Yesterday we started our visit of Seoul with a visit to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the most important of the 5 remaining palaces of the Joseon dynasty. The palace’s stunning architecture and rich history transported us back in time, painting a vivid picture of Korea’s royal past.
From the grandeur of the palace, we ventured into the charming Bukchon Hanok Village. The narrow, winding alleys lined with traditional Korean houses offered a peaceful respite from the city’s bustling energy. It was like stepping back in time, a glimpse into the everyday life of Seoul’s ancestors.
Then, we headed to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the DDP is a futuristic building that seamlessly blends art, culture, and commerce. We visited several exhibitions, but overall the building and the surroundings were what struck us most.
We ended our first day at the Namdaemun Market, which runs since 1414. It’s definitely the oldest and probably the biggest market of South Korea. Nowadays, it’s a never-ending story of street food & clothes stalls.
Today, we went to pay our honor to our own generation, by visiting the Gangnam district. Of course we went to see the Gangnam Style monument, which is a tribute to the Korean singer Psy who got famous and extremely rich with his one hit.
The Gangnam district is the financial district of Seoul & because today was a bank holiday, the streets were rather deserted. Apart from the modern buildings & the bling bling skyscrapers, there are some interesting things to see, like the Starfield Library.
After a one hour subway ride we found ourselves in the Digital Media City. It’s home to a variety of media and technology companies, including broadcasting stations, game developers, and animation studios.
While two days was far too short to fully experience all that Seoul has to offer, it gave us a glimpse into its vibrant culture and rich history. Now it’s time to start the evening & go out for a beer or two. Our hotel is in the Itaewon area, which has quite an important gay scene.
More pictures of Seoul, click on a picture & scroll:
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