South Korea. Seoul Walking Tour

Continuation of the report on the fam trip to Korea. Today we will take a walk in Seoul. Surprisingly, it was only on my fifth visit to the Land of Morning Freshness that I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace. But it’s the same if you’re in Moscow four times and don’t see the Kremlin.

Second day
25 april 2016
Monday

It's hot in Seoul. Already in the morning, the thermometer passed the 20-degree mark, and by lunchtime it reached 27 degrees. And today, according to the program, we have a tour of the main sights of the city.
The first point of the program is Gyeongbokgung Palace... Actually, saying "Gyeongbokgung Palace" is not correct, since "kun" in Korean is a palace. That is, it would be more correct to say Gyeongbok Palace or simply Gyeongbokgung. It is also incorrect to say the island of Jeju, since "before" is an island.

Gyeongbokgung is the heart of Seoul and a major historical landmark. A kind of Korean Kremlin. The palace was built in 1394, after which it burned and destroyed many times. Today it is, in fact, a modern copy of the palace. A remake. Although there are several buildings that have survived from ancient times.

I won't go into too much detail on Gyeongbokgung's history. There is Wikipedia and travel guides for that. I suggest it is better to take a walk around the territory of the palace complex.
We entered the territory of the palace through some side entrance - from the side of the parking lot. A ticket to the palace complex costs a penny - only 3000 won (about $ 3).

And here is the first attraction - South gate of Gwanghwamun(Gwanghwamun Gate).

This is the main gate of the palace. Traditionally, the gate to the palace has three entrances, the central one of which is intended only for the supreme ruler, so it is usually closed.

Main and South Gate - Gwanghwamun

At this gate interesting story... During the Japanese annexation, they, restored, like the entire palace in 1860, were moved to the eastern wall of the palace. Then, during the Korean War, they burned down. And only in 1968 they were restored and moved to their original place. I read somewhere that the President of the Republic of Korea personally wrote the name on them in Korean. It used to be in Chinese.

It is at these gates that tourists constantly crowd, taking pictures with the royal guard.

The guards are funny: in bright suits, with glued mustaches and beards.

You can't envy the guys - they stand in the rain and snow, in the heat and cold. At the same time, unlike our guard of honor, the Korean guards are not protected from tourists in any way. And it would be fine if the tourists were just taking pictures, so they also strive to touch, hug.

I was also photographed with the guard of the Gyeongbok Palace.

The second - internal - Hynnemun gate(Heungnyemun).

The gate was built in 1426 and then destroyed. In 1867 they were built again, but in 1916 during the Japanese occupation the gates were demolished, and in their place the house of the governor-general was built. The current gate dates back to 2001.

We pass on Yongjigyo Bridge(Yeongjegyo), thrown over an artificial moat.

After passing through the third gate - Geunjongmun(Geunjeongmun) - we find ourselves in the main courtyard.

And here is the main building of the palace - Gongjeongjong imperial throne room(Geunjeongjeon), which is on the official list of Korea's national treasures. Here Korean monarchs were crowned and here they administered state affairs.

Interior decoration of the Imperial Throne Room

In front of the Gongjongjong throne room, there is a special platform where officials were supposed to stand, according to their rank. Small stone steles were erected on the square with the names of service ranks engraved on them. These rank-indicating stones are called pumgyeseok, which seems to mean "place-indicating stone."

Walking around the throne room, we came out to an artificial lake. This is perhaps the most a nice place on the territory of the complex.

Trees grow along the banks, in the shade of which you can hide from the heat.

Girls in national costumes are walking.

In the middle of the lake, on 48 granite columns, stands an open Gyeonghoru Pavilion(Gyeonghoeru).

The name can be translated as "pavilion of joyful meetings" or "joyful unification". In this pavilion, Korean kings received envoys and held feasts. The pavilion can be considered one of the symbols of Korea: it is depicted on the 10,000 won banknote.

Another remarkable building, standing on a small island in the pond, is a hexagonal Hyangwonjeon gazebo.

After that, we looked at a few more interesting places, whose names I honestly do not remember.

