19 Best Sights in Seoul, South Korea

If you only have time for one of Seoul's five palaces, Changdeokgung is the one to see. Built in 1405, it is the Joseon Dynasty's second palace and is now registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Changdeokgung has an older, more historic feel than some of the other palaces and was designed to blend in with the natural landscape surrounding it. What truly sets it apart, however, is the Secret Garden, only accessible via a reserved tour. Nestled on a hill and featuring a lotus pond and 300-year-old trees, the garden follows the serene flow of the four valleys that divide it. Before you visit, check to see if the palace is offering its special nighttime hours, as the building is exceptional in the glow of lamp light. For guided tour times in English and for a roster of seasonal events, visit the palace website. 

Located next to City Hall, Deoksugung is an oasis in the heart of downtown Seoul. Originally built as a residence for the crown prince, Deoksugung was the only palace to survive the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592. Today, it is the most modern of the palaces, blending a European-style garden and fountain with traditional palace architecture. It is also home to the National Museum of Contemporary Art, which features rotating exhibitions of Western and Korean artists. While not as grand as Seoul's other four palaces, Deoksugung is notable for its contrast to the chaos and bustle of the surrounding downtown and makes an excellent stop after a day of sightseeing or shopping. At night the main hall and other buildings are illuminated, giving the palace a quiet, mysterious air.

Ever since this massive, spaceship-like cultural center opened in 2014 it’s become a quintessential sight in Dongdaemun and is visited by an average of 30,000 people per day. The futuristic Zaha Hadid–designed structure is clad with 45,133 aluminum panels and hosts more than 100 exhibitions and events each year. There are also architectural tours, a rooftop garden, kids’ art classes, restaurants, cafes, and shops to keep you occupied for hours.

Often likened to New York City’s High Line, the Gyeongui Line Forest Park is a narrow green space that stretches 6.3 km (3.9 miles) over train tracks that once led to North Korea. Train service was suspended in 1951 after the two Koreas divided and the area was mostly urbanized until 2009, when the idea to build the park was greenlit. Today, the park is divided into four main sections, with the section outside Hongdae Station Exit 3 being the most popular. In summer, buskers play guitar on one of the many benches and picnickers laze on the grass with drinks from nearby convenience stores, but the park is busy year-round as it’s surrounded by trendy restaurants and cafes. Venture outside the Hongdae Station area (further outside Exit 3 or Exit 2) for pleasant, little surprises: a row of bookshops, remnants of the old tracks, and meet-ups of neighborhood dogs.

The most popular park in Yeouido, and indeed perhaps all of Seoul, is Yeouido Hangang Park. Running parallel to the Han River for the full length of the island, the park is dotted with picnic areas, stages, bike paths, and convenience stores for grabbing a Hite beer on a hot summer’s day. Other highlights include a public pool with prime city skyline views and whimsical paddleboats shaped like ducks, but it's the statue of letters spelling out “I SEOUL U”  with a background of the river, the skyline, and N Seoul Tower that draw daily flocks of eager Instagrammers.

Full of restaurants and street vendors, modern art galleries and traditional crafts, this neighborhood is buzzing with energy year round. An interesting blend of the old and new, it connects the historic neighborhoods and palaces of northern Seoul to the fast-paced modern downtown. While there are any number of interesting shops, teahouses, and restaurants, the modern Ssamzie-gil complex is worth a special stop. The four-story building is home to more than 70 shops and restaurants, from inexpensive crafts to works by world-famous designers. Insa-dong is one of the best places in the city to shop for souvenirs or antiques. A number of shops sell generic "made in China" ceramics and goods though, so be sure what you are getting is the real thing. Although it has become more tourist-centered in the past few years, Insa-dong remains one of Seoul's best areas to spend the day.

This unique little museum lies on a residential street north of the hectic thoroughfares around Dongdaemun Square. Permanent and special exhibitions explore the history of the sewing industry in Korea, and there are hands-on experiences such as making brooches or keychains. Tours in English are offered for one to 20 people and must be reserved at least one day in advance.

If you're looking to unleash the kid in you, plan a day at Lotte World. Opened in 1989, this complex contains one of the world's largest indoor theme parks, an outdoor amusement park, and oodles of other attractions. Major rides include the Gyro Swing, a Viking ship called "The Conquistador," a giant loop rollercoaster, "Jungle Adventure" water ride, "French Revolution" roller coaster, and the "Aeronauts Balloon Ride" that spans the whole of the park and offers visitors an eagle's eye perspective of the complex. There are also movies, magic performances, parades, a Korean folk museum, restaurants, a duty free shop, and much more. 

This aquarium located in the Lotte World Mall complex is one of Korea's biggest, boasting 55,000 different marine creatures spanning some 650 species. This includes seals, sea lions, penguins, piranhas, sharks, rays, and Beluga whales. The aquarium is kept in immaculate condition, and its underwater tunnels make for perfect viewing of the fascinating, multi-chromatic sea life swimming above and around you.

At this institution for learning about and making kimchi, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the museum’s exhibit highlighting the history and significance of the beloved fermented cabbage dish via a free audio guide. They can also reserve one of two kimchi-making classes four days in advance. A 40-minute kimchi making class focuses on seasonal kimchi recipes, and while it is quite introductory, beginners can go home with five pounds of the delicious dish for ₩20,000. There is also a do-it-yourself, one-day kimchi program for visitors who want to take home almost a pound of red cabbage kimchi.

