the ultimate light show (AKA the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Fountain Show) where the 1 km stretch of fountains on either side of the bridge illuminate.

This fantastic fun fountain is a free thing to do in Seoul and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “…world’s longest bridge fountain” (no word on who is second).

73. Nami Island (day trip from Seoul)

One of the best day-trips from Seoul, Nami Island is home to wonderful woodland walks along the river, beautiful landscapes and an incredible array of wildlife including hundreds of wild rabbits.

Popularised by a starring role in the romantic K Drama ‘Winter Sonata” (there is even a commemorative statue of the characters), Nami Island has dozens of cafes and other attractions to enjoy, from zip lines to boat hire.

We visited Nami Island in autumn and were amazed by the incredible colours and fall foliage of the red maple leaf and yellow ginkgo trees.

From how to get there to admission and attraction prices, here is our Nami Island ultimate guide >

Their classic sandwich consists of ham, cheese, egg, pickle and diced cabbage covered in swathes of sauce, covered in toasted butter sweet bread.

Whilst not gourmet cuisine, most sandwiches cost around the 3,000 to 4,000 Korean Won mark and each toastie is cooked fresh, so it is perfect for a cheap meal.

Read more in our guide to Isaac Toast >

75. Picnics and street food in Yeouido Hangang Park

One of the most popular things to do in Seoul for locals on warm summer nights is to congregate in the Yeouido Hangang Park by the River Han.

Street food kiosks and tent hire stalls do a brisk business as big groups and romantic couples have picnics in the park or rent tents by the day to escape the searing heat.

You can also pose with the I Love Seoul sign or there are numerous river cruises to enjoy along this section – there is even a huge 7-Eleven a little further east on the Han River trail that has a HUGE outdoor seating area with several hot water noodle machines outside.

76. Garden of Morning Calm

The Garden of Morning Calm is a nice way to escape the hustle and bustle of Seoul.

With 30 gardens to explore and cute cafes overlooking gorgeous green spaces, South Korea’s The Garden of Morning Calm is one of the most incredible arboretums in the world.

From traditional Korean gardens to English cottages, colourful conservatories to pretty ponds, the Garden of Morning Calm has much to explore.

Located on Chungryeongsan Mountain and a popular K-drama filming location, here is our ultimate guide to The Garden of Morning Calm >

77. Drink soju

Korea’s most popular alcoholic drink, soju 소주 is widely available in every bar, convenience store and supermarket. And soju is surprisingly cheap making it one of the least expensive drinks in Korea (often cheaper than mineral water and soft drinks) – another reason to love Seoul!

From neat soju and various flavours to using a soju blender at a Korean bar like Yeokjeon Halmek (AKA Grandma’s Beer), there are many ways to sup soju.

Geonbae 건배 / cheers to our soju guide >

78. Roof Cat Me Hongdae (12 years plus)

Open until 10pm Tuesday to Sunday, Roof Cat Me 루프캣미 고양이카페 홍대점 is one of the most ‘purr-fect’ things to do in Seoul, with branches in Hongdae and Myeondong.

At Hongdae, there are two main sections to explore – a lounge area where you can read and play games with the kitties upstairs, before making your way down to the huge themed fairy-tale cat city and square down below.

There are around 50 named cats of various breeds and from what we can see, all seemed well looked after with some spaces for the cats to laze in if they didn’t want to play.

Admission to Roof Cat Me Hongdae is 20,000 Won* for 3 hours including one self-serve drink and locker access – or book in advance for 17,500 Won with Trazy >

79. South Korean convenience stores (24-hour Seoul shopping)

CU Stores and 7-Elevens in Seoul are pretty much everywhere – there are now over 17,000 CU Convenience stores and over 11,000 7-Eleven stores in the Republic of Korea (plus thousands of GS25 shops).

We think CU has the best fresh food choices of any Korean convenience store chain – so we’ll see you in CU!

From convenience store cream bread to banana milk, steamed buns to soju, here is our guide to the best things to buy in CU Convenience stores in South Korea, or check out our 7-Elevens in South Korea guide.

You might like – Guide to all the themed 7-Elevens in Taipei or a visit to the world’s largest 7-Eleven in Pattaya

80. Gyeongui Line Forest Park / Yeonnam-dong

A pleasant way to start your trip to the neighbourhood and one of the best free things to do in Hongdae, the Gyeongui Line Forest Park is a peaceful walk that transforms an urban area into a gorgeous green space.

As well as luscious lawns and babbling streams, the Yeonnam-dong section of the Gyeongui Line Forest Park is surrounded by cute cafes, craft beer bars and all manner of boutique shops and independent stores.