In general, the palace, of course, is huge and you can spend the whole day here. Indeed, several museums operate on the territory of Gyeongbokgung at once. This is the national folklore museum, the palace history museum, and the traditional hanbok dress museum.

The National Folk Museum of Korea

In general, to summarize: while traveling in Korea, the Gyeongbokgung Palace complex is a must-see. You can take a professional guide, or you can just walk among the palaces, pavilions and wooden buildings.

What amazed me personally was the huge number of schoolchildren. I don’t know if Korean schoolchildren study at their desks or if they have all lessons like that. But one can only envy them. They study the history of their native country not only from books, but also during excursions and travels around the country.

After Gyeongbokgung Palace, we went to lunch at Korea House restaurant... This is one of the most famous, popular and expensive restaurants in Seoul. It is remarkable not only for the fact that you can taste traditional Korean dishes here, but also for the fact that theatrical performances are held here every evening. Alas, we looked here during the day, and therefore were content with only bread, and not a spectacle.
For lunch we had a set with a name that is difficult to pronounce in Russian Tejianggyum(Daejanggeum). In Korea, this is the name of a very popular TV series, which in Russia is known as "The Pearl of the Palace".

So, the set includes 8 dishes. I did not photograph each one individually. I will just list and give a little explanation.

We washed down the whole thing with a wonderful fruit drink called "omidzya" - "berry of five tastes."
I really liked the set. Tasty. Costs 45,000 won, which is approximately $ 45.

After lunch we went to Namsangol Hanok Village- a village of traditional houses "hanok", which is located just a stone's throw from Korea House.

Namsangol b is a folklore village-museum under open air where anyone can get acquainted with folk traditions South Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. A very nice and interesting place. Previously, a military base was located on this site, but after its withdrawal, the appearance of a traditional Korean village from the Joseon Dynasty was recreated.

The total area of ​​the village is 8 hectares, but the museum is less than one hectare. The rest of the area houses a center for traditional Korean music, a traditional style park, a lake, and a time capsule platform.

The village offers a variety of cultural activities such as tea ceremony, Korean hanji paper work, Korean folk instrument playing, and more.

To try and watch all this, you need to come at a certain time from 11 to 17 hours. The rest of the time, you can just walk and admire the beauty of the buildings, listen to the singing of birds and the murmur of a stream, and play folk games. and it's all completely FREE. This is one of the few museums where you don't need to buy a ticket.

The next point of our tour of Seoul is the office of the National Tourism Organization of Korea ( Korea National Tourism Organization). But to be precise, it is more of a tourist information center. The NOTC office itself has moved from Seoul to Wonju City (Gangwon Province).
You can come here and get advice from KNTO specialists, take maps, booklets, guidebooks in different languages.

There is interactive maps, where you can virtually travel around Korea. There is a corner of medical tourism where you can go through a simple operational diagnosis. There is an entertainment area. I got killed by 5d glasses. Put them on and you are a ski jumping skier. Feelings are absolutely real. As I rode along the springboard and pulled away from it, I gasped with fear. You can also take pictures with popular K-Pop stars.

I took a photo with Sai (Psy).

All in all, it's also a cool place to drop by. Moreover, the KNTO office is located a stone's throw from the Cheonggyecheon stream, and you will not be charged for the entrance.
After the NOTK office, we walked along Jeonggyecheon Stream(Cheonggyecheon / Cheonggye Stream).

For me personally, this is one of my favorite and amazing places in Seoul. For those who are not in the know, I'll tell you his story.
The history of Jeonggyecheon is the history of Seoul. When the first king of the Joseon Dynasty founded the capital of the new state according to the principles of urban planning of that time, a stream had to flow through the city center from west to east. Alas, this was not found, so I had to dig it by hand - that's how Jeonggyecheon appeared.
Over time, Jeonggyecheon got smaller, got dirty, locals began to use it for washing and bathing.
After the Korean War (1950-1953), the area around the stream was badly damaged, and many shacks grew along its banks as people moved to Seoul to somehow survive and find work.