One of the best-known religious sights in the country, this cathedral opened its doors in 1898 despite political opposition, on the site where Korea's first Christians gathered as early as 1784. More recently, it played an important role in safeguarding human rights activists during labor protests of the 1970s and 1980s. Catholics continue to attend mass here while visitors come to observe the history and the architecture, especially notable as it is one of the first brick, Gothic style buildings in Korea. The Cathedral has an annex with several cafes that are open to members of the congregation and visitors alike.

One of the most recognizable landmarks of Seoul, the N Seoul Tower is a 777-foot tower that opened to the public in 1980. Also known as Namsan Tower for its location atop Namsan mountain, the cultural complex can be reached by bus or via a relatively easy hike up the mountain. The Tower includes a French restaurant called n.Grill that rotates, an observatory with panoramic views of the city on the 4th and 5th floors, and a few cafes and souvenir shops. Highlights of the space include a site for "love" locks (padlocks placed here by couples for good luck) in the outdoor space surrounding the Tower, signs on the observatory glass that point you toward cities across the world, and two digital telescopes that allow you to zoom in at 36 times strength.

Located on the National Museum of Korea grounds, the National Hangeul Museum opened in 2014 with the aim of promoting the Korean language, often thought to be the country’s most prized cultural asset. The museum’s permanent exhibition is devoted to the Hunminjeongeum, a document drawn up by King Sejong in 1446 detailing the script for the language. Past special exhibitions at the museum have covered everything from calligraphy to women’s songs. Although it may seem a bit dry, the museum has many visual and interactive elements to keep visitors interested. Explanatory text is generally available in English and Korean. Guided tours of the museum take place on Wednesday at 2 pm and 3 pm. 

One of Seoul’s finest examples of urban regeneration, the Oil Tank Culture Park is an art complex built in five former oil tanks. The oil depot, which originally opened in the mid-1970s, was shut down in 2000 ahead of safety concerns, and after being abandoned for more than a decade, its current iteration was decided on by a public idea contest. Art exhibitions, concerts, and theatrical performances are often held here, but regardless of the park’s schedule, the venue is worthwhile for its unique atmosphere. Take time to explore the outdoor theater built behind T2 tank and don’t miss the chance to take artsy photos at the rooftop opening of T6, a tank that was built from steel plates found on T1 and T2.

Constructed in 1396 to protect the capital from invasion, Hanyangdoseong is an 18.63 km-long (11.58 mile-long) fortress wall punctuated with eight gates that took 197,400 people 98 days to complete. Although many sections of the colossal wall have been lost to time, about 70 percent of the wall and six of the gates remain intact today. The wall was built in harmony with the city’s natural topography by lining the ridges of Seoul’s four main mountains, making the trails following the wall today a great way to explore Seoul from the ground up. Two sections of the wall lie in the Dongdaemun area and extend north and south from Heunginjimun Gate. 

The northern Naksan Mountain Trail follows the remnants of the wall for 2.1 km (1.3 miles) over Naksan Mountain to Hyehwamun Gate, and the southern Heunginjimun Gate Trail extends 1.8 km (1.1 miles) past Dongdaemun History & Culture Park and Dongdaemun Design Plaza to Gwanghuimun Gate. Whichever trail you take, a good place to start is with a visit to the Seoul City Wall Museum set in Dongdaemun City Wall Park.

The first public museum in the country to specialize in craft arts, SeMoCA opened in 2021 on the site of the former Pungmoon Girls High School. The museum showcases more than 23,000 pieces across four exhibition buildings and includes samples of embroidered fabrics, furniture, and traditional games dating back hundreds of years. While the topic of craft art may not appeal to everyone, the curation here is exceptionally well-done with many detailed explanations and interactive elements. Parents are particularly fond of the museum’s Craft Village, which has kid-friendly studios dedicated to metalwork, ceramics, and wood crafts. Classes for children are also available through the museum's reservation system.

The Seoul Museum of History traces the growth of the nation from the stone-age to modern times. The main museum is divided into four areas—the Joseon Capital, the lifestyle, culture, and the development of Seoul. For children there are numerous interactive exhibits such as the floor-map of Seoul, Touch Hall, and the Education Hall. Also, the museum frequently hosts concerts, movies, and other events. While the museum is free, special exhibitions have a separate admission fee.

Yeouido Park bisects the island straight down the middle, creating a welcome pocket of tranquility amid the surrounding high-rises. All backdropped by the Yeouido skyline are walking trails, graceful pagodas, ponds, and cherry trees, as well as more unique features such as a rock acupressure trail, a bronze statue of the 15th-century King Sejong, and a display C-47 plane nodding back to Yeouido’s days as an airfield.

Running along the diminutive Saet River on the opposite side of the island from the larger Han River, this park is much less crowded than others on Yeouido and is an ideal spot for a peaceful jog or bike ride. The park also serves as a nature reserve for the area’s native wetland plants and offers year-round ecology programs. A popular walking route is across the futuristic Yeouido Saetgang Pedestrian Bridge, which spans the park and a major highway before depositing pedestrians in the Singil neighborhood across the Saet River.