A former disused Seoul railway line now transformed into a verdant green walkway, the full park stretches over 6 km (that said, we’d recommend exploring the first 1km Yeonnam-dong section where all the bars and cafes are).

81. Seoul at night tours

If you’d rather someone else lead the way with their local knowledge and expertise, there are lots of good tours of Seoul by night including:

• Seoul Night Private Tour (Korean BBQ, N-Tower, Seoul Fortress, Local Market) 
• Dark Side of Seoul Tours
• Drinking and Eating through the Alleys of Seoul
• Historical Seoul Night Tour: Palaces, Temples & Night Market

82. Get a Cartoon Caricature or Funny Illustration

Both Insadong and Ikseon-dong Hanok Village are home to quirky cartoon caricature studios, where street cartoonists have set up studios to do fun family portraits.

Prices vary but starting at 9,000 South Korean Won per person based on a minimum of two people, these are really good value caricatures.

83. Seoul Land

Great for kids, Seoul Land was the first full-scale theme park to open in the city of Seoul, coinciding with the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 – gold!

With everything from giant swings to roller coasters, cable cars to bumper cars, there is much for the family to enjoy with over 40 rides to climb aboard. Plus watch as the dinosaurs roam Jurassic Land or get up close to real life animals at Seoul Land Zoo.

Get your Seoul Land family tickets here >

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84. Seoul Attractions Passes

Buying separate tickets for all these Seoul family attractions can be expensive – for instance, 2 adult tickets to Lotte World with two children under twelve costs 234,000 Korean Won as of summer 2026.

So these cool things to do in Seoul and all the attractions can add up. One way to save money is to look at buying a Discover Seoul Pass as it includes both Lotte World and Everland, plus selected other attractions like hanbok costume rental and ColorPool.

Find out more about our experience with the Discover Seoul Pass here >

From flying an aeroplane to TV broadcasting, there are lots of awesome activities and ‘jobs’ that children can undertake and earn kidZos (a unique currency) that they buy rewards with in store. This shows them a world of grown-up jobs but in a fun way!

Book your KidZania Seoul ticket online with Trazy >

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Unhyeoongung Palace was the former house of Yi Ha-eung and his family – it was then expanded to become the residence of King Gojong.

This former Korean Royal residence went through a period of neglect and so the residence was taken over by the Japanese administration in 1912.

Since the 1990s, Unhyeongung Palace has had significant restoration work to try and return it to its former glory – it is now a designated ‘Historic Site’ of Seoul and traditional Korean music performances are regularly held here.

As far as we know, the world’s only Starbucks that has life jackets – Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center, is a nice way to start your day, or reward yourself after a long river walk.

For the ultimate brews with river views, read our guide visiting the unique Starbucks Seoul Wave Art Center in Seoul, South Korea >

Said to be either the tallest Daiso in South Korea, the 12 storey Myeongdong Daiso takes over an entire building with a different theme / range on each floor.

Each of the 12 Daiso stories is themed e.g. one floor is food and drink, one homewares and sports etc. This is a great place to stock on travel essentials too like padlocks or inflatable pillows.

Read more in our guide to Myeongdong’s 12 floor Daiso store >

HBAF is a food / snacking company that sells all manner of nuts, snacks and coated goodies like honey butter almonds, wasabi almonds, mini caramel salted pretzels.

Apparently it is mainly tourists that buy them to take back home (some even bring empty suitcase to fill them up – ‘nuts’ about HBAF eh).

The HBAF stores are brightly lit with huge nut like cartoon character malls and rammed to the rafters with colourful food packaging and sachets. The HBAF products are also stocked in many big stores like Olive Young and Korean Mart.

Read more in our everything you need to know about HBAF guide >

The staff here greeted us in perfect English and led us over to the Hyundai PONY car on the ground floor, explaining how it was this car that took Hyundai onto the world-stage and became so popular in Korea in the 70s and 80s.

You are free to wander between floors admiring the cars – it is also their flagship Hyundai showroom in Seoul so you can view the latest models (and potentially buy one if you are feeling flush!)

The row upon row of nail products and K Beauty items has featured in countless TikTok videos plus customisable clothes and fashion items – some of the stalls stay open until as late as 5am on some days.!

Get glam at Seoul’s ‘Nail Mall’ on the 16th floor, with thousands of nail polishes, dip powders, acrylic sets, stickers and UV lamp lights!

With over 40 different flavors of cream filled donut from Jeju Orange and Matcha, join the BIG queue outside Abebe Bakery for one of Seoul tastiest sweet treats.