Shacks along the banks of Jeonggyecheon creek

Jeonggyecheon was filled with sewage and turned into a fetid cesspool. In the 60s, the authorities decided to deal with the unsanitary conditions that had arisen - they demolished the slums and resettled residents, and hid the stream bed in an underground pipe. In 1970, a two-tier expressway appeared in place of the stream.

Mayor (and later President of Korea) of Seoul Lee Myung-bak brought a new look at the development of the city. He set out to make Seoul an environmentally friendly city. A publicly contested decision was made to demolish the highway and rebuild Jeonggyecheon, transforming the area along the stream into a place where nature, culture and history are harmoniously combined.
On October 1, 2005, the stream was inaugurated. The money spent on the reconstruction more than paid for itself - Cheonggyecheon has become one of the favorite places of townspeople and tourists.
“Seoul was once a symbol of the concrete jungle, but now it has become an oasis of greenery. By doing this, the city sets a vivid example of how to love and care for the environment, ”wrote Time magazine, which awarded Lee Myung Baku in 2007 with the Hero of the Environment Prize for the restoration of Jonggyecheon Stream.

The stream is about 10 km long. But for tourists, literally the first two kilometers are of interest.
At the source of the stream there is a square with a multi-meter bright shell installed on it. This creation is the work of two American sculptors - the classic of pop art Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen.

The source of the stream is a two-tiered waterfall. In the dark, it is very beautifully illuminated.

Right under the waterfall there are 8 massive stone slabs brought here from all over the country. Each plate represents one of the 8 Korean provinces that existed before the division of the country into north and south. The slabs put together are a symbol of hope for reunification. Each slab is made from native rocks from the province it represents.

A few meters from the slabs there is a granite well, where you can throw coins into which you can make wishes. If your coin gets inside, the wish will come true. But even if you miss, don't worry - all coins will be collected and donated to charity.

The next point of our excursion program - Seoul City Hall(Seoul City Hall). Yes, yes, this is also a popular attraction. The building of the City Hall is open for free visits by tourists. But they do not come here to see how local officials work for the benefit of residents.
The new 13-story City Hall is renowned for its futuristic design. For the construction of this miracle of architecture, only environmentally friendly materials were used, and the building itself was built using the "green house" technology. This means that the area of ​​the walls is used to the maximum for lighting and thermoregulation, and the interiors are like a park, where everyone can come for a walk.

One of the features of the interior is hanging gardens, even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest vertical gardens.

An installation of white balloons hangs from the ceiling, emphasizing the lightness and airiness of the building.

Inside the building there are cafes and a gallery of contemporary art.

We took a look at one such art exposition. This is what Seoul looked like a hundred years ago.

And here, by the way, is the Jeonggyecheon Stream.

Well, the final point of our today's excursion - Insadong street... If Gyeongbokgung is the Korean Kremlin, then Insadong is the local Arbat.

A huge number of art galleries, antique and souvenir shops, shops with handicrafts, cafes and restaurants are concentrated here.

We looked into a teahouse where tea-flavored cakes are served with tea. There is also ice cream with green tea flavor.

You can buy anything on Insadong. Small souvenirs, paintings, ceramics, furniture. As a keepsake of Seoul and Korea, I bought fridge magnets (a set of 4 magnets for 6,000 won). In addition to souvenirs and antiques, there are always many hand-made products on Insadong; on weekends, a flea market is set up here.

We had dinner in a small stylish traditional Korean restaurant.

I had to sit on the floor, which was very uncomfortable for us Europeans, out of habit.
The table, as always, was full of plates of appetizers. The main dish was chicken soup.

In addition to soju and beer already familiar on the table, we tasted another local drink - Pokpuncha black raspberry wine. Very tasty!

After dinner we decided to take a walk to Myeongdong. Shop around. I wandered around the shops. The prices, I must admit, shocked. For example, baby crocs for almost 50 bucks.

How about the 138,000 won ($ 130) rubber boots? What is so unique about them?

In the end, I just wandered down the street, took pictures, tasted fried chestnuts and returned to the hotel.

It turned out to be a very bright and eventful day today.

To be continued...

Seoul (Korean 서울, Soul - literally "capital") is a city, the capital of the Republic of Korea. It forms the only city of special status in the country, divided into 25 self-governing districts. The official name of the city is the City of Special Status Seoul (Korean: 서울 특별시 Soul Thukpölsi) Population - 10.1 million people (2015), or 19.5% of the country's population. It forms the Seoul-Incheon metropolitan area with a population of 23.5 million (2015), the fifth largest in the world. Located in the northwest of the Republic of Korea near the Yellow Sea, on a plain surrounded by mountains, on the banks of the Hangang River, 24 km from the border with the DPRK. Chief political, economic and Cultural Center Republic of Korea. One of the leading financial centers in East Asia. Since 1394 under the name Hanyang - the capital of Korea, since 1948 under the name Seoul - the capital of the Republic of Korea. During the Korean War, the city was badly damaged. Remains of the fortress wall with gates have been preserved, and the 14th century Gyeongbokgung palace complex has been restored. Objects available World heritage UNESCO.

City name

The word Soul comes from the ancient Korean sable or sorabol ("capital") of the Silla period. Then this word was referred to the city of Gyeongju, the former capital of Silla. In hanjche, kyon (京) means "capital"; this syllable occurs, for example, in official name administrative unit on the territory of Seoul during the years of Japanese colonial rule (Gyeongsong / Keijo) and in the names of the iron and highways(Gyeongbuson, 경부선 - Seoul-Busan railway line; Gyeongin kosoktoro, 경인 고속도로 - Seoul-Incheon expressway).

Chinese transcription

Unlike most Korean geographical names, the word "Seoul" has no analogue in Hancha, and in Chinese the city is called its former name (漢城 / 汉城, Chinese reading Hancheng, Korean Hanson; meaning "a fortress on the Han River", but if desired, it can be interpreted as "Chinese fortress "," fortress of the Han people "). In January 2005, the city government requested that the city's Chinese name be changed to 首 爾 / 首 尔 (Shǒu'ěr, Shou-er), which is an approximate reproduction of the Korean pronunciation in Chinese (in Korean itself, however, 首 爾 reads 수이, Su-i). Moreover, 首 (show) means "first" and "capital". The Chinese adopted this name. This change only affects media Chinese and does not affect the Korean name of the city.

Main article: History of Seoul The first name of the city - Vireson, was the capital of Baekje state since 370 BC. NS. In Goryeo's time, it was known as Hanson (漢城, "fortress on the banks of the Hangang River"). During the Joseon Dynasty, which began in 1394, it was the capital of the state and was called Hanyang (漢陽)). During the years of Japanese colonial rule, the city was occupied by the administrative unit Gyeongsong (京城, Keijo), the name Seoul was finally approved in independent Korea in 1946. Baekje, one of the three Korean kingdoms, was founded in 18 BC. BC, with the capital in the city of Wireson in the area of ​​modern Seoul. Since then, have survived ...

Seoul (short for "capital") - the capital and The largest city Republic of Korea with a population of over 10 million. This is a quarter of the population of all of South Korea. Also, Seoul is the seventh largest city in the world in terms of the number of corporate headquarters, included in the list of the 500 largest multinational corporations according to Fortune magazine.

We are going for a walk through this large and very expensive city.

I'll start with the first thing that surprised me unpleasantly. Seoul is VERY, VERY expensive. If we compare prices with Moscow prices, then they are 2 times higher... A can of cola would cost you 60 rubles. Everything is expensive here. This was my first mistake - I didn't even bother to find out about the price situation in advance. As a result, it was decided to stay at the most affordable hotel - the so-called "hotel for an hour", or "love motel". People stayed in these rooms for a short time, but we decided to settle there for 10 days. Because in other places it was already much more expensive, and any purchase significantly hit my pocket.

By the way, the room was a small closet with a bunch of napkins (I wonder why :-))) And there was also a transparent bathroom and toilet. At night, the motel was plunged into a cacophony of voluptuous sounds, and sometimes it was very difficult to fall asleep. We were not the only ones who stayed here for a long time, there were also decent families who decided to save money. I’m afraid to imagine how their young children will be psyched to stay in this motel.

I'll start with the pros. Seoul has a lot of interesting themed restaurants and cafes. Here, for example, Hello Kitty restaurant is made in the spirit of that very famous cartoon cat, and the staff here more or less speaks English:

By the way, a cup of coffee and a donut cost me about 250 rubles. Another interesting place is Tom 's Cat Caffee - a cafe where cats walk. There are a lot of cats! You drink tea and read a book, and these furry creatures jump on you, ask to pet, run and play with each other.

The second point, which I did not really like - there are almost no escalators anywhere in the metro, there are steps everywhere. As a visiting tourist, in principle, it doesn't matter to me, but what about pensioners? It happens that in just one descent you can count about 100 steps:

Tickets are bought in special machines, the cost depends on how many stations you need to travel ...

There are a lot of stations in Seoul, in fact, it is connected to the suburbs. The average distance between stations is 3 minutes drive. If you need to get to the other end of the city, get ready to spend a lot of money and time, because trains cannot boast of high speed.

The next plus is informing about when the next train will arrive. All this is displayed on a special board. When the train arrives at the station, a joyful melody plays on the platform, which is very similar to a melody from some anime cartoon. And when the train leaves, a sad melody plays. Great idea.

I also liked the equipment of the carriages. It is light in the carriages, and no one gets into the seats for pregnant women and disabled people. The only thing that sometimes confused me was that the locals were staring at us. Tourism is very poorly developed in Seoul.

The streets of the city are very clean, the roads are smooth everywhere, the markings are superimposed very evenly, very steep:

One of the most visited places in Seoul is Namsan TV Tower... As in all self-respecting television towers, it has observation deck, on which we climbed:

My impression of the city was affected by the weather, which was terrible. For all these 10 days, the sun could not break through the clouds. The sky was always gloomy:

Despite the fact that flights over the city are prohibited, some buildings have helipads:

The terrain in Seoul is mountainous, and there are not as many high-rise buildings as we would like =)

The locals are engaged in the fact that they love to go to the mountains. Some even reach monasteries that are hidden from human eyes. But it takes a lot of time to find them.

Seoul is dominated by low-rise buildings:

Koreans love everything original, and this invention is no exception. The so-called reconciliation bench. That would be such a place in Moscow!

At the foot of the tower there is a bridge of lovers. Nobody breaks these locks, as they do here:

Many courtyards have free exercise equipment - great social policy!

In some places, real chaos reigns on the roads - locals walk right along the roadway:

Closer to night, Seoul transforms and becomes an even more beautiful city:

They obviously do not spare money for the electrification of the city. Everything is very nicely highlighted. Nightlife in Seoul is worthy of a story in its own right. In short, I highly recommend you hang out at a Korean club. This is the only way you can understand what this city really is.

On weekends, all people hang out in karaoke bars and clubs, get drunk in the trash, and in the morning you need to carefully walk the streets, since many people stay to sleep right on the streets after a stormy night.

And in Korea, foreigners are very fond of, especially Europeans. If you are a young European, then you will definitely not be deprived of the attention of Korean women. Be careful By the way, Korean women are really very pretty and cute.

Particular attention is paid to the safety of pedestrians. Such a picture is not uncommon in Seoul:

As in any civilized city, there is a bicycle rental service in Seoul. Also read the articles "" and "":

There are a lot of similarities with New York. For example, some areas are connected by bridges:

In the distance, the same Namsan TV Tower is visible - from it we looked at high-rise Seoul for the first time

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The tallest buildings barely exceed 60 floors:

Another view of the city from a nearby business center:

Banpo Road Bridge, which begins to release colored streams of water in the evenings. According to the locals, it was a beautiful sight. But ... in reality, it was not at all like that. Not impressed at all. If you have ever seen a fountain show in Dubai, then you will agree with me. Namely, this attraction lures tourists to South Korea!

But the beauty, as I already understood, lies not at all in these sights ... Right at sunset, the clouds parted and I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets In my life:

It is difficult to convey this beauty through photography, but I did everything I could

I also met strange people here who fought with an invisible enemy in shoes ... To the music of "mortal kombat":

It is worth noting that South Korea borrowed a lot from the United States in its culture. In fact, the states imposed almost everything on them - style, culture, fashion, architecture. Therefore, the old generation dislikes tourists and looks with disgust at the younger generation, who dresses very stylishly and, at times, defiantly.

This is a lyrical digression. Passing this monument, for the first time in a week I heard a conversation between two Russians. It's good that no one but us understood them, otherwise I would be very ashamed of them:

- Oh, bl *, look, it's Mao Zedong!
- What, fuck you ?? He's in Japan !!!

Another tourist place - Namdaemun Palace... Hordes of tourists have completely discouraged the desire to photograph anything. I really do not like a large crowd of tourists, although what did I expect?

All sorts of deities:

On the last day of our stay, it fell on the territory of Korea, which decently flooded our previous point - Jeju Island. In addition to the strong wind, I did not feel anything, and people and metal structures did not fly through the air, but all establishments and shopping centers were closed. God saves man, who save himself.

Late in the evening, returning to my already native love motel, I first noticed these curtains in the parking lot. The fact is that many representatives of the authorities call in such motels to have a good time with the priestesses of love, and in order not to light up the rooms, such curtains were invented. Of course, all this is just a formality:

So Seoul ended. I had extremely mixed feelings. On the one hand, I really liked the nightlife, on the other hand, the city did not cause any delight in me. Perhaps this was affected by the fact that we had already traveled for 2 weeks to Seoul and were a little tired. Do not know.

In any case, if you have money, then the city is worth visiting at least because of nightlife... See you soon

I like Seoul. I love this city for no reason even though I've only been here 3 times. I feel that in him I am calm, distant from any negativity. I just love to walk the streets, look around, at people passing by. Ride the subway, snack at myriad eateries and drink great Korean beer. Last year, I again visited the city just out of love for it, I could have gone to Chuncheon or Busan, but once again I chose Seoul. I wanted to walk and take pictures of every corner, every house, street, people, but no matter how much time there was, there was always not enough time, and the weather was not very favorable. Therefore, the story will be small, within the framework of what he saw in one day.

It just so happens that the first place I get in Seoul is the subway.

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I can't compare it with any other subway yet, but I think it's very difficult to get lost in Seoul. Everything is so simple and straightforward that you don't have to worry about any other transport (buses, taxis, etc.). Almost any point can be reached without any problems. Of course, it is advisable to have a metro map, then any tourist, and not tourist routes can be calculated very quickly. You can get a map directly in Seoul, but it is better to take the brochure "travel guide to Korea" at the Consulate. The first thing you have to pay attention to is buying a ticket, where and how to buy, but this is also not a problem, since the Koreans are always happy to help you) They themselves come up and offer help, but as they say, they have been married for several years). Although every year some new items appear in the metro. For example, if 3 years ago tickets could be bought at the box office, then the next year only at the machine. This year the vending machines have become even more sophisticated and you can already program the ticket cards as you need. When you buy a card, you always pay a little (like 500 won), but when you leave at your station, this money can be returned by putting the card in a special machine or add more money and reprogrammed for another trip. In general, everything is simple) so do not be afraid to take the subway in Korea) and it is also clean and there are clean toilets on every corner, which is oh, how important it is in Korea (for me in any case).

From the metro, along numerous lines I go out into the city and ...

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... I just walk around watching the passers-by.

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But the incessant rain forces us to adjust the route, driving them to various shopping centers, museums and other institutions with a roof over their heads) The first was Techno-Mart at the Gangbyeon metro station. Huge center, 9 floors. 7 of them are crammed with various appliances (photos, videos, computers, phones, household appliances)

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Moving on escalators or elevators

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Various cafes and restaurants are located on the last floors. ten.
In the meantime, men are passionate about the choice of technology, and the kids are eating ice cream in a cafe, women can take a walk and buy clothes and various accessories on the lowest floor. eleven.
I must say that another electronics center located at the Yongsan station is practically no different from Techno-Marta and I did not notice the difference in price.

The next shopping mall was COEX. It is located at the Samgseong subway station. There was such a beauty at the entrance

And so this

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Since I'm not keen on shopping, I just walked around the center out of curiosity, had lunch in one of the many cafes and bought something in a souvenir shop.

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At every step in Coex "e there are signs to various boutiques and halls with entertainment. The most interesting for me seemed the Khimchi Museum and the Aquarium. But in fact they can be visited only once, no more. Although the Aquarium for children will undoubtedly be interesting.

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And of course the metro in the opposite direction

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I'll tell you a little about where I stayed. Dongdaemun Subway Station. This is practically a Russian quarter. V local cafes, restaurants and shops you can meet Russians, Kazakhs, Ukrainians, etc. There are inscriptions in Russian. In nearby hotels and motels there is always a person or a phone number where you can call and explain in Russian what you need (for example, it may be special requests regarding the room, or, say, a transfer to an airport, port or another city, etc.) ).

I stayed at the inexpensive YuSungJang Motel. The cost of a room with one double bed is 30,000 won (just under $ 30). Conveniences are usual - cable, wired internet, air conditioner, refrigerator with free fortified Korean drink)) dispenser with cold and hot water, shower, toilet. And in order to rest at night I didn't need anything else.

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Traditional Korean hanbok costume captivates many people with its beauty, and fitting this outfit has long become a fashionable cultural trend among travelers visiting Korea. Therefore, in the vicinity of the royal palaces and other major attractions there are a huge number of shops offering hanbok rental services, and tourists can increasingly be found on the streets walking in this elegant attire. At the rental locations, you can also pick up a headband, a tengi headband, a headdress, a bag and other accessories in the traditional style for hanbok, and the rental time varies from 2 hours to 2 days. In this article, we'll walk you through how to dress up in hanbok and introduce you to the main attractions in the capital, where you can take the most beautiful souvenir photos.

- First you need to choose a skirt

The arsenal of hanbok rental shops has a huge number of the most different models, so the choice is not easy. We advise you to start by choosing your favorite “chhima” skirt (plain color, lace or with embroidery), and then choose the upper part of the “chogori” for it. A skirt should be chosen so that the hem only slightly touches the floor.

- Selection of accessories

To make the hanbok look even more beautiful, various accessories and hair ornaments can be added to the outfit. Owners of long hair are advised to braid their hair in a braid and decorate with a special tape "tengi", or, carefully collecting the hair, accentuate it with a hairpin, while girls with short hair are advised to use traditional headbands with embroidery. For a complete hanbok look, you can also choose traditional hats, shoes and a handbag for various little things.

- Mandatory Hanbok Attribute - Sokchima

The sokchima petticoat helps the hanbok to keep in shape, making the skirt more voluminous and the outfit more graceful and elegant. We advise you to choose sokchimu 2-3 cm shorter than the outer skirt.

- UNESCO cultural heritage site

Changdeokgung is one of the royal palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. The complex includes the palace premises from where the king ruled the country, and the secret Huwon garden - the residence and resting place of the king and queen. The secret Huwon Garden, with dense groves, a pond and small and large pavilions, stands out for its incredible beauty. Trees that are more than 300 years old have also been preserved here.

Being an object cultural heritage The UNESCO Changdeokgung Palace is of immense historical and architectural value. There is perhaps no better place to walk in traditional Korean dress. After visiting this place, be sure to take pictures against the backdrop of the majestic buildings of the palace complex.

Seoul, env. Jongno-gu, st. Yulgok-ro 99 (서울 종로구 율곡로 99)

How to get there

about 10 min. walk from Exit 6 of Jongno 3 (sam) -ga Station (종로 3 가역, Jongno 3 (sam) -ga Station) Seoul Metro Line 1, 3, 5

Opening hours

February - May 09: 00-18: 00 / June - August 09: 00-18: 30 / September - October 09: 00-18: 00 / November - January 09: 00-17: 30 (The entrance of visitors stops 1 hour before the closure of the palace)

Day off - every Monday

Entrance fee

Adults 3,000 won / Children 1,500 won

For visitors in Hanbok, as well as on the last Wednesday of every month, admission is free.

Phone for information

02-3668-2300 (short)

in seoul

Another must-see for walking in Hanbok is Bukchon Folk Village with traditional Korean hanok houses. In the past, the area was inhabited by members of the royal family and high nobility, and to this day, only the houses with tiled roofs from the Joseon dynasty have survived. Bukchon Village, with more than 1,400 hanok houses, is located on an elevated position with magnificent views of the Seoul countryside.

There are 8 photo zones in Bukchon village: the first of them is a panoramic view of Changdeokgung Palace, the second is located at the end of the alley with stone walls, the third is in the vicinity of the Gahoe Museum, the fourth is a hill near the house No. 31-ponji in the Kahwe-dong district, the fifth is - the lane leading down in the Kahwe-don area, the sixth is the alley leading up the mountain in the Kahwe-don area, the seventh is the neighborhood in the area of ​​house No. 31-ponji in Kahwe-don and the eighth is the stone staircase in the Samcheon-don area.

Seoul, env. Jongno-gu, st. Kedon Keel 37 (서울 종로구 계동 길 37)

How to get there

walk about 9 minutes. from the 2nd exit of the "Anguk" station (안국역, Anguk Station) of the 3rd line of the Seoul subway

Opening hours

Entrance fee

is free

Phone for information

02-2133-1372 (short)

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

Located at Dongdaemun Historical and Cultural Park Station, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a multi-functional cultural space hosting various exhibitions, forums, fashion shows and other cultural events. The DDP building is famous for its unique architecture and is the largest 3D and atypical structure in the world.

At first glance, it might seem that the Dongdaemun Design Plaza complex is not quite appropriate place for pictures in hanbok, however, the graceful hanbok looks quite harmonious against the background modern architecture DDP buildings. It is especially beautiful here at night when the lights in the LED Rose Garden are lit. Be sure to take some memorable photos here as well.

Seoul, env. Jongno-gu, st. Eulji-ro 281 (서울시 중구 을지로 281)

How to get there

walk about 3 minutes. From Exit 1 of Dongdaemun Historical and Cultural Park Station (Dongdaemun Yoksa Munhwa Kongwon) (동대문 역사 문화 공원 역, Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station) Seoul Subway Line 2, 4, 5

Opening hours

Museum Zone: weekdays 10: 00-19: 00, Friday and Saturday 10: 00-21: 00 (day off - every Monday)

Design Lab: weekdays 10: 00-21: 00, weekends and holidays 10: 00-22: 00 (day off - the third Monday of each month)

LED Rose Garden: ignition at 19:00, off at 00:00

Opening hours in the Art Hall area may vary depending on the opening times of the respective events.

Entrance fee

is free

Phone for information

02-2153-0000 (cor.)

Modern Hanok Baek In-je House

Baek In-je House, an unusual modern-style hanok located in Bukchon village, was built in 1913 during the Japanese colonial rule over Korea. Unlike other similar traditional houses, the windows in hanok are not made of changhoji paper as usual, but glass. The mansion consists of a main house, a guest house, a large garden and an outbuilding. The entrance is free, so you can freely walk here, exploring the surrounding beauty.

The filming of the movie "Assassination" (2015) took place in hanok Baek In-je House. The buildings are neat and well preserved, so it's nice to walk here and take pictures against the backdrop of traditional architecture. There is a specially designated area in the courtyard, where vats are lined up for storing soy sauce, and with the arrival of spring, the fences are covered with a flower blanket of forsythia. You can take pictures as much as you want!

Seoul, env. Jongno-gu, st. Bukchonro 7-keel 16 (서울 특별시 종로구 북촌 로 7 길 16)

How to get there

walk about 9 minutes. from the 2nd exit of the "Anguk" station (안국역, Anguk Station) of the 3rd line of the Seoul subway

Opening hours

09: 00 ~ 18: 00 (The entrance of visitors ends at 17:30, day off - every Monday)