THE NATIONAL FOLK MUSEUM OF KOREA - www.ocp.go.kr
Located in the heart of Gyeongbokgung Palace, this museum showcases over 2,200 artefacts of Korean traditional folk culture as well as exhibitions highlighting different periods of Korean history, from pre-history through to the Japanese occupation.
YOO’S FAMILY - www.yoosfamily.com
This is a small family business that helps visitors learn about Korean history and traditions. Here, a member of the family will teach you South Korean etiquette, how to drink tea and cook traditional food.
CHEONGGYECHEON STREAM - english.seoul.go.kr
Located in the middle of Seoul, this stream is man made and serves as a public recreation area for the residents of the city.
SEOUL LEISURE SPORT CLUB - english.visitkorea.or.kr
You cannot leave Seoul without trying Korea’s own version of a bathhouse, the jjimjilbang. The Seoul Leisure Sport Club is a huge complex, which includes a fire-heated sweating room, hwangto room, an amethyst room, oxygen room, and ice room, along with sauna facilities and mudpack baths and milk baths.
STARBUCKS @ THE SK TELECOM BUILDING - tum.sktelecom.com
SK Telecom Building houses the headquarters of Korea’s largest cell phone provider. This is where WiBro resides. The building itself resembles a giant cell phone and fits in seamlessly with the other high rises of the Seoul skyline. In October 2008 it opened T.um, a museum dedicated to the future. T.um also houses the worlds’ first IT-based Starbucks where customers are able to order their coffee using a touch screen table and pay with their mobile handsets.
JANGCHOONG TAEKWONDO CLUB
Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea, and since becoming an Olympic sport it has gained popularity all over the world. Here you can take classes and learn the ancient art of self defence and attack.
HANGANG RIVER BOAT CRUISE - english.tour2korea.com
The perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of busy Seoul is to take a cruise down the Han River. |
GYEONGHUIGUNG PALACE - www.english.tour2korea.com
During the latter half of the Joseon period, Gyeonghuigung served as the secondary palace for the king. Situated on the west side of Seoul, it was also called Seogwol, literally meaning 'a palace of the west'. A Taekwondo performance can be seen here twice a week.
NATIONAL CENTER OF KOREAN TRADITIONAL PERFORMING ART - www.ncktpa.go.kr
The National Centre for Korean Traditional Performing Art is an organization which began more than 1400 years ago and aims to preserve traditional music and dance.
INSADONG - www.visitkorea.or.kr
Insadong is situated at the heart of the nation’s capital and dates back 600 years. Nowadays, it is one of the Seoul’s main tourist attractions with its countless alleys and numerous antiques shops.
YOIDO FULL GOSPEL CHURCH - english.fgtv.com
Located on Yeouido Island in Seoul, the church is the largest Christian congregation in South Korea with over 830,000 members.
NSEOULTOWER - www.nseoultower.com
The NSeoulTower is a landmark of Seoul and it offers some of the best views in town.
DR. FISH CAFÉ - english.visitkorea.or.kr
Dr Fish is a café which also offers a rather unusual pedicure. While sipping a cappuccino you can soak your feet in a fish tank where hundreds of small fish eat the dead skin off your feet leaving them clean and healthy. LUXURY ZU NORAEBANG - www.skysu.com
Karoke is one of South Korea’s favourite past times. The Luxury Su speaks for itself; luxury surroundings with well equipped ‘noraebang’ or singing rooms.
DONGDAEMUN MARKET - www.lifeinkorea.com
Located near its namesake of Dongdaemun (Great East Gate), this is one of Seoul’s most famous markets and one where you can buy silks, clothes, shoes, sporting goods, plumbing and electrical supplies, electronics, office supplies, toys and just about anything else imaginable.
COEX MALL - www.coex.co.kr
One of the best shopping experiences in Seoul can be experienced at the COEX Mall, Asia’s largest underground shopping mall with restaurants and entertainment facilities,
B- BOYS ‘BREAK OUT’ - www.yegam.com
South Korea is becoming a major player in B-boy performance and this one by some of Korea’s top B-boys showcases spectacular martial arts, gymnastics, aerobics and dancing. |
From high tech to high rise, most things in Seoul go up, not least the swelling population. Sadly for Danny Robins, our intrepid talent seems to be on the way down after going head to head in a battle with the B Boyz, toe to toe in a taekwondo match and foot in mouth with some skin eating fishes.