Hailing from Jeju Island and now with branches in Seoul and Tokyo, Japan, find out why Abebe Bakery is the sweetest spot in Seoul >

93. Leeum Museum of Art

One of Seoul’s most famous museums and galleries, this is one of the best things to do in Hannam-dong at any time of the year – even the architecture and cool mirrored sculpture outside are magnificent.

As well as temporary exhibitions by world renowned artists, inside you’ll find two main sections at the Leeum Museum of Art, a traditional Korean gallery plus a section dedicated to more contemporary cultural pieces and paintings.

Whilst the permanent exhibition of ancient art is free to visit at Leeum Museum of Art, other exhibitions have a small fee.

Apparently, the bell on Hechi’s neck takes people’s worries and turns them into happiness – maybe that is why we loved our Seoul trip so much!

Hechi is a new mascot and celebrates their 1st birthday in Seoul in May 2025.

Read more about Hechi in our guide >

You might like more weird, wonderful and unusual things to do in Seoul >

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95. Namsan Trail

An easy hike, the Namsan Trail is a wonderful walk and short (but steep) hike from downtown Seoul, which can end (or start) at Namsan Seoul Tower.

Namsan Trail opened in 2015 and consists of almost 8km of walkways, steps and viewpoints in the heart of Seoul. It connects the existing Forest Path and North Ringway trails to Seoul’s south.

If you don’t fancy the Namsan Cable Car or taking a bus, this is the best (and most satisfying way) to reach one of Seoul’s best panoramic views – you can even leave your own love-lock at the top.

From photos to walking tips (and the best route to take), here is our guide to Seoul’s Namsan Trail >

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96. The Painters

‘The Painters’ in Seoul is the world’s first live painting show combined with music – a few people have asked recently about an alternative to the ‘Nanta Cooking / Comedy Show’ and we’d recommend ‘The Painters’. It is on 7 nights a week in Seoul at 8pm (and 2pm and 5pm).

Being honest, we thought it was going to be naff (terrible) but it was surprisingly good and the theatrics and artistry were amazing.  Even if you don’t like K-Pop style shows, the way they create incredible paintings from nothing is spellbinding.

Korean ‘ idols’ recreate famous paintings such as Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Heaven’ & Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Self-Portrait’ with splendid choreography and live drawings. It sounds like it will be kitsch AF but we both loved it. There is also a photo opp with the boys at the end.

For more info and tickets, check out ‘The Painters’ on Klook >

Located in the basement floor of the SM Entertainment building in the Seongdong District.

(the nearest subway station is Seoul Forest Station), Kwangya is a futuristic looking store with a huge array of K-pop merchandise including albums, autographs, photos and lightsticks.

When you walk in, it almost feels like you are on the set of a K-Pop video with lots of big screens, shiny surfaces and even a small stage (kind like a mini version of the K-Pop sets at HiKR Ground in downtown Seoul).

SM Entertainment (which Kwangya is part of) is one of the biggest Korean music corporations representing huge artists such as Aespa, NCT, Exo and SHINEE and you can get their merchandise here.

Kwangya in Seongsu-dong can be found near to exit 5 of Seoul Forest Station or on Google Maps here >

The building is beautiful and we’ve never seen such a big Starbucks in South Korea – in fact, anywhere in the world. The tiered effect of all the seating areas gives you a sense that you are still in a movie theater about to watch a late night film.

This is an impressive place to get your caffeine fix and one of the most beautiful and stylish Starbucks in the world – and also one of the largest too with some Starbucks Korea merchandise exclusive to just this one store!

Read our guide to Seoul Starbucks Gyeongdong 1960 here >

99. Seoul Pojangmachas

Near to exit 3 of Jongno 3-ga, at night, the Donhwamun-ro 11 gil street is transformed into a sea of food tents known as pojangmachas.

Explore Ikseondong at night and then enjoy an epicurean experience in these street-tents, open until the wee small hours.

All manner of South Korean street food is served in these Pojangmacha food stalls plus alcoholic beverages like soju and beer.

Seafood pojangmacha stalls are often popular – chicken and pork trotters are other typical Korean dishes available.

Such is their popularity, these late night Seoul stalls often appear in Korean dramas and TV programmes – they are also popular in Jeju and Busan.

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The UFO Boats can fit up to a family of 5 but children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult – the Moon Boats can accommodate up to 3 passengers. Life jackets are provided too.

As of 2025, the UFO boats cost 35,000 Won per 20 minute sailing and the Moon Boats costs 25,000 – they have also recently been added to the Discover Seoul Pass.